Issues

  • Lower Taxes
  • Streamline State Government
  • Renewed Emphasis on Victim's Rights
  • Strengthen Families
  1. I will serve Full time as your legislator – working in the Capitol but most importantly being available to help with constituent concerns.
  2. I will fight to bring property tax reform that minimizes the loss of local control on the school system. I will work for effective tax reform that does not just shift the burden from one class of citizens to another.
  3. As I have in the past, I will be an advocate for cutting the cost of doing business in government, streamlining services while working to open the lines of communication between agencies.
  4. I will work to hold the line on spending and work to make sure that the dollars that are spent on programs are giving the taxpayers a high return on their investment.
  5. Advocate for a more open and accountable system in state government in both the state legislature and state agencies.
  6. Work toward meaningful Tort reform – to help keep our Doctors and medical professionals here in Pennsylvania.
  7. I support the second amendment and am a member of the NRA.
  8. I will fight for stronger victims rights – as a victim’s advocate for more than 17 years I will work to make sure the system that is supposed to protect a crime victim does not make them feel like a victim again.
  9. I will work to bring equity to the unfunded mandate from the Federal government that has been handed down to central Pa. to fund the Chesapeake Bay Cleanup, I will work to get state and/or federal support to reduce the burden on local taxpayers.
  10. Use my experience working as a utility industry regulator at the PUC to facilitate and educate on the issue of rising energy costs and work to help minimize the initial impact when the rate caps come off in 2009 and 2010.
  11. With my 17+ years of experience in public policy I will be able to start from day one to work for the residents of the 88th district.
  12. My experience with all state agencies enables me to facilitate constituent service and make it the priority it should be.

 

WHY AM I RUNNING? 
I believe I have the unique combination of experience and dedication to make a difference for the citizens of the 88th district.  I have made a lifelong commitment to public service and my expertise will allow me to make an impact on the first day of taking office.  With two young children and nearly two decades of community involvement, I am deeply rooted in the community and know the issues and feelings of those I will represent.  I will always remain close to the people I represent.

Government Spending and Balancing the Budget
Our state budget in Pennsylvania has grown exponentially in the past few years and one has to ask what the return on this investment has been.  I favor targeted investments in such critical areas as education, health care, public safety, and infrastructure but only with assurances that the investment is paying off.  I’m not sure that is the case with many of the new and existing programs put in place over the past five years. 

I am also concerned with the rate of growth.  Our state budget has grown nearly $9 billion in the past five years at an average growth rate exceeding six percent when you take into account increases in funds outside of the General Fund.  This compares to inflation which has grown in the range of three to four percent annually.  This is not acceptable.

We have gotten away from many of the recommendations put forth in the IMPACCT Commission that I directed under Governor Ridge.  This cost containment Commission identified numerous strategies to restrain the growth of government, and when implemented we were able to cut the cost of government by over $500 million.  Many of these positive changes under the Ridge/Schweiker administration have been undone in the last five years. I think a fresh look must be taken and the dollars saved through efficiencies should be returned to the taxpayers through either lower taxes or deposits in the Rainy Day Fund to resist further need to raise taxes.
 
Role of Government in Protecting the Environment 
I believe that protecting our environment and creating jobs are not mutually exclusive.  State government should have a role to play in encouraging both.  Policies of confrontation or applying regulation above and beyond expansive federal requirements are harmful to our economic growth and do little to accomplish intended goals.  I believe the best approaches to protecting the environment are through partnerships between the government and the private sector.   Programs such as industrial site recycling have worked in Pennsylvania and should be expanded.  I also support efforts to reduce maintenance backlogs at our state parks and forests and preserving treasured farmland.  It is only through good stewardship and planning that these threatened lands will remain attractions for residents and visitors alike.

I strongly believe that the most effective way to eliminate pollution (whether it is by air water or other means) is to prevent it from occurring in the first place.  I also believe state government can lead by example in the area of environmentally sustainable management practices. We should continue to pursue partnerships to protect and clean up our watersheds and we should encourage sound planning to prepare for the challenges of further development.

Role of Government  
I believe in a responsive government that lives within its means and that honestly represents the people.
Individual freedom is very important to me.  I trust that people are generally well disposed, want to do the right thing, and are knowledgeable about the decisions they make for themselves and their families. Government has a limited role to play in most areas and should strive to be as open and accessible as possible.  All participants in government from elected officials to day to day program managers should be accountable.  Information and ease of access are important for citizens and serve as a check and balance.

EMERGENCY REPSONSE / VICTIMS RIGHTS:
 I have been endorsed by:

    1.      FOP Tri-County Lodge 76
    2.      FOP Lodge 12
    3.      Trooper Lodge 41
 
I have extensive experience working with first responders and other groups that focus on public safety.  The issues that affect those that work to protect our communities is a top priority for me and to our family, as my husband is a police officer.  Therefore, the issues that affect their safety and their families are a priority for me.

Every year I go to the ceremony held for fallen officers that is held in back of the Capitol each spring and I am thankful that I am not up there representing my husband.  As a family member of a police officer I feel that I should be there to support those that have lost someone they love while in the line of duty.
 
