Horsham Democrats Annual Reception

The Horsham Democrats held their annual reception on August 12, 2014 at the Horsham Pub in Ambler.  Several local officials and candidates attended.  Former 8th District Congressman Patrick Murphy was a special guest.  Joe Hoeffel, who has held office as a Congressman (13th), Montgomery County Commissioner, and State Representative (153rd) and is now an author (of Iraq Lies) was also in attendance but did not make formal remarks.

These are my rough notes from the event.  Public remarks were longer and more detailed; this is in no way intended as a transcript.  It is just my notes from what people said.  My apologies in advance for any errors or misconceptions.  A few personal observations are given at the end of the post. 

MC:  Horsham Dems co-chair Pat Costello

Co-host:  Horsham Dems vice chair Ron Kolla

In addition to speakers the following were present:

Joe Hoeffel, D. Bruce Hanes (Montco Register of Wills), Ann Thornburg Weiss (Montco Clerk of Courts, JeanneSorg (Mayor of Ambler) and Rick Taylor (First Gentleman of Ambler and former State Representative), Greg Holt (Montco State Democratic Committee), Mark Levy (Montco Prothonotary), Madeleine Dean (State Representative for 153rd district), Dottie Miller (State House candidate in 53rd district), RuthDamsker (former Montco County Commissioner, candidate for State Senate in 12th district), [Mary Ellen Balchunis -- 7th district congressional candidate -- she was mentioned but I'm not sure she was there in person]

Brendan Boyle, candidate for Congress in the 13th district and current state representative in the 170th district, who had to leave early, spoke before the other formal remarks.  He referenced being the first Democrat in history to win in his district, and now people were saying a Republican couldn’t win the seat.  He said he looked forward to growing the party.

Pat Costello gave opening remarks, welcoming everyone.  He pointed out the labor leaders in the room and said labor is the backbone of Horsham.  He mentioned candidates in the room (see list above)

Josh Shapiro, chairman of the Montco Commissioners:  Recognizes Pat Costello.  Understands what it takes to build a party.  Bullish on Horsham Dems.  Believe in one another.  This is a tremendous group of people, who know how to mobilize.  Ruth Damsker will vote with Tom Wolf to put more money back into education.  Starts with boots on the ground.  Introduces Patrick Murphy, watches him on MSNBC, doing great things with veterans.  Murphy is raising awareness, and being a voice for the voiceless.

Patrick Murphy, former congressmen in the 8th district:  thanks.  When he signed up with MSNBC he can no longer endorse candidates but got special permission to be here tonight.  The only thing you have is your word.  Special mention of Hoeffel, who is the conscience of the party in this area.  A lot of great things going on in Horsham.  He was only elected to Congress because of the voters Montgomery County who were in the 8^th district.  He recognizes Wendy Rothstein (??), who is also a lawyer at Fox Rothschild, and mentions that Montgomery party chair Marcel Groen is also at Fox Rothschild.  References Joe Hoeffel’s book, Iraq Lies.  Less than 1% of Americans have served in Iraq.  Many have come home broken.  Leave no one behind.  Every day 22 veterans commit suicide, over 70% with a gun.  Heart broken over Robin Williams’s death; he did a lot for veterans.  Tells the story of getting a death threat the night the Affordable Care Act.  He slept on the floor of his congressional office and someone called him and said he was dead.   Mentions that while in Congress he did the PX90 workout with Paul Ryan.  Mentions ISIS conflict, and humanitarian drops by US.  Says Tom Corbett has been called the most ineffective governor in the country. 

Leslie Richards, Montco Commissioner:  Great to see so many old and new faces.  When Josh and I won we made history.  Not possible without work by Joe Hoeffel and Ruth Damsker.  Elect Ruth to the State Senate.  Let’s help Tom Corbett make history by being the first PA governor not to win a second term. 

Josh Shapiro:  Thanks Pat Costello and others.  

Personal observations:  This was a lively gathering.  Boyle, Hoeffel and Murphy were the popular kids; there was always a crowed around each of them.  The room was full and the event well-attended, especially on a rainy night.  The food looked good, too.  I had already eaten but did have some blueberries.  There were more influential women there than I am used to seeing, which was encouraging.

Joe Hoeffel's New Book

Joe Hoeffel, who has held several elected offices (Congressman, Montgomery County Commissioner, State Representative) has a new item on his resume -- author.  His new book, The Iraq Lie:  How the White House Sold the War, was released yesterday.

Amazon has both print and kindle versions, with parts of the prologue, afterward, appendices, and index available online.

You can also buy it directly from Progressive Press.

Laura Olson has an initial announcement in the Morning Call on 7/25.

Joe Hoeffel on Logan Square in Norristown

One of my favorite politicians, Joe Hoeffel, has a letter in today's Inquirer, on the Lanning Square development in Norristown.  Please take the time to read it.

A Note from Joe Hoeffel

from last Friday's inbox:

May 6, 2011

Dear Friends:

Since my last report, government at all levels continues to face a number of challenges. The resurgent right wing in American politics is not getting it right. Progressive principles of social liberalism and fiscal responsibility are needed as never before to resolve these problems and improve the quality of life for all.

My focus as county commissioner continues in three areas: economic development, transportation funding and open space preservation. County staff is working hard to coordinate our investments in these programs to leverage our dollars, attract private investment and jump start economic activity.

In addition to the 600 jobs saved and created in our county seat by our investment in the newly-renamed Norristown Center, we are starting a micro grant program aimed at smaller businesses. We need more investment in our older communities and downtowns, and more jobs throughout the county.

We are re-directing open space dollars to focus on development of the Schuylkill River Greenway. With limited public dollars, we can improve access to the Valley Forge Trail by the river, connect more public land along the river, encourage small retail operations to supply services and equipment to trail users, and improve public use and enjoyment of the Schuylkill. People love rivers. Provide good access and amenities and the people will come.

I am working hard at the county and as chair of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission to secure funding for two critical transportation projects, improving Rt. 422 and expanding commuter train service in the 422 corridor, and building a new turnpike interchange for Norristown. Governor Corbett has appointed a transportation funding commission to recommend ways to increase revenue, which could include registration increases, user fees, new tolls and public-private partnerships. You get what you pay for in this life, and Pennsylvania needs more investment in our roads, bridges and public transportation. Stay tuned for more developments when the commission makes its recommendations to the governor by August 1.

