I fully support a reform agenda for Harrisburg.

DO YOU KNOW:
The Pennsylvania Constitution, in Article II Section 8, states “ The members of the General Assembly shall receive such salary and mileage for regular and special sessions as shall be fixed by law, and no other compensation whatever, whether for service upon committee or otherwise.”

• Legislators receive a premium health care package
• Legislators receive a per diem expenses (no receipts necessary)
• Legislators receive a pension after 5 years
• Legislators receive a car lease
• Legislators receive an automatic yearly cost of living increase which was approximately 3.5% for this year
• There are currently no limits on the amount of gifts that a legislator can receive from a lobbyist, just a reporting requirement for gifts over $250.00 or entertainment and hospitality over $650.00.

I SUPPORT:

• A return to the compensation called for in the Pennsylvania Constitution
• Term limits on Legislators and Leadership
• A TOTAL BAN on gifts from lobbyists
• Campaign finance reform which limits the amount that can be spent on races and prohibits PAC money.

While legislators receive their annual cost of living increase and the myriad of perks, food pantries have not had an increase in funding for several years, and our volunteer fire fighters not only fight fires and train to fight fires but must have coin tosses, pancake breakfasts and roast beef dinners to make ends meet. Citizens are without health care and seniors lack dental care.  I think this is WRONG.  I want to serve YOU not ME.  I will only accept what the constitution calls for – a salary and mileage and I will not vote for any increase in that salary.

I will put term limits on myself as I did when I served on the school board.  While on the Palisades Board I was a leader in the effort to limit the term of board president to one year.  We enacted this policy within the first few months of my term on the board.  I know how to work to get the difficult things done.

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