In addition, I have been a volunteer victim’s advocate for over 17 years for rape crisis and domestic violence here in central Pa. through the Harrisburg regional YWCA. I have seen these victims feel re-victimized by the system.  We can do better for them and I want to continue fighting those that may not be prepared to fight for themselves.
 
If elected, I will work to ensure that any legislation that is proposed is in the best interests of police officers and their families. I will hear all sides of an issue before I make a decision and will listen to any group that wants input.

HEALTHCARE:
The restructuring of our healthcare system is a vital issue for all Pennsylvanians and is a major way we can strengthen our families.  I support approaches that would make coverage more affordable and portable to all.  I also believe competition and choice are incredible drivers of savings and accountability and these standards need to be further developed into our existing delivery system. 

We should preserve choice while enhancing consumer accountability.  Consumers are knowledgeable and make powerful statements with their wallets when given the opportunity.  I think we need to demand more personal responsibility from all Pennsylvanians when it comes to what they expect from their health care system.

As I have walked door to door during this campaign, I have hard over and over that the issue of access to quality health care is critical.  Citizens can either not afford it, are concerned that they will not be able to afford it in the coming years, or that they may loose it in their retirement years.  Likewise, businesses have identified it as a major, if not the major, cost of doing business.  Something must be done at the state level if the federal government continues to do nothing.
 
The Governor’s Prescription for Pennsylvania may have been well intentioned but was misguided.  I believe taxing small businesses and taking money dedicated to keeping doctors in the state to pay for healthcare are both major mistakes and would hurt our economy. 

I do support expanding the scope of practice of healthcare professionals so they can perform services based on their educational and training.  This will enable more individuals to have access to care and will reduce costs in our healthcare system.  It is especially important to expand the scope of practice of pharmacists.  Community pharmacists in Pennsylvania are not allowed to practice up to their educational capabilities and are on the front lines and often have the most contact with patients.  I have been a patient in our health care system and I know firsthand that quality care can be delivered by more people than the current health care system allows.  Important first steps were taken by the General Assembly in 2007 but more needs to be done.

Education:

As a mother of 2 school age children, the strength of our public schools in the Commonwealth is a personal issue for me and one that I will work to hold to the highest standards.  This will include supporting our teachers that have an undisputed influence over our children.  I will demand accountability for the public dollars that are paid by taxpayers to run our schools to make sure they are getting value for the dollars they invest. 

Since all students don’t learn in the same environment or at the same pace, I support allowing parents to have a choice in their children’s education. These options include: homeschooling, a cyber or brick and mortar charter school, or private schools with support from non-profit foundations that receive funding through Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit program.

I would also work to support and ensure that our Community Colleges and Technical schools are strong and thriving, as they are an invaluable resource for some students that may not fit the typical four year higher education program.

 

Gaming:

The legislature made a major mistake by not allowing the Attorney General to have an oversight role in the gaming industry.  This needs to be corrected immediately so the public can have confidence that the board is making above-board decisions that are in the best interest of the people of Pennsylvania.  We need to ensure that strict standards are applied to both the casinos and the gaming board itself.  Giving their former Executive Director a six figure “consulting” contract was not in the best interest of the taxpayers of Pennsylvania.

 

Legislative Reform:

I believe in a responsive government that lives within its means and honestly represents the people.

We need to work to REINSTIL the PUBLIC TRUST and CONFIDENCE that the voters have in their elected officials.  To do this we have to go further than what is included in our new open records law and add transparency to how tax dollars used to run the state legislature are spent. 

I have a 6 point plan to address ethics and accountability:

-Eliminate automatic per diem’s, but reimburse legislative expenses like every other state employee - using actual receipts for money spent capped at a certain level.

-Prohibit all bonuses for House and Senate employees. This will ensure that the abuses of the past don’t repeat themselves.

-Require the House and Senate caucus “surpluses”, now valued at approximately $240 million, to be returned to the state treasury or to the taxpayers. 

-Expand the oversight role of the Attorney General in the Gaming process –have the state’s top law enforcement official involved in overseeing a process that we have already seen get out of hand

-Limit the duration an individual can serve as chair of a committee

-Prohibit the use of tax dollars in paying for the defense of elected officials or staff in criminal cases unrelated to their duties.

 

Property Taxes:

Property taxes are a paramount concern for all taxpayers in the 88th District.  Ultimately, our property tax system must provide adequate revenue to support our schools, while being fair to those on fixed incomes and tight budgets.  Creative options that preserve local control while diversifying the tax base should be explored.  Any reduction of property tax will need to be shifted to another source of revenue.  One idea worth exploring is in exchange for a significant reduction in property taxes, increase the sales tax and look at possible caps on property taxes for seniors.  Answers to the property tax dilemma are not easy. However, Harrisburg has a responsibility to deliver a fair system that works for all Pennsylvanians.  The General Assembly needs to recognize that we, as citizens of the Commonwealth, will not stand for an out of touch government more in tune with their needs than those of Pennsylvania’s working families.

 

Transportation:

The transportation system statewide and in Cumberland county are in need of dedicated support, one that is not a regional solution but one that everyone shares the burden equally.  The federal government has rejected the proposal to place tolls on I-80 and the offer to lease the turnpike is no longer an option at this point.  I opposed the lease and also oppose raising the gas tax.  We need to review all options to obtain a long-term and dedicated funding source.