In the last few months as the GOP and the Tea Party have been flexing their muscles, the Republicans seems to have lost their collective minds. Lurching wildly to the right wing, they want to privatize Medicare and block grant Medicaid. They want to cut the top income tax rates for individuals and for corporations from 35% to 25%. Governor Corbett took $800,000 in campaign donations from the gas companies last year and won't tax them this year. The Governor wants to cut public schools 10% and start private school vouchers with public dollars. He wants to cut higher education 50% and urges state colleges to make up the difference by drilling gas wells on campus.

Progressives need to fight back. The voters don't like policies from the political extremes. We need to press the fight for socially liberal and fiscally responsible solutions to our mutual challenges. I will keep sending my ideas and proposals if you are willing to keep reading them. Please let me hear from you.

And to all you wonderful mothers, from all the people who love you, Happy Mother's Day!

Montco I: Note from Hoeffel

from the inbox on 2/07, from Friends of Joe Hoeffel

Bipartisanship Trumps Civility

February 7, 2011

Everybody likes bipartisanship.

We believe our public servants represent us better when they cast aside partisan motives and work cooperatively across the party divide. We bemoan the hyper-partisanship in Harrisburg and Washington, D.C. that leads to government gridlock. We applaud when our federal representatives pair up and sit together, Republicans next to Democrats, to hear the State of the Union address.

Everybody likes civility in government.

We believe that people ought to get along and treat each other respectfully. That is how our mothers taught us to behave. We want our elected officials to be civil to one another and to calmly accept opposing points of view.

But what happens when the very bipartisanship we want is the cause of the incivility we don't like?

That is what we have in Montgomery County. A county government that works effectively in a bipartisan gridlock-free manner, but is uncivil because the Republican Party can't stand that a Democrat is sharing power.

I submit that the daily bipartisanship of Montgomery County government is far more important than our occasional, albeit spectacular, incivility. What counts is what we achieve.

Jim Matthews and I, in this first-time-ever bipartisan coalition, and over the frequent vocal opposition of Bruce Castor, have passed balanced county budgets that have reduced spending and trimmed the county bureaucracy three years in a row with no increase in taxes. We have maintained our commitment to core county obligations for human services and public safety. We have started prudent and highly successful economic development and transportation programs responsible for 600 more jobs in Norristown and five traffic-easing projects around the county. We have reduced political activity in the courthouse, expanded our ethics code and strengthened the competitive selection of professional vendors.

The fact is that while the people love bipartisanship, the political bosses hate it, because they lose control. We hire workers, award contracts and select professionals through a competitive process that we recently improved and codified. Neither party headquarters is controlling those decisions and they don't like it.

Frankly, there has been lots of civility through the years in Montgomery County government, when one party dominated government decisions. That civility masked and hid from public view years of one party rule, patronage abuses and no-bid contracts to political donors. Those days are over.

I know we should do better and be nice to each other. I always try to be respectful to friend and foe alike in public and, frankly, I'm not doing the name-calling in Norristown. But if I was, so what? Civility is beneficial, but not essential, to good government.

So the next time Bruce Castor calls Jim Matthews names, don't worry about it.

The next time Jim Matthews responds in kind, let it slide.

The next time Bruce Castor refers to me as a hypocrite, a liar, and corrupt, as he routinely does, just laugh it off. That's what I do (at least in public).

We have important work to accomplish in Montgomery County this year. We have to operate effectively in a continuing recession. We have to decide whether tolling is needed to fix US 422. We have to get state funding restored for the new Norristown turnpike slip ramps to encourage development of the Norristown riverfront. We must fund a major upgrade of our emergency radio system. We need to switch our open space funding toward promoting the Schuylkill Greenway proposal.

If the past is any indication, these and other good government steps will usually occur with 2-1 votes, with one Republican and one Democrat working together, and one Republican screaming bloody murder. So be it.

Shapiro Richards

As most suburban Philly politicos will have heard by now, County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel announced today that he won't run for re-election. The current Democratic ticket has State Rep. Josh Shapiro and Whitemarsh Township Supervisor Leslie Richards.

I think those decisions were made rather quickly. Why? There is a hastily compiled website at www.shapirorichards.com. It links to Richards existing county commissioner campaign site. Shapiro's link is to his state rep campaign site. It this were something planned far in advance their website would look better the first day or so it was up. I can't find any information on when the URL was purchased. The logo is fairly basic (their last names in red with a blue star between them and their first names written in very small blue letters above the last names).

This will be an interesting race.

GOTV Rally in Ambler with Rick Taylor and Rendell

This afternoon a number of elected officials gathered in support of State Rep. Rick Taylor (D-151), who is running for re-election this year. It was a beautiful crisp fall day. These are my notes from the rally.

Montgomery County Democratic Chair Marcel Groen started the festivities. He mentioned some of the local officials present, including Mayor Bud Wahl and Bob Pesavento, President of the Upper Dublin Township Board of Commissioners. Other local elected officials were present but not named. Groen introduced Ruth Damsker

Ruth Damsker, candidate for state senate in the 12th district. She said everyone knows what needs to be done. We need to preserve what has been done for open space. We also need to tax Marcellus shale.

Next up, State Rep. Josh Shapiro (D-153), whose district contains part of Upper Dublin Township. He said if the GOP wins a majority in the state house it will mean we didn’t go our job here. Rick Taylor is key. We need to make the gas drillers pay for cleanup. We need to keep communities safe.

Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel welcomed the crowd and introduced Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz.

Schwartz said we need everyone to come out and vote. Ambler is a great place. Rick Taylor is responsible to the community. She cited his work on the Willow Grove Naval Air Station as an example. Not only is Taylor a good legislator but a really good person.

Taylor himself took the microphone. We have the heart we have to get the votes. Nothing is more important than education. The GOP wants to gut education. On Marcellus shale, the state senate walked way without getting anything done. He and his campaign have knocked on over 30,000 doors.

Gov. Ed Rendell arrived in a big bus. He said Rick Taylor has the courage of the heart of a lion. On the statewide elections, Dan Onorato [Democratic candidate for governor] and Joe Sestak [Democratic candidate for Senate] are within the margin of error in polls and can win. We should go out and talk to people and motivate voters. Allyson Schwartz has done a great job with CHIP; 4 million more kids are now insured. With the Lilly Ledbetter Act women now can receive equal pay for equal work. Credit card reform means no more families put in the poor house. We took the middle man out of student loans. The health care reform bill isn’t perfect but it protects us in many ways.

