Harper and Custer on "Comment Please"

Earlier this month Kate Harper and Frank Custer were on "Comment Please" by Univest, a talk show on wnpv1440. Host Darryl Berger does a fantastic job of talking with candidates. Not all of his comments are represented here as he is very skillful at guiding the conversation in an understated way.

At present the debate is available on the Comment Please website. This blog post is not intended as a full transcript but notes typed while listening; interested parties are encouraged to listen for themselves or to contact the campaigns for clarification of the candidates' positions on the issues.

Comment Please by Univest.
Host: Darryl Berger
Taped Oct 2nd.

Incumbent Republican Kate Harper / Democrat Frank Custer
61st state house district

Good afternoon and welcome, Oct 2nd. 1 minute open and closing statement.

KH: Happy to be here. In the few years I’ve been in Harrisburg I’m most proud of my work on the environment. Growing Greener II, working with people on both sides of aisle to come up with energy program for PA. Require power companies to buy alternative energy. Recently increased the amount of this. Combining it with economic development money, attracted a windmill manufacturer to PA. Creating clean energy industries and creating jobs.

FC: Happy to be here. Excited to be running in this race. This race is vitally important to PA. The Democrats have a one vote margin in the house. In my view we need to increase that on the D side. Long career in politics in private and public, state and federal levels, served as Congressman Hoeffel’s press secretary, now have a consulting firm. Looks forward to putting experience to work in Harrisburg.

Q: economic bailout, a federal issues, but people worried about the economy. What should be happening in Harrisburg to brace the state.

KH: PA doesn’t have as many mortgage foreclosures as other states. Passed a bill on mortgage foreclosures. PA budget depending on state’s economy. PA must have a balanced budget by June 30 each year. Beginning to tighten budget and watching projections on a monthly basis. We won’t know until April next year. Next year may be very difficult year, may need to cut existing programs.

FC: We all know what the problems are at the federal level with subprime mortgages and things like that. What we’ve watched over the past couple of weeks is lack of leadership on both sides of the aisle. People are not stepping up the plate in DC. Colossal lack of leadership. When PA faces shortfalls next year I hope people in H’burg and I hope I’m one of them exhibit leadership lacking in DC. Current leadership in H’burg not up to the task. There are going to have to be cuts or re-prioritizing.

Q: tax reform. Every time the legislature tries to do something it doesn’t work. Act 1 rejected across the state.

KH: That was actually Act 50, Act 1 is in effect across the state. You’re right that the school districts don’t like it. It has had a very beneficial effect in some school districts where school board can turn to teachers and say if we raise your salaries that much we’ll have to ask for a increase on the ballot. One of the difficulties in PA is that in some areas property taxes are paying a lot of the school’s costs. If we abolished the property tax in some areas it would mean individuals would have to make up the difference. Maybe what we need is a way to benefit seniors and some others that can’t pay. In addition this year some taxpayers saw the effects of the Homestead Act. In affluent districts people pay 90% of education costs and not much from the state.

FC: I think the state has to begin to pay more and more of its fair share for education. Over time it has eroded it is supposed to be up around 50% and it has fallen. Over the course of several years if we can get that back up to around 50% that will help a lot. We need to make sure that revenue from casinos and gambling goes to education.

Q if you could vote to expand the types of gambling to table games in order to provide more prop tax relief would you do it?

FC: Probably would. Not a big fan of gambling but if people are going to gamble would rather they didn’t go to NJ or NY.

KH: would not at this time support an expansion of gambling. It has not lived up to expectations but not all casinos are open yet. Average resident will lose $200 in gambling this year. Since I don’t gamble someone else is losing more.

FC: It hasn’t lived up to expectations because two casinos have not opened up in Philly. I have the same reservations that Kate does.

Q: Back end referendum has some meaning

KH: The reasons areas have not had an opportunity to vote because school districts have made an effort to stay in budget. The school board does not want to go out to the voters. Two third of districts budget set because it is salaries. If they grant higher contracts they will need to go to referendum.

Q: would you vote to repeal teachers right to strike

KH: I would. Teachers like firefighters and police officers should not be able to strike. Would vote for binding arbitration.

FC: I think they should be able to strike. I grew up in a union household. The right to strike is one of the basic premises to collective bargaining. I would not vote to remove that form the teachers.

Q: Frank, questioning incumbent’s commitment to job because she represents municipalities as a solicitor

FC: Issue not outside income or another job. The issue is when given a choice between being in H’burg doing her duties and having the responsibility of being a solicitor for a local twp or borough she had opted to be at home as a solicitor. I believe that if you are elected by the people it should be your primary responsibility. You should be in H’burg to vote. People do miss votes, doctor’s appointments, weddings, deaths, etc. Outside income is another thing. I am a writer of sorts. If I write an article on a weekend or an attorney does that in his own time. But Kate has missed votes to come back and act as a solicitor. PA is considered a full time legislature.

