Let's Make 2014 the Year of the Citizen

By Jill Sunday Bartoli

We do have a few challenges to work on in 2014: Investing in our crumbling infrastructure, fair taxation to reduce growing income inequality, keeping our water and air clean and safe, investing in education from preschool to college, skilled workforce development and reducing our growing child poverty rate.

Poor legislative policies have created these challenges, but better policies--and better leadership--can reverse them. In our great land of opportunity we have always found creative, innovative ways to turn things around. In 1966 the poverty rate for seniors was 28%, but because of investments in Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security it is 9% today.

So first we need to learn more about who created, and who voted for, the policies that got us to where we are. Hence our first New Year's Resolution: To get informed from sources that are historically accurate, carefully researched, non-biased and free from the influence of big money and power. As an example, The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP.org) and the Economic Policy Institute (EPI.org), in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center (pbpc.org) released a report on growing income inequality in Pennsylvania (add link).

The state legislative choice to not