Rendell continued, saying that, according to the Congressional Budget Office, the stimulus bill kept unemployment lower than it would have been otherwise. The stimulus worked. The GOP seems to think the health care reform bill was written by the devil. We are the only developed nation without universal health care. The Congressional Budget Office says the health care reform bill will cut the deficit 20 trillion dollars [not sure this amount is right and did not catch the time period this would cover.] With the bill, young adults can stay on their parents coverage until they are 26. There is no cap on coverage, and insurance companies can no longer drop people when they get sick. Let’s not be ashamed of what we’ve done.

He said we cannot even get a vote in the state senate on taxing Marcellus shale. Tom Corbett [Republican candidate for governor] is against a severance tax because he has received nearly a million dollars from the drilling industry. On the state level Rendell said he has targeted programs that work, pre-kindergarten and full day kindergarten, free after school tutoring; he said Pennsylvania is the only state to make substantial progress in all areas on educational tests. We’ve tone a good job. The tea party has some scary ideas. Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann, in line to be chair of the government oversight committee under a Republican majority, has said she would issue subpoena after subpoena. President Obama didn’t do that when he took office. John Boehner, in line to be speaker of the house if the Republicans win a majority, campaigned for a candidate who posed in a Nazi uniform. Mitch McConnell has said his top priority is to keep President Obama from getting anything done.

Rendell ended by saying that like long distance runners we need to find the energy to sprint at the finish line.

Personal notes: I’ve been a fan of Rick Taylor since his first run for office in 2006. My favorite photo of him is when he took on Tom Corbett for using subpoena power to try and find out who owned a twitter account.

What Has Joe Hoeffel Been Up To?

Joe Hoeffel has been continuing his role as elder statesman in the Philadelphia area. This past weekend he attended an event in support of Ruth Damsker, who is running for the state senate. He's also been attending events in support of Joe Sestak. Today he held a conference call for bloggers, to discuss Dan Onorato's gubernatorial campaign, and answer questions people might have about Onorato.

Radnor Township Democrats Picnic

The Radnor Democrats held a Rally for Change last Saturday, September 11. About 40 people attended. Several candidates stopped by to talk with people. These are my notes from their public comments. As always, I apologize in advance for any errors or misconceptions.

Chairman George Badey served as mc and did a find job. He pointed out some local elected officials, including township commissioners John Fisher and John Nagle.

Joe Sestak could not attend but asked Joe Hoeffel to speak on his behalf. Hoeffel pointed out Delaware County Democratic Party Chairman David Landau. Hoeffel said people are angry because of the economy. Republicans spout simple theories: cut taxes, “starve the beast.” We have to energize our base. We believe in individual freedom and the magic of the market. We want to life all boats.

Bryan Lentz, currently a state representative and candidate for the 7th congressional district. He said don’t believe the headlines about trouble for the Democrats. The Democratic party gave us civil rights and protect the environment. The Republicans used to talk about balancing the budget and avoiding foreign entanglements. Now it’s run up deficits, given tax cuts to the rich, and they get into every entanglement. The Republicans are talking about their friends – corporations, drug companies and insurance companies are spending money to keep me out of office. They are paying for ads against me. That is a badge of honor. I got into politics to protect people. Between now and election day how many people can you call, how many doors can you knock on. We wont’ outspend corporations. The only counter to corporate spending is us, talking to people. I want to invest in education, protect the environment, and stick up for people who can’t stick up for themselves. As your self, who do you want sticking up for you.

State Rep. Greg Vitali said we hold the state house now and don’t want that to change. Republican candidate for governor Tom Corbett will lease out state forest land and not tax Marcellus Shale extraction. for a change let’s work to keep things the same.

Walt Waite, candidate for Bryan Lentz’s state house seat said he had knocked on about 6,000 doors. It is important that we hang on to these seats. We want to help people. If you have a problem you should fix it today. If you wait until tomorrow it will take longer and cost more.

David Landau, chair of the Delaware County Democrats said Radnor is showing up how to win elections on the local level. We need that infrastructure. The key is to get the Democrats out.

My thanks to the gentleman who sent me directions.

Damsker Campaign Kick Off

Ruth Damsker, candidate for the 12th state senate district, currently held by Stewart Greenleaf, kicked off her campaign this weekend.

The 12th district is includes Upper Southampton, Warminster and Warrington Townships in Bucks county and Franconia, Hatfield, Horsham, Lower Gwynedd, Lower Moreland, Montgomery, Upper Dublin, Upper Gwynedd, and Upper Moreland townships in Montgomery County, and the boroughs of Ambler, Bryn Athyn, Hatboro, Hatfield, and North Wales.

Damsker was elected a Montgomery County Commissioner from 1999 through 2007. Prior to that she was Cheltenham Township’s Finance Office and Township Controller.

Her kickoff was well-attended. Upper Dublin Township Commissioner Sharon Damsker (Ruth's daughter-in-law), Upper Moreland Township Commissioner Lisa Romaniello, Montgomery County Controller Diane Morgan, and Bill Wallace, candidate for the 24th state senate district, were there. Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel acted as master of ceremonies and Congressman Patrick Murphy served as guest speaker. The entertainment was provided by a gentleman playing the soprano saxophone.

Joe Hoeffel was greeted warmly and a number of people made a point of talking with him. Hoeffel introduced all the dignitaries, including Congressman Patrick Murphy, whose remarks were more of a campaign speech than an introduction of Damsker.

Murphy said Hoeffel is the conscience of the Democratic Party. He said we want to help our neighbors and to stand for what is right. People are right to be ticked off. We are spending too much on the war. Over 8 million people are unemployed, but if we had not passed the stimulus it would be 20 million. Those supporting the tea party have no problem spending $3 billion on the war in Iraq but don’t want to spend $1 billion at home. We voted for the stimulus because it was important to do so. Bush / Fitzpatrick economic policies incentivized sending jobs overseas. We need to invest here at home. The stimulus sent $1.9 million to the Abington School District, $1.2 million to the Upper Dublin School District, and $956,000 to the Upper Moreland School district. It provided millions to Montgomery County weatherization and road improvements.

He mentioned his infant son was being baptized the next day (Sunday) and mentioned his Catholic faith. He pointed out that he believed in limited government and that women should be able to make their own medical decisions. He also said that if we have the best scientists in the world we shouldn’t tie their hands. Touching on foreign policy he said that Pat Toomey wanted to cut all foreign aid including aid to Israel.