KH: As of Sept. 1, I have a 98% attendance record. I’m deeply committed to the job. There have been a few occasions when I’ve missed late night votes, almost all were unanimous, almost all of them I voted for in committee. Most people don’t have a 98% attendance record in their job. No one works harder than I do for the 61st district. I’m at boy scout ceremonies, firefighters dinners, etc.

FC: You are at all those things but when is the conflict between your two masters you don’t chose H’burg. If those votes are unanimous, they certainly were important for 200 of her colleagues to be there.

KH: municipal meetings at night so usually doesn’t conflict. D’s in charge of House and calendar. Occasionally there are unpredictable votes on Monday night and if I know then I can get another lawyer to be at the municipal meeting for me. I selected municipal work because it wouldn’t conflict with the House calendar. Generally not a conflict. If I were late or had to send a substitute it’s okay.

Q: did you miss the payraise vote

KH: no I didn’t.

FC: So you don’t want votes after 5 p.m.?

KH: I didn’t say that.

FC: When this article was in the paper and Rep. Harper responded. She said she needed to have the second job so she could have the integrity to stand up to her leadership in H’burg.

KH: if you’re going to quote me quote me directly. The ability to earn an outside job is a good thing. I don’t ever want to be in a situation where I am so desperate for a job that I’ll vote for something to keep my job. I can make it in the private sector and support my family. It is important to the integrity of the public sector for people to know they can support themselves outside of office. John Adams told his son make sure you are never dependent on the public job.

Q: votes late at night, early in the morning. This cloud called Bonusgate. Indictments directed at Ds in the House. Attorney Gen said no other indictments before the election

FC: When I heard about Bonusgate I was sickened. It was abominable. I also said I would not vote to reelect current D leadership. There are many things that could be changed in H’burg. One thing that is tremendously needed is a campaign finance law. The idea that anyone can donate anything to anyone is ridiculous. Bipartisan commission needed to redraw districts every 10 years. I am against term limits. That came up in a forum last Saturday. I’m against them more at federal level than state level. Need for institutional knowledge. You can have term limits – they are called elections.

KH: I think one of the easiest things that could be done fairly simply. Campaign manager for Rick Tayler paid for by tax dollars. Easiest thing done could be sunshine on leadership accounts. Some of my colleagues said “I didn’t know how they were paying that guy.” Nobody knew that because leadership accounts are not accountable. That is a fairly easy fix. Two very dangerous times -- sine die, the days after the election when legislators are lame ducks, late at night when people are tired and just want to get things done. We stopped that – bills have to be amended on second considerations and 24 hour delay before voting. That rule is good. We don’t meet past 11 p.m. and that is good. Truth is you have to have committee meetings before the legislature starts. Those rules are good reforms. Nervous about constitutional convention. Afraid of a runaway. If it is not strictly limited. Constitution is deliberately difficult to amend. Let’s talk about the size of the legislature. We do have one of the larger legislatures but we also have one of the largest populations. Montco is fortunate in that we have fine reps on both sides of the aisle but another rep’s district covers 3 counties. Going door to door is very difficult . dilutes the voice of rural people. Let’s go for making transparent how things happen and how money is spent.

FC: would not be for a constitutional convention. We can fix what’s wrong without changing constitution. There was talk of a special session on ethics. Kate was against that. She brought up the Rick Tayler situation. In the last couple of weeks of the campaign if you get a new campaign manager. If she comes from the state you assume she is being paid by party and not state money. It has only been D’s indicted so far because the Attorney General is a Republican. It is assumed that next group will be Republicans. To the point of a smaller legislature. If you go to a smaller legislature you will need more staff and more resources to serve those 120,000 people or whatever.

KH: Frank’s making my argument. If leadership accounts were public this wouldn’t have happened. Leadership won’t agree.

FC: That’s why we need new leadership. There are people who want reform, Josh Shapiro is one of them.

KH: we haven’t talked about the things important to the people of the 61st, like traffic and the environment.

Closing

FC: Thank you for having us today. There are important issues today. Health care is one of them. When I knock on doors health care comes up again and again. I was walking in Whitpain township in an area where houses must be worth over 300,000 a woman told me her health care cost more than their mortgage. Met a couple expecting a baby who haven’t seen a doctor because they don’t have insurance. The constituents of the 61st will always know how I stand. www.votecuster.org

KH: You just threw me a curve ball by saying I waffle. If there is anything I am known for it is speaking my mind. Redesigned roads so it wouldn’t interfere with people. On Rte 202 worked with people directly. Longstanding supporter of environmental issues. I think I’ve been an effective legislature. Don’t have a campaign website, legislative. www.kateharper.net.