Three Montco Reps, Two Calling Birds ....

Last Thursday I attended a multi-legislator / candidate forum. It is one of my favorite types of events (free, open to the public, more than one candidate in a single setting). If you know of any other events like this please let me know. I was able to attend this one because someone told me about it a few weeks before it happened.

As always, keep in mind that I was taking notes as people spoke. I apologize in advance for any errors or misconceptions. It is impossible to catch all the examples or allusions that people use and my aim is to get the gist, so remarks sound much choppier than they actually are (were?).

Abington Township Building. January 31, 2008

Hosted by League of Women Voters of Abington, Cheltenham and Jenkintown, and Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce

State Legislators in attendance:
Rep. Josh Shapiro (D-153) (www.pahouse.com/shapiro, www.joshshapiro.org)
Rep. Rick Taylor (D-151) (www.pahouse.com/taylor, www.taylorforpa.com)
Rep. Larry Curry (D-154) (www.pahouse.com/curry)

State Senator LeAnna Washington was not able to attend due to a family emergency.

LWV questions

Q: Will you actively support amending the Pennsylvania Constitution to provide for an independent commission to draw districts?

RT: Thanks LWV and EMCC. Voting is fundamental to democracy. We must make sure we are doing everything to make your vote count. Districts should be compact, contiguous, non-discriminatory, respect geographic and political boundaries, and not designed to protect incumbents. The process has become highly partisan. Currently 98% of incumbents win nationally. Upper Dublin Township has is split among four different state house districts. Legislators are choosing their constituents. I am in favor of nonpartisan redistricting.

JS: Thanks LWV and EMCC. Redistricting is a key reform needed in Harrisburg. If we don’t make districts more fair we will continue to see elected officials run to the far left and right, not working together. I favor a nine person committee and their plan should be voted up or down.

LC: Thanks LWV and EMCC. I am opposed to the general assembly voting on congressional districts. I would like a commission to draw congressional lines. A great deal of mischief can occur when the legislature votes on districts. We need to get a report from a commission. We should keep school districts and municipalities together.

Q: Do you support an amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution for merit selection of judges?

RT: I am supportive of the concept.

JS: I support merit selection and am going to introduce a bill to that effect. We should also be sensitive to the will of the people. I would like a diverse citizen nomination commission to submit names to the governor who would then submit names to the state senate.

LC: I have moved my position on this. I used to favor electing judges but now selection appeals to me.

Q: School funding. Do you favor established minimum level or realistic expenditure?

LC: I served on a bipartisan commission for two years on educational funding. We made recommendations. Nothing happens. We need to move but it is hard to get institutions to respond. In Philadelphia, with $4700 per student; they are underfunded. Look at special education funding.

JS: With strong public education there is less crime, better jobs, dollars, quality teachers, curriculum, less stress from the federal government needed. I am on a committee to study this, found costing out study. Abington, Cheltenham and Jenkintown are overfunded but getting less and less from the state. We get .12 on the dollar from the state and .02 from the federal government. The rest comes from property taxes. We need to adequately fund public education. I hope to come up with a better formula.

RT: We are fortunate in this area. There is inequity across the state. I have visited lower funded schools. We’ve got to do a better job.

Q: Do you support a 3.5% in library funding?

JS: Absolutely, I am a strong supporter of libraries. We need to increase funding to get them back on track where they were. We can’t fund everything but libraries are a huge part of education and enrichment. This is a critical issue.

RT: My wife works in a library. [Quotes Ben Franklin on the democratizing effect of libraries.]

LC: I am a library supporter.

EMCC questions

Q: Rising cost of health care for small businesses

RT: Mentions the governor’s Cover All Pennsylvanians plan. Medical costs have gone up over 70%. Hospital acquired infections are a problem. We need to let nurses practice to the fullest extent of their training. There are 800,000 uninsured people in Pennsylvania.

Q: Do you support the Family and Business Support Act (HB 1660)?