At this point he introduced Damsker. She pointed out that her opponent has been in office for 32 years. His party is in the majority but that bills don’t go anywhere in the state senate. The state house passes good bills but they get stuck in the state senate. She said we need to search for additional revenue and pointed out that Pennsylvania is the only state that doesn’t tax cigars and smokeless tobacco. She wants to eliminate the Delaware loophole that lets companies avoid paying state tax. While Pennsylvania has the second largest deposit of natural gas in the country the state senate won’t look at extraction taxes. Damsker values education and points out that her daughter is a teacher. She points out that she was the tax collector for Cheltenham Township for 12 years. She says we need to do the right thing.

Onorato and Hoeffel in Norristown

The Montgomery County Democrats and Joe Hoeffel welcomed Allegheny County Executive and Democratic candidate for governor Dan Onorato to Norristown this afternoon. The setting was informal, a picnic held at Upper Farm Park, with burgers, potato salad, cole slaw and chips. Whoever organized it did a good job. There were about 100 people in attendance.

A number of elected officials spoke. Here is a quick overview of some of their remarks, followed by notes on other officials present, and some personal notes.

Marcel Groen, MCDC chair, started by thanking the crowd. He noted that election day (Nov. 2nd) is his 65th birthday.

Joe Hoeffel, Montgomery County Commissioner and one of Onorato’s primary opponents spoke next. He was very gracious. Hoeffel made some jokes about Groen’s age. He then said Onorato understands the importance of the role of government. Onorato has knowledge and passion about creating jobs and is prepared to bring what he has learned in Pittsburgh to Harrisburg. Onorato shares our values in public education and reforming government.

State Rep. Josh Shapiro spoke next. He said Onorato is not afraid to take tough stands.

State Sen. Daylin Leach made a few remarks. He also pointed out a videographer from Corbett’s campaign who was filming the event.

State Rep. Mike Gerber followed Leach.

Onorato spoke next. He said the primary was a family conversation, with real candidates and real ideas. They agreed on several issues and learned from each other about the issues on which they differed. He mentioned Marcellus Shale and education in particular. Hoeffel reached out to him the day after the primary. Onorato noted that there are only 21 weeks until the general election. The Republican candidate, Attorney General Tom Corbett has never governed. As Allegheny County Executive Onorato oversees the second most populous county in the state. The county was bankrupt when he was elected. At present the county’s unemployment rate is 2% below the national average. He consolidated 911 call centers and did away with some row offices. The county has not had a property tax increase in nine consecutive years. The state now has a $2 billion to $4 billion deficit, depending on whose numbers you use. Onorato noted that he has to win the Southeast part of the state to win the election. He pointed out that Corbett had said he wouldn’t take federal stimulus money. Onorato believes we could use that money to help set up high speed rail, invest in our infrastructure, and improve our ports. He said we rebuilt Europe, we rebuilt Japan, why can’t we rebuild America. He mention the increasing cost of health insurance. Onorato touched on the state’s tendency to change parties in the governor’s mansion every 8 years. He also noted that while that has happened over the last [50? 60? didn’t catch the exact number] years, the state has never elected an attorney general governor. The state 1.2 million more registered Democrats than registered Republicans. Onorato said he thinks Republicans want to get rid of government but that Democrats believe government can do good things. He mentioned that he is a first generation college student and that various programs helped him get to and graduate from Penn State. He said Pittsburgh, a big urban area like the Philadelphia area, faces many of the same issues, such as mass transit, colleges, and the importance of green space.

All of the speakers were greeted with warm applause.

Other notables in attendance: State Rep Tim Briggs, State Treasurer Rob McCord, Dr. Manan Trivedi, candidate for the 6th congressional district, Doug Pike, who ran against Trivedi in the primary, Richard Haaz, who ran for Montco Court of Common Pleas, Ed Cheri who ran for Montco sheriff, state house candidates Mary Lou Readinger (61st district), Jack Hansen (53rd district), Bob Dodge (147th district), state senate candidates Ruth Damsker (12th district), and Bill Wallace (24th district). My apologies if I missed anyone.

A few personal notes: Hoeffel was extremely gracious. Doug Pike and Manan Trivedi had a friendly confab. Trivedi is very personable and switched easily from conversations about his infant daughter to discussions on the importance of narrative in politics. Onorato went through the crowd, posing for pictures, answering questions, talking sports, whatever people wanted to talk with him about.

A note on Corbett’s videographer – I missed much of Mike Gerber’s remarks, debating whether or not to stand in front of the camera and say “subpoena me, Tom” or, taking a note from State Rep. Rick Taylor’s book, “I am Signor Ferrari” but decided most of the crowd would be unfamiliar with the CasablancaPA twitter account subpoenas and so stayed in place. It should be mentioned that the videographer was treated very well and encouraged to help himself to something to eat.

This was a nice event, well-organized, with plenty of opportunity to talk with candidates and others in attendance.

Hoeffel On the Air

Joe Hoeffel, Democratic candidate for governor, is going on the air with a very clever ad. See a preview here: http://joehoeffel2010.com/splash/flip-flops

It's beachy!

Joe Hoeffel's Campaign Finance Reports (Updated)

This post reviews the last (only) 2009 and first 2010 campaign finance reports for Joe Hoeffel’s gubernatorial campaign, for the last 2009 reporting cycle, and updates an earlier post with just 2009 data. He starts with nothing in the bank, raised $586,552.34, spent $484,969.71 and had $101,582.63 cash on hand at the end of the reporting cycle. The reports themselves at are www.campaignfinance.state.pa.us.

Contributions are divided into those under $50, $50 to $250, and over $250. Itemized donations are divided into those from political committees and other. Hoeffel raised $8,828 in donations of less than $50.00. For the $50 to 250 range, he received seven donations from political committees, for a total of $1,200. He raised $44,940.91 from a total of 690 donations. In the over $250 categories there are 21 PACs for a total of $103,809.87 and $366,168.40 from 311 others. Of the larger PAC donations, a little over $30,000 came from another of his campaign committees; I think it is the fund from his Montgomery County Commissioner campaign. There is a $20K donation from the Montgomery County Democrats, and $15K from Progressive Agenda PA.. A business PAC donated $10,000; the rest of the PAC donations are smaller.

