Property Tax Relief

• HEY DAVE & JERRY!  Where is the property tax relief you promised?  Instead, you continue to give our working-class tax dollars and commonwealth resources to your friends in the multi-billion-dollar fossil fuel industry!

 

• Dave, Jerry, and the Republicans who hold the majority in Harrisburg should have voted for "We the People".  This would have enabled Pennsylvania to tax natural gas companies for extraction. Governor Wolf could have used those funds to provide property tax relief for 7 years. That relief would have equaled an estimated $6,000 for the typical homeowner in our area. 

 

• Instead of taxing the fossil fuel industry, our Republicans in Harrisburg chose to continue giving that multi-billion dollar industry well over $3.8 BILLION DOLLARS a year in the way of 50+ different subsidies. They paid no taxes for drilling, no or low dollar leases on our Commonwealth-owned properties and received other subsidies.  For the past 7 years, instead of "We the People" receiving $6,000 in relief, Dave, Jerry, and the Republicans gave their friends in the fossil fuel industry an estimated $27 BILLION DOLLARS of our money and resources. 

 

• If Dave, Jerry, and Republicans chose a multi-billion-dollar industry over us, do you really think the Republican candidate they are backing as my opponent for the 124th House seat is going to choose Schuylkill County citizens over fossil fuel?  Their candidate even works for the fossil fuel industry! He has stated our “House Rep seat is a part-time job.” Perhaps he is already in the back pocket of the fossil fuel industry. I will put We the People first above party, industry, and self-interests as a full-time job!

 

Education and Our Youth

• The positive impact of programs like Head Start has been proven. Programs such as this need to be replicated and expanded. We must educate our children on the basic textbook skills as well as essential life skills. Not every child is college bound. We need trade workers with skills as important as a college degree. Plumbers, electricians, carpenters, mechanics and other skilled laborers are the backbone of industry. We must support vocational programs as an educational career pathway.

 

• Unlike our area’s career politicians, I believe the answer is not to provide school vouchers. We must fix the current system by deregulating the demands placed by the state and federal government without needed funding. Regulations put on our public schools are not the same placed on charter schools. Charter schools operate more freely. State funding for public schools has decreased since at least 2012, when ex-Governor Corbett decided to cut school funding along with funding for our elderly, veterans and disabled.

 

Living Wage

• Pennsylvania’s minimum wage has not been increased since 2008, at which time it was only raised by 10 cents. No one can live on our current minimum wage of $7.25. I support not only an increase to $15 dollars but propose that $15 is not nearly enough for a living wage, as our current wages have not kept pace with inflation or companies growing profits margins. Every person should be allowed to afford adequate shelter, food, and other necessities for their family on one full time job.

 

• Unions are great defenders of employee rights, including fair wages and benefits. I am a union supporter and feel that as long as corporate greed exists, unions should be allowed to and supported to operate to protect employees rights.