JS: With Cover All Kids, every kid has access to health care. Under Adult Basic 40,000 to 50,000 adults are covered but there are over 100,000 on a waiting list to join. There are 800,000 uninsured people in Pennsylvania, 74% of them are working but can’t afford health insurance. This is our #1 issue. We can’t fund it on the backs of small business. I went to let small businesses join up to negotiate with insurance companies. We need to make sure doctors practice in our communities and I support MCARE abatements.

LC: In this session we have passed 7 [did not catch the rest of this], part of the governor’s plan. Five more bills are moving through committee, HB 1601 & 2005 money bills, that has slowed things done. HB 1660 sponsored by concerned citizens is being considered.

Q: Act 44 and sale of the turnpike?

RT: We need dedicated funds for mass transit. I liked the concept of tolling I-80 but am skeptical about leasing the turnpike. We need to figure out how to fund bridges and mass transit.

JS: I support Act 44, increase tolls, toll I-80. Federal approval is required for tolling I-80. We need to fund our infrastructure. Approve of leasing the turnpike only if Act 44 goes down. [He explains the process it has to go through.] Says okay to lease if there are strict guidelines.

LC: Not so supportive of leasing. Concerned that there is also language to toll I-95 and the expressway.

Audience questions

Q: Should we allow people to register to vote through welfare agencies?

JS: We should allow people to vote through the most convenient way possible, and allow same day registration and voting.

RT: Agree, it should be as easy as possible.

LC: We have mail in registration.

Q: Should we have voter verified paper trail for ballots?

JS: I co-sponsored a bill, HB 2000, on this, currently in committee.

RT: Also co-sponsored legislation on this.

Q: Is the House working in a bipartisan fashion?

JS: For the first time in 12 years the Democrats are in the majority but we voted a Republican in as Speaker of the House. This set a tone of bipartisanship and cooperation. We need to do more and better but the groundwork is there.

LC: There was a strong spirit of reform in the spring; the relationship among the rank and file is better. I have seen bills go down on partisanship. The Senate won’t vote on bills because they don’t like the governor’s plan. Partisanship has clogged up the process especially in the Senate.

RT: Rep. Shapiro is has really worked on reform. Some honest differences lead to partisanship.

Q: Some legislators are retiring because they feel ineffective.

LC: Partisanship. Three of the most thoughtful Republicans are leaving.

JS: People who don’t feel effective should make room for others.

Q: Clean air standards, climate change

LC: We did adopt California standards. The governor has a proposal for renewable energy. It won’t happen overnight but we are moving along.

RT: Other proactive steps. Rep. Vitali has some legislation to inventory greenhouse gasses. The governor has energy proposals.

JS: The EPA sued Pennsylvania and other states over using the California standards. Tax credits for renewable and alternative energy. The governor wants energy conservation funds. The proposed smart meter would cost $5.40 a year but save over $70 a year.

Q: Gun control in Pennsylvania or Philadelphia?

LC: Met with the director of CeaseFirePA. The NRA has such a death grip on central Pennsylvania.

RT: Reporting a lost firearm is common sense but the NRA is opposed to it. One handgun a month purchase regulations went down in committee. I respect the rights of hunters, collectors and homeowners to protect themselves

JS: There are many common sense approaches to gun control. We need to invest more in early childhood education, faith-based opportunities, parents must set good examples at home.

[blogger’s note: There were three other questions but time did not allow for any more than one legislator to answer and one question referenced a bill that did not exist, so I have not included those questions here.]

Wardrobe notes: Regular readers may have noted my penchant for commenting on the ties worn by male legislators or candidates. For many years one of my marital duties has been to select or approve of Mr. J’s ties on days when he wears a suit so I have become much more cognizant of neckwear. There may also be some truth to the theory that commenting on ties is a backlash against the media attention given to the clothing choices of women in the public eye.

In any event, Rep. Shapiro was again sporting an orange tie. This is at least the third public event I have covered at which he wore an orange tie so it is either a favorite or he has a limited selection to work with. In any event I approve. It is a good color for him. Rep. Taylor was wearing a solid tie somewhere in the gold / yellow range. Rep. Curry was wearing a patterned tie featuring red and green but it was difficult to determine at a distance so I could be wrong on this.