Trends in occupations of individuals and the focus of PACs include a larger than expected showing from engineers firms. I’m not sure what significance that has. There were only a handful of out of state donations. One of the individuals donating is the VP of the Phillies. There were fewer donations from other campaigns than one might expect for such an experienced politician

There are no limits on donations in Pennsylvania, which can lead to very large donations. Hoeffel seems to get more of the smaller donations. The largest individual donation came, as previously mentioned, from another of his committees. Other than that there is $20K donation from the Montgomery County Democrats, and $15K from Progressive Agenda PA, and one $15,000 donation from a partnership that is known more for donating to Republican candidates and organizations than Democrats. There were three donations for $10,000, one from a woman (you go, girl!). Of the other two one is from someone who works in construction; the other is from a law partnership. That partnership includes Pennsylvania pensions and the PA Turnpike Commission among its clients. It also took a company to court on behalf o the shareholders in response to a large executive budget. I like them for that alone. Among occupations attorneys and construction interests predominate..

In expenditures, Hoeffel invests in people not gadgetry or media. He had seven employees in the 2009 report and 13 in the 2010 report, though not all of these are likely to have been full-time. He also made health insurance payments. In addition he has paid a total of $50,000 to the firm which has been providing campaign management. In addition he has other consultants. There is a pollster, website expenses, postage, and fundraising costs. Hoeffel paid for google ad words and for microblogging.

This is a clean and intriguing report, showing a broad base of support, and no real surprises.

Hoeffel on Economic Development

from the inbox:

"The number one issue facing the commonwealth today is jobs," said Democrat Joe Hoeffel, candidate for PA governor. "We need a comprehensive strategy to create jobs, build a strong workforce, help small businesses, revitalize our cities, and rebuild our infrastructure as we move Pennsylvania's economy forward. Many see our situation as a problem to solve, but we also have an opportunity."

Investments to revitalize and rehabilitate older communities and downtowns will bring Pennsylvania's cities economic growth they haven't seen in many years, in turn bringing renewed safety, prosperity, and pride. As Montgomery County Commissioner, Joe Hoeffel launched a bold county economic development plan to spur major urban redevelopment projects, attract and retain businesses, and rejuvenate older commercial complexes. Hoeffel's economic development plan balances attracting large businesses to locate in or invest in Pennsylvania with strong support for small and local businesses in the commonwealth.

"I am also deeply committed to infrastructure projects," said Hoeffel. "We both create jobs and improve safety through projects to repair aging road and rail bridges throughout the state."

By investing in our roads, looking not only at maintenance but also at long-deferred upgrades and expansions, we not only increase highway capacity, but also encourage responsible development which will preserve both urban neighborhoods and suburban communities. "These projects can strengthen the connections between cities and suburbs and help both as they help each other."

Hoeffel also knows that investing in mass transit creates jobs in construction, maintenance, and transportation operations. An important by-product of this investment is that it facilitates and supports jobs throughout our cities and their surroundings. Through improved commuting, we improve quality of life for families. Moreover, we help the environment through reduced energy consumption and air pollution.

Revitalizing our urban centers can provide the economic "pull" to complement the "push" of the open space preservation programs. Coupled with transit-oriented design guiding our development, we can help our cities, suburbs, and rural areas work together as never before.

"Creating jobs right away through urban redevelopment and infrastructure rebuilding is the key to getting our economic recovery moving full steam ahead. But we also need to make sure we are creating a sustainable, long-lasting recovery. Through bolstered education and job training programs, we can build a strong workforce," said Hoeffel.

"And through sound investment in the business sectors which have demonstrated they are going to be the backbone of our 21st century economy, we can create high-paying, skilled jobs for Pennsylvania's workers. These are the two things we need most in order to not only recover from our current recession, but maintain a robust economy in the future."

"It is critical that we increase access to community college programs designed to educate and re-train workers in the skills the 21st century demands for Pennsylvanians of all ages. Those who stand to benefit the most from this are those most likely to be out of work. Increased funding and tuition assistance programs are a must if we are to bring this opportunity within their reach."

Hoeffel already has a track record of success in attracting investments from out-of-state and overseas partners for Pennsylvania businesses, from his days as Pennsylvania's Deputy Secretary for the Office of International Business Development. But when looking at businesses in Pennsylvania, Hoeffel wants us to keep a sense of scale: "Only 2% of Pennsylvania businesses have 100 or more employees. The other 98% of Pennsylvania businesses are small businesses, with 62% being sole proprietorships," Hoeffel explained. "And in a down economy, these are the businesses which are hardest hit. They have fewer resources and less money in the bank to help weather the storm, and less access to the financial capital required to right the ship when the seas calm."

To help small, local businesses across the commonwealth, Hoeffel has outlined a plan calling for investment in local and community banks and credit unions and recognizing the added value of awarding contracts to Pennsylvania businesses. He believes Pennsylvania can build a system where taxpayers, financial institutions, and businesses work together with the common interest of investing in our communities and rebuilding Pennsylvania's economy.

“Unlike J.P. Morgan and Citigroup, Pennsylvania’s community banks and credit unions are tied to the success of our towns, schools, and communities. And many are rated as much safer than the big banks," explained Hoeffel recently. "Community banks have unique knowledge of local economies and familiarities with local business prospects, and they have a vested interest in seeing their communities thrive."

Hoeffel said he would encourage municipalities, agencies, and school districts across the commonwealth to rethink the way we use public assets and invest in the institutions that invest in us. “By shifting public assets out of the banks that have bilked us for millions, and into local institutions that support our taxpayers and grow our small businesses, we can make our money work for us, not the tycoons of Wall Street,” he said.

Hoeffel also pledged to create a fair bidding practice for state business contracts. “When the state buys goods from out-of-state businesses, we send money out of the state and never see it again,” he explained. “But when we buy from in-state businesses, some of that money returns to Pennsylvania in the form of taxes from the companies and workers.” By using a net bidding procedure for state contracts, Pennsylvania can more fairly assess the value of bids -- taking into account the money that will return to the state in business and individual taxes, and also the economic benefits to the state from the employment of Pennsylvania workers that the work will maintain or create.

Hoeffel on Banking

from the inbox:

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joe Hoeffel thinks it is about time Pennsylvania invests in Pennsylvania, and he will do something about it.

At a press conference today, Hoeffel outlined a plan that will encourage investment in Pennsylvania’s banks and credit unions and award contracts to Pennsylvania businesses.

