Candidate for
State Senator; Pennsylvania State Senate; District 15; Democratic Party

PRIORITIES:

CREATING JOBS: The most important issue today is the creation and retention of high quality, family sustaining jobs. Rob will target the billions of dollars spent on so-called "economic development" programs, in which the state - often unsuccessfully - attempts to pick job-creating winners and losers. Instead, Rob will redirect those funds towards the creation of a better job creation climate overall in the Commonwealth, with strategic investments in education and training, infrastructure, transportation, and tax relief. To the extent that direct state financial assistance continues, he will set a priority on developing and nurturing small locally-owned businesses and holding the recipients accountable for creating and retaining the jobs promised.

In addition, Rob will bring transparency and competition to the state's own awarding of contracts for goods and services to the private sector in order to reduce costs for taxpayers and provide greater opportunities for businesses and workers.

Rob recognizes that the discovery of the new Marcellus Shale energy resources presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build an industry that will create thousands of jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil, while, at the same time, help address our state's multi-billion-dollar budget deficit. And he also recognizes that the politicians are letting this opportunity slip away. They still haven't really resolved the issue of who should pay the costs that this new resource will impose on our environment and our infrastructure. Rob will make the out-of-state gas companies pay their fair share, period.

Finally, Rob has spent his career fighting for the rights of working men and women, including the members of organized labor, and he will continue to do so in the State Senate.

STRENGTHENING OUR SCHOOLS: As the recipient of an excellent public education at Central Dauphin School District, as the parent of a public school student in Susquehanna Township School District, and as the husband, son, and brother of local educators, it's not surprising that Rob is passionate about education. He is outraged by the Corbett administration's approach to education and will vigorously oppose it as State Senator. Rob believes that every public school should have the resources needed to provide our children and young adults with the best possible education, and those resources must be viewed as what they are + investments in our collective future, not mere expenses that must be tolerated.

As State Senator, Rob will improve the system of funding public education in the Commonwealth so that it is equitable, stable, fiscally responsible, accountable, transparent, and in the best interest of all stakeholders. At the basic education level, he believes that Pennsylvania must focus on targeted investments in proven reforms like early childhood education, smaller class sizes, tutoring, and before- and after-school programs. The creation and maintenance of modern, safe, and healthy schools must also be a priority. At the post-secondary level, Rob will make higher education affordable for Pennsylvania students who attend Pennsylvania schools. In particular, he will promote a program modeled after the successful HOPE Scholarship Program in Georgia, which would pay tuition at state-owned universities for all students who graduate from high school with at least a 3.0 grade point average. Students choosing to attend other colleges and universities, community colleges, or vocational-technical schools would also be eligible. In addition to creating a highly educated and trained workforce, this would stop the "brain drain" problem and help keep our best resources - our young people - here in Pennsylvania.

KEEPING TAXES AS LOW AS POSSIBLE: Rob has spent most of his career promoting fiscal responsibility and exposing the waste, fraud, and abuse of public funds. As State Senator, Rob will use his experience to reduce the cost of government and direct the resulting savings to other areas in order to keep your taxes as low as possible. He will also continue to fight to ensure that Pennsylvania homeowners receive the property tax relief that you were promised when casino gambling was legalized in Pennsylvania.

In addition, Rob understands that a positive business climate creates thriving businesses and thriving businesses, in turn, create and retain high quality, family-sustaining jobs. Therefore, he will work with the business community to address its concerns about high taxes in Pennsylvania compared to other states. Finally, Rob recognizes that the Corbett administration's cuts to state funding of public education have led to tax increases at the local level. He believes that the Commonwealth has a responsibility to provide every child with the opportunity for a quality education and, as State Senator, he will ensure that responsibility is fulfilled.

ENDING POLITICS AS USUAL IN HARRISBURG: Rob has fought alongside Bob Casey and Jack Wagner for transparency, accountability, and reform in all areas of government. He knows that in the Capitol, how politics happens drives what policies happen. Therefore, bringing fundamental reforms to state government is one of his highest priorities.

In particular, Rob will pursue a comprehensive reform agenda including the following: reducing the size of the General Assembly; subjecting the General Assembly and its multi-million dollar legislative slush fund to annual audits; instituting non-partisan legislative redistricting; requiring that the state budget be passed on time every year (and preventing state elected officials from being paid until they do their job); strengthening and enforcing open records and open meeting laws; and eliminating secret, no-bid public contracts. Rob also believes that it is long past time to hold another state constitutional convention in order to directly involve the general public in the process of bringing these and other reforms to state government.