Issue Position: Legislative Reform

Issue Position

One of the major issues I see here in the Commonwealth is the incredibly bloated and unregulated State Legislature. Be it the large amount of tax dollars allotted to our elected officials or the dangerous practices that we do nothing to curb, I believe that we cannot truly improve things for the people of Pennsylvania and the 94th without fixing the major problems that face our state in the Senate and House.

My Positions:

1) Term limits on representatives -- Too long have we had a lack of turnover and change in our state houses, and this only leads to complacency and brain drain. With no fear of ever losing their seat, career politicians have no motivation and nothing to hold them accountable.

2) Reducing the size of the legislature -- Pennsylvania has the largest full-time state legislature in our country. There is no reason that a state of our size is divided up in such a way that we need such a large legislative body. With each additional representative we get more high salaries to pay, more pensions to fill, more offices to staff, and more opportunities for political gridlock. This must be addressed.

3) Curbing lobbying and gifting -- I have written on this topic before, but I believe that outside money in politics is a major threat to our democracy. Companies and PACs should not be able to funnel money and gifts to politicians in order to buy more influence than actual voters. The longer we continue down this path the worse things will get for the voters of Pennsylvania.

4) End Gerrymandering -- Generally when gerrymandering is brought up it is argued that the current system is fair because both parties would do it if they were in power. I reject this argument because A) there is no reason that elected officials of either party should be drawing their own districts & gerrymandering should be ended not for its threat to political parties, but for its removal of representation from the voters of PA. I believe that we need to hire an independent, non-partisan organization to draw all Pennsylvania electoral maps going forward. This is the only way to truly create fair districts.

If you agree that it is time for a change in both Pennsylvania and here in the 94th, please join me in November as we retire Stan. Let's truly "drain the swamp" and "return power to the people" by doing the things that our current representatives won't.

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