“Homeowners across America entered into mortgages which seemed like good deals at the time -- only to later discover big banks were profiting at their expense,” Hoeffel said. “Pennsylvania's financial crisis, and the difficulties faced by many cities, counties, and school districts across the commonwealth, has similar roots. Municipalities and agencies made risky investments with taxpayer money, and big banks profited while we lost.”

Hoeffel’s plan calls for investment in local and community banks and credit unions and recognizing the added value of awarding contracts to Pennsylvania businesses. He believes Pennsylvania can build a system where taxpayers, financial institutions, and businesses work together with the common interest of investing in our communities and rebuilding Pennsylvania's economy.

Hoeffel explained that in the years leading up to the current financial crisis, a complex and controversial fiscal practice called interest-rate swaps became commonplace in Pennsylvania. These exotic "financial instruments" were supposed to benefit the governments that entered into them, but when the economy changed and floating rates took off, taxpayer dollars became big profits for big banks, according to Hoeffel.

He cited several examples:

* In late 2008, the Bethlehem Area School District spent $10.2 million of taxpayer’s money not on reducing class size or providing activities for their students. They gave it to J.P. Morgan.
* In 2009, Montgomery County paid $12.3 million to two banks, United Bank of Scotland and PNC.
* This past November, the Delaware River Port Authority, the intergovernmental agency that operates ports, bridges, and transportation between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, paid United Bank of Scotland $111 million, even though the agency’s budget for the entire year was supposed to be $159 million.
* On April 8th of this year, the cash-strapped City of Philadelphia, facing a second year of debilitating service cuts and the prospect of charging a fee to collect trash, raised funds not to clean streets or put more cops on them but to pay Citigroup $48.6 million.

“Bethlehem schools, Montgomery County, the DRPA, and the City of Philadelphia paid these exorbitant costs just to get out of reckless investments, Hoeffel said. Today, he said, 86 of Pennsylvania’s municipal governments and 107 school districts have nearly $15 billion in public debt tied up in these interest-rate swaps. The Philadelphia School District alone ties over $1 billion in debt to interest-rate swaps.

Hoeffel said he would ban future interest-rate swaps by adding a provision to the Local Government Unit Debt Act and the Municipal Authorities Act to explicitly prohibit local governments from gambling tax dollars in interest-rate swaps, or any other bizarre "financial instruments." He then would act to end all active swap arrangements as soon as possible and refinance using conventional financial instruments, preferably utilizing responsible Pennsylvania community banks and credit unions.

One of the keys to growing Pennsylvania is investing in Pennsylvania’s financial institutions. “Unlike J.P. Morgan and Citigroup, Pennsylvania’s community banks and credit unions are tied to the success of our towns, schools, and communities. Many are rated as much safer than the big banks.

“According to a study published in January, smaller, safer community banks in Pennsylvania "play a significant role in the economic growth of both rural and urban" parts of the state, he said. “Furthermore, one of the most valuable traits of community banks is their unique knowledge of the local economy and expertise in local business prospects, which makes them integral to growing the economies of communities around the state.”

He said he would encourage municipalities, agencies, and school districts across the Commonwealth to rethink the way we use public assets and invest in the institutions that invest in us. “By shifting public assets out of the banks that have bilked us for millions, and into local institutions that support our taxpayers and grow our small businesses, we can make our money work for us, not the tycoons of Wall Street,” he said.

To make these policies possible, Hoeffel supports two key changes to state law.

* Drop the mandated collateral for state deposits in all banks from the Pennsylvania requirement of 120 percent of the deposit to the more common standard of 102 percent used around the country. "Our higher requirement is unnecessary and puts undue restrictions on community banks and credit unions," Hoeffel said.
* Extend from one year to three years the life of the Certificates of Deposit that the state invests in banks. "Three years will make it much easier for community banks to loan the money into the local community," Hoeffel explained.

Hoeffel said he would also:

* Encourage the state treasurer to increase the investment of state assets into community banks and credit unions, rewarding those that make loans in the state.
* Establish goals for placing unused bond proceeds in community banks and credit unions in the same ratio and shifting the state pension money from big banks into community banks and credit unions.
* Push for a change in the way two percent of the state's pension funds are invested in venture capital funds, from the current directive to "consider geographical diversity" to a strategy of investment in businesses in the commonwealth, which will give businesses a greater incentive to start in Pennsylvania.

Hoeffel also pledged to create fairer bidding practices for Pennsylvania businesses.

“When the state buys goods from out-of-state businesses, we send money out of the state and never see it again,” he explained. “But when we buy from in-state businesses, some of that money returns to Pennsylvania in the form of taxes from the companies and workers.”

Sam Durso, Philadelphia Coordinator of the national Move Your Money Campaign, joined Hoeffel in calling for greater support of community banks and credit unions: "We thank Joe Hoeffel for his timely support, and we call on all candidates across the city and the state to join the Move Your Money campaign in supporting the community banks and credit unions that support our local economies and small businesses. Financial reform is coming, and the message is clear: now is the time to invest in the institutions that invest in us."

For more details on Joe Hoeffel's Banking and Finance platform, visit http://joehoeffel2010.com/finance

Joe Hoeffel's 2009 Campaign Finance Report

The most recent campaign finance reports for the governor’s race still aren’t up on the state’s website (www.campaignfinance.state.pa.us) but while we wait let’s look at some of the previously filed reports.

This post reviews the first campaign finance report for Joe Hoeffel’s gubernatorial campaign, for the last 2009 reporting cycle. He starts with nothing in the bank, raised $347,054.18, spent $117,975.47 and had $229,078.71 cash on hand at the end of the reporting cycle (remember, this is 2009 data).

Contributions are divided into those under $50, $50 to $250, and over $250. Itemized donations are divided into those from political committees and other. Hoeffel raised $8,828 in donations of less than $50.00. For the $50 to 250 range, he received three donations from political committees, for a total of $450. He raised $44,940.91 from a total of 331 donations. In the over $250 categories there are 13 PACs for a total of $60,309.87 and $232,525.40 from 166 others. Of the larger PAC donations, a little over $30,000 came from another of his campaign committees; I think it is the fund from his Montgomery County Commissioner campaign. A business PAC donated $10,000; the rest of the PAC donations are smaller.

Trends in occupations of individuals and the focus of PACs include a larger than expected showing from engineers firms. I’m not sure what significance that has. There were fewer attorneys than I usually see on these reports, even though Hoeffel is an attorney himself. There were only a handful of out of state donations. One of the individuals donating is the VP of the Phillies. There were fewer donations from other campaigns than one might expect from such an experienced politician. However perhaps there are more on the most recent report.

