Pennsylvania State Representative District 98
Description of office: The General Assembly is the legislative branch of government in Pennsylvania. It is composed of two houses: the Senate is the upper house, and the House of Representatives is the lower house. A majority vote in both houses is necessary to pass a law. The PA House of Representatives consists of 203 members representing one district each, with an equal number of constituents. Representatives must be at least 21 years old, have been a citizen and a resident of the state four years and a resident of their respective districts one year before their election, and shall reside in their respective districts during their terms of service. The House develops budget packages, makes taxation decisions, allocates spending, and passes laws (including redistricting in collaboration with the Senate). The House also has the exclusive authority to impeach public officials. Representatives also serve on various policy committees that may propose legislation.Term: 2 yearsSalary: $113,591Vote for ONE.Note: On Democratic and Republican primary ballots, voters will also choose members of the State and County Committees. We do not list these candidates on Vote411. For information on these candidates, we suggest you contact your local Democratic or Republican Party committee.
What do you see as the most pressing issues facing residents of your district, and how would you address them?
What changes, if any, would you support to enable better access, ensure security, and support the processes of our elections?
What are your thoughts on the state budget process? What changes, if any, would you support so that the budget is enacted in a timely manner?
Should the state legislature enact laws concerning the impacts on water, energy, or land use from the development and operation of data centers? Would state regulation of data center development and operation interfere with the authority of municipalities to establish ordinances under the MPC (Municipal Planning Code)?
County
Lancaster
Occupation
Retired Master Arborist
Education
Northern Centre County Technical School, Penn State University, Elizabethtown College
Qualifications
Certified Master Arborist
Affordability is a key driver of issues faced by many in our district. How to afford rent or a mortgage, utilities, healthcare, gas in the car, childcare and groceries are questions keeping many awake at night. A good start would be to raise the minimum wage as proposed by Governor Shapiro. We need public education that is adequately funded and offer the best resources for our children and more oversight of private and charter schools. We need strong public schools and equal emphasis on career and technology education as well as 4yr college for the best path forward of our children’s future. An educated population draws and supports industry with good paying jobs attracting employees, who make their homes here and patronize
businesses here.
I have served as a majority inspector for several election cycles and in my experience, I believe elections in PA are secure. I support the use of mail in ballots and pre-canvassing to enhance election day efficiency. I believe that voters can and should be notified earlier than election day to correct mistakes on a mail-in ballot received before election day. I support the use of drop boxes with their number and placement appropriate to the population and independent/third party voter participation in PA primaries. I am firmly against the proposed federal SAVE Act. I am behind the initiative championed by Fair Districts PA to establish an independent redistricting commission with a clear public process and clear prioritized map standards.
I believe there should be a direct adverse effect on the senators and representatives for each day the budget is extended past the June 30th deadline. Recess free negotiations should continue uninterrupted in Harrisburg until an acceptable compromise is reached. In the same way many employees, organizations and businesses do not receive payment during this time, neither should state senators or representatives.
Continuing funding at last year’s level seems like a pragmatic stopgap but the issue at hand is why aren’t the senate and representatives doing their job? The job is to pass the budget by June 30 and any contrivance that does not affect that goal is only an excuse for them to keep from doing their job.
Polls indicate that citizens are wary of these developments and do not want them in their communities. Questions of quality of life, noise, water and electric usage and environmental impact continue unanswered. Promises for local workforce needs are not substantiated. Each data center should be responsible for the cost of zoning, planning, development, and construction. The added expense of data center operations should be borne fully by the data center owner/operator. The MPC code states that localities are best served when decisions are specific to area impacted. The state could set minimum guidelines not exceeding the lowest threshold of any municipality. There is tremendous income potential but too often citizen impact is marginalized.
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