The Express - "Congressional Candidates Argue Issues in Clarion"

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The Express - "Congressional Candidates Argue Issues in Clarion"

Nine of 12 candidates for the 5th District Congressional seat came to Clarion University Saturday to convince voters they should be their party's nominee in the April 22 Primary Election.

Some 50 people who turned out for the forum had the opportunity to query the candidates about issues including taxes, health care, energy and the environment.

And the candidates talked about themselves.

Participating in the event, sponsored by the League of Women Voters, as well as members of the Clarion University Republican and Democratic clubs, were Democrats Rick Vilello and Mark B. McCracken and Republicans John R. Stroup, Glenn Thompson, Lou Radkowski, Jeff Stroehmann, Chris Exarchos, Keith Richardson and Matt Shaner.

Absent were Republicans John T. Krupa and Derek Walker and Democrat Bill Cahir.

McCracken said his two terms as a Clearfield County commissioner as well as his service as a school board member have prepared him for Congress. He said that as a commissioner, he's helped bring economic development to his county and balanced budgets that previously showed deficits.

Vilello, serving his third term as Lock Haven mayor, said he has a "track record" of bringing economic development to the city.

We have a Main Street program," he said. "It's time to send a local guy to Washington."

Thompson, a health care administrator with Susquehanna Health, referred to his leadership in opposing the tolling of Interstate 80.

"I've been a leader on rural health issues," he added.

Stroehmann referred to his experience as a Woodward Township supervisor, Lycoming County Republican chairman and business owner.

"My platform is the re-invention of Pennsylvania," he said. "We need to make rural Pennsylvania a place to come."

Radkowski, a funeral director and Elk County coroner, referred to the multitude of problems facing the nation.

He called for attracting and retaining jobs in the district.

Exarchos, meanwhile, referred to his unique background among all the candidates, having been a businessman, township supervisor and scientist with a Ph.D in geo-chemistry.

He said the biggest problem facing the nation is its dependence on foreign energy.

Shaner, a State College business owner, said the big issues are jobs, the economy and stopping I-80 tolling.

He also called for extending the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003.

Richardson, a clergyman and former attorney, said he stands for pro-family, pro-life issues.

"I don't bring deep pockets or political connections," he said.

Stroup, the mayor of Clarion and foundation director at Clarion Hospital, said he brings education and real-life experiences to the table.

He said he is knowledgeable about rural health care issues.

Each candidate was asked how he could bring health care coverage to all Americans.

Vilello said the nation should be embarrassed that 45 million Americans are without insurance.

"We have some of the highest costs and some of the poorest results," he said. "My goal is universal health care."

McCracken called for insurance pools established by businesses for employees. He also called for better protection for doctors and hospitals against lawsuits as well as grant funding and low interest loans for hospitals to make purchases.

Stroup, however, said universal health care will only result in bureaucracy and higher costs for rural health care providers. He called for market-based health care plans.

Richardson said tax credits for businesses providing health insurance is one answer along with opening up the markets to more insurers. He also called for tort reform.

Shaner said he is opposed to government-run insurance. Instead, he said, the market should be opened up to more insurers and businesses should work together to bring down costs.

"The big issue is the cost of insurance," he said. "We need medical malpractice reform."

Radkowski said everyone should be insured, and a means of doing that is to extend tax credits to businesses that provide employee coverage.

Stroehmann called for fighting the greed that exists in the health insurance industry.

Exarchos said more effort needs to be made toward prevention of illnesses. With the shortage of health care professionals, more young people should be encouraged to pursue medical careers.

Thompson called for medical liability reform to retain doctors who would otherwise leave the state. He said the insurance industry needs to be monitored more closely.

Each of the candidates called for better benefits for war veterans.

Stroehmann said veterans leaving Walter Reed Hospital should not have to wait 90 days to collect benefits.

Richardson said benefits should come out of the federal budget rather than from discretionary funds where it's an annual battle to ensure veterans get what they deserve.

"We should not ‘nickel and dime' them when they come home," Exarchos said.

Thompson noted that as the father of a soldier who served in Iraq, he knows of the importance of extending benefits to veterans.

Stroup said veterans must have job security and job training they need when they finish their service time. He called for a restructuring of the G.I. Bill.

Radkowski noted veterans cannot afford prescription drugs and other needs.

"Vets do a lot for us," he said.

Shaner said veterans become frustrated while navigating the bureaucracy that makes it hard for them to receive the help they need. Many area veterans with medical problems, he noted, must drive as far as Pittsburgh for health care.

"They should be able to subcontract with local hospitals," added McCracken, who noted he would have a veteran's liaison working for him.

Vilello said the Veterans Administration should not be a "political football."

"We need a new G.I. Bill," he said.

Candidates had mixed comments about unions and workers' rights.

"I support the right to organize," Shaner said. "I don't support forced unionization."

Stroehmann said companies and unions should work together to bring about successful negotiations.

Richardson said he supports the right to work.

"I don't want to force more people into a union.''

He said workers should have the right to a private ballot process in taking a union vote.

Exarchos agreed that the ballot process should be private.

"Collective bargaining has made great strides for labor in this country," he said.

Thompson said he supports the rights of workers to organize, but he supports private ballots.

Stroup said unions have a long history of helping workers, including making their jobs safer.

"Unions have their place," he said.

Radkowski said unions have been both good and bad. He noted unionized steel workers in the past have hurt the industry.

Vilello and McCracken noted they have both been endorsed by unions.

Vilello also said he has successfully negotiated contracts with union workers.

McCracken said when unions were at their strongest, the middle class thrived.

He said unions help workers receive fair wages and benefits.

Candidates also sounded off on energy and high gas prices.

Vilello said the nation simply must become energy independent.

"When you're borrowing money from China to buy oil from the Saudis, something is wrong," he explained.

McCracken noted the U.S. should have started solving its energy problems years ago.

"Four thousand lives have been lost in Iraq because that's where the oil is," he said.

Richardson called for the nation to tap its existing natural gas and oil resources.

Exarchos said the nation needs a federal energy policy. He said it should include nuclear energy as well.

"Other nations do it safely," he said.

Stroup agreed that nuclear energy should be part of the solution.

He added that other energy sources need to be better marketed.

Stroehmann suggested the 5th Congressional District can be the model for the country.

"There's no moratorium on drilling in Pennsylvania," he said.

Thompson said the U.S. should certainly access all its available energy resources. He also called for building more oil refineries and promoting conservation initiatives.

Shaner called for building more oil refineries and taking advantage of nuclear energy.

Radkowski said the opening up of 75,000 acres of state lands for oil drilling represents just 4 percent of Pennsylvania's forest lands.

"That's short term," he said. "We should do a long term energy policy."

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