There are no limits on donations in Pennsylvania, which can lead to very large donations. Hoeffel seems to get more of the smaller donations. The largest individual donation came, as previously mentioned, from another of his committees. Other than that there is one $15,000 donation from a partnership that is known more for donating to Republican candidates and organizations than Democrats. There were three donations for $10,000, one from a woman (you go, girl!). Of the other two one is from someone who works in construction; the other is from a law partnership. That partnership includes Pennsylvania pensions and the PA Turnpike Commission among its clients. It also took a company to court on behalf o the shareholders in response to a large executive budget. I like them for that alone. There are nine $5000 donations, here we see attorneys and construction interests predominate. All other donations are smaller.

In expenditures, Hoeffel invests in people not gadgetry or media. He had seven employees, though not all of these are likely to have been full-time. He also made health insurance payments. In addition he paid $10,000 to the firm which has been providing campaign management. In addition he has other consultants. There is a pollster, website expenses, postage, and fundraising costs.

This is a clean and intriguing report, showing a broad base of support, sensible expenditures, and no real surprises.

I look forward to reviewing his newer report when it is available.

Hoeffel Endorsed by PA Planned Parenthood PAC

from the inbox:

The Board of the Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania PAC announced today that it is unanimously endorsing Democratic nominee Joe Hoeffel in the upcoming gubernatorial election.

The organization says Hoeffel has been a long-time supporter of reproductive rights and Planned Parenthood throughout his political career. Both in the State Legislature and while serving as a U.S. Congressman, Hoeffel was a leader on women’s health care.

“On behalf of our 140,000 patients and 180,000 pro-choice supporters in the Commonwealth, we are thrilled to support Joe Hoeffel for Governor. More than any other candidate in this race, Joe Hoeffel understands that people need information and options so that they can make responsible life decisions,” says Sari Stevens, Executive Director for the Planned Parenthood PA PAC.

“But we also need responsible government to ensure women and men have access to safe, affordable, preventative care,” continued Stevens, “Joe understands the role of government in private medical decisions and we look forward to working with him as Governor of Pennsylvania.”

Joe Hoeffel says that as Governor, he will fight to protect women and men’s choices in reproductive health care. “I have been a proud supporter of Planned Parenthood for many years throughout my political career and am excited to receive this endorsement. As Governor, I will work hard to ensure women and men are able to have the freedom and opportunity to make the best decisions for themselves and their families.”

The announcement was made at 10:15am at the Philadelphia Planned Parenthood health center at 1144 Locust Street while Hoeffel and Planned Parenthood supporters looked on.

The Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania PAC, which is the only pro-choice, grassroots, PAC in Pennsylvania, will work with the Hoeffel campaign to get pro-choice, pro-prevention voters to the polls on May 18th.

Joe Hoeffel in the City Paper

The most recent issue of The City Paper has a great article on Joe Hoeffel, who is running for governor. Check out "Liberal," by Holly Otterbein

Gubernatorial Candidates on Education

Now that national health care legislation seems to be settled (at least for now), it's time to get to state issues. In looking at candidates for governor from both parties, education seems to be a popular topic. All of their websites have something on education, though the depth of the stance varies. Dan Ororato (D) has the most detailed policy. Joe Hoeffel (D) has a separate issue statement on education; Tom Corbett (R) has a general policy and then more detail in his statement on an educated workforce. Anthony Williams (D), Jack Wagner (D), and Sam Rohrer (R) each include a paragraph on education in very general overall issue or vision statements.

Let's start with those three and then tackle the larger documents. Basically Williams, Wagner, and Rohrer all sort of fit into the "ponies and rainbows" category, with idealistic statements that don't really mean anything or have substantive details or present budgetary figures. Electing these men governor based on their education policies is, as the saying goes, buying a pig in a poke (in contrast to the other three candidates who do spell things out, and thus let the cat out of the bag). Nonetheless, there are points to be found in each.

Here is Williams's statement:

In too many communities, students and families are subjected to subpar schools or curriculum that is outmoded and misaligned with today’s emerging industries. Too often that leaves students unprepared, either for their next academic step or life in the working world. High school dropouts cost us in lost revenues, and the tens of millions spent annually for remedial courses at community colleges chip away at the Commonwealth’s bottom line, too. We can no longer afford year-after-year property tax hikes that funnel dollars into systems that fail to offer data-based returns on our investment. Kids lose and we lose. There can be a better idea.

It’s time to invest in schools that work for our kids, not systems that don’t. Let’s give Pennsylvania families the freedom to choose the best option for their child – be it the neighborhood school at the corner, the charter school across the street, or the private school across town. Make money follow the child, rather than make the child follow the money. We can start today.

The only solution he offers is school choice, and does not go into many details on what legislation he would like to see or what budgetary model he would follow. His vision also pertains solely to K-12 education and not with higher education.

Wagner takes the opposite tack:

ack will enact a HOPE (Helping Our Pupils to Excel) scholarship program. The HOPE scholarship has been successful in 20 other states. Students who graduate from high school with at least a 3.0 grade-point average would have their tuition paid for at a state-owned university – or would be able to use the equivalent amount (roughly $10,000 per year), to attend a private or state-related university, community college, or vocational-technical school within Pennsylvania. Jack has worked to reform the education system in Pennsylvania, from pre-K through college, with his historic audits of PHEAA.

As Governor, Jack will capitalize on those cost savings, and help our students get out of debt. Jack frequently calls attention to the poor rankings of our state in terms of educational debt of our students – we are one of the worst in the country. With the HOPE scholarship, and supporting programs, Pennsylvania will not only be the home to many great colleges in universities, we will provide our students with the opportunity to thrive at those institutions, and contribute to Pennsylvania’s economy for years to come.

Note that his education policy pertains solely to higher education and not K-12. He does have one solid idea, the HOPE scholarship program, though he does not say how much it would cost the state or how he would pay for it.

Sam Rohrer's education statement is one sentence:

We believe that academic excellence thrives when parents have greater choice and control over the educational decisions of their children.

Later he says he wants to stabilize school funding and do away with school property taxes.

The other three candidates have longer statements concerning some aspect of education

Tom Corbett, the leading Republican in the race, has this general statement:

Tom Corbett believes that one of the most important priorities we face is education reform and the quality of education that our children receive in order for them to compete in the global marketplace. He believes that every child in Pennsylvania, regardless of their zip code or economic status should have access to the best education possible. Tom Corbett is a believer in early child hood education and is a supporter of school choice, including: charter schools; private schools; cyber charter schools; Earned Income Tax Credit program and home schooling. He believes that our schools should be staffed by the most effective educator force in the nation and that education funding is met with high standards and accountability in Pennsylvania’s schools.

Like Williams, Corbett focuses on K-12 schools and favors school choice. He also mentions early childhood education and home schooling, but again with no specifics. However, he has a longer statement on developing a world class workforce, concerning career and technical training and higher education. The primary focus of this statement is job training and community college education, though there is a little discussion of higher education. Corbett does not advocate many new programs not does he provide many budgetary specifics. Verbs such as "will direct," "committed to the support of," "will redirect fund," and so on imply the use of the bully pulpit more than the creation of agencies or the spending of money. A few things that particularly struck me are his mention of returning veterans, his note that we are a net exporter of teachers, training more teachers than we have jobs for, though I see this as a positive rather than a negative, and his note that many college graduates leave the state not because jobs are lacking but because they don't think the commonwealth has the lifestyle amenities they want. Other states (North Carolina is mentioned) recruit graduates with appealing pr campaigns. Corbett thinks we need to use social media and other networking to let new graduates know what is available here. One thing I found promising is his statement that we need to make sure people can study subjects that interest them and get a broad enough education that they can find work they enjoy rather than preparing them solely for one job that might be in momentary demand.

Joe Hoeffel has a specific issues page on education. It focuses primarily on K-12 education. It does include support for pre-K and early childhood education, with statistics to back up their positive results. Another point is identifying at risk students and providing them with the support they need to graduate. Hoeffel wants to improve standards and accountability and is in favor of well-designed standardized tests. "Funding the formula" is another item mentioned. Hoeffel favors shifting more of the cost of education from local property taxes to the state and will cover the cost of that with a graduated income tax where wealthier residents pay more that lower-income residents. He also mentions the importance of school board training and of defined benefit teachers' pensions.

Onorato gets the prize for the most specific education policies, with separate multi-page pdf plans for Pre-K - 12 education and for higher education, complete with estimated spending goals (but not necessarily a discussion of where the money will come from). In Pre-K - 12 (8 pages) he shares his view of the importance of early childhood education, shifting the burden from local property taxes, providing educational opportunities that are personally interesting to students as well as occupationally opportunistic, a balanced view of school choice with a side note on charter school reform, and cost savings suggestions such as shared services and aggregating school employee health insurance. He also mentions the importance of good school administrators and throws in kudos to school nurses and libraries. I was also pleased to see a note on the importance of parent involvement, something I view as essential to good education. His higher education plan (11 pages) involves serious money. I counted promises to set aside a total of at least $65 million for various projects, such as a pool to provide matching fund for federal grants, and an equivalent amount ($25 million) as a pool for matching funds for industry-sponsored research. Like Corbett he says quite a bit about community colleges and job training, and promises to have community college or equivalent programs available within an hour's drive of as many Pennsylvanians as possible. He also wants to make filling out the federal financial aid forms easier by allowing people to option of linking the forms to their tax returns so relevant data will automatically transfer from one form to the other. Another idea is setting up a community college coordinating board so spending on things like copiers and library subscriptions can be aggregated.

Candidates who do not provide specifics on their education policy are asking voters to take them on faith. Candidates who do provide specifics are setting up expectations that, if elected, they may not be able to meet, but at least you have some sense of what their intentions are and have a way of holding them accountable to their promises. When specifics are given it is interesting to see what each man (and they are all men, no women candidates for governor) thinks is worth including. It gives an idea of their priorities and mindset, though both are likely to change.

Interested voters should examine the candidate's statements, where they exist, in full, to make an informed decision.

SEPA NOW PAC Endorses Hoeffel

from the inbox:

On Thursday a newly formed PAC of SEPA NOW announced their endorsement of several candidates for local and state office. “We are very aware that the people we elect in Southeastern PA don’t just affect their districts but the Delaware Valley region as a whole” Said President Helene Ratner. “It is our honor to announce our list of endorsed candidates and especially excited that PA NOW has endorsed Joe Hoeffel for Governor. Joe has a career of standing up for the rights of everyone and has been extremely supportive and active among Women’s and Pro-Choice groups for years. We know that he is the only candidate who will fight to maintain a woman’s right to choose and actively pursue equality for the thousands of LGBT voters in Pennsylvania.”

In response to the endorsement Joe Hoeffel had this to say “I'm proud to have fought the fights I've fought throughout my career in public service to stand up for the rights of women, from fighting for economic empowerment, to protecting the right to choose. Together, with the support of Southeast PA NOW PAC, and Pennsylvania NOW, we will elect a progressive governor in Pennsylvania. “

Among the other endorsees are State Senator LeAnna Washington, State Representative Vanessa Brown and State Senate candidate Ruth Damsker. “Whenever it is possible, NOW and our local PAC will be as supportive of Pro-Choice female candidates as possible” said Ratner. “I am very proud of the women we are endorsing today, for all of their accomplishments and look forward to them serving in our Legislature. We will also be endorsing more women this year and I am thrilled to see the list of women running for office, a more diverse government serves us best.”

"Of all endorsement that come my way, it gives me great sense of pride to receive the endorsement of Philadelphia NOW. This endorsement has greater meaning to me because it takes place during March, "Women History Month", and it recognizes the accomplishments and contributions women have made in our communities, in our families and in our work. My life's work of advocacy has been motivated by the 1966 NOW's Purpose Statement, especially the following passage, "WE BELIEVE THAT women will do most to create a new image of women by acting now, and by speaking out in behalf of their own equality, freedom, and human dignity." Said State Representative Vanessa Lowry Brown

State Senate candidate Ruth Damsker had this to add “As a lifelong public servant I have dedicated my career to helping those in need, especially women, children, and the elderly. I am eager to bring my experience and proven abilities to the daunting task of ending partisan gridlock in Harrisburg and finally giving Pennsylvanians the government they deserve. As a State Senator, I plan to focus my energy on economic revitalization, smart growth policies, property tax reform, ethics and campaign finance reform, and equal rights for all. I will continue to fight for a woman’s right to choose and the right for equal pay for equal work.”

SEPA NOW PAC includes the Philadelphia, Montgomery and Bucks NOW chapters and members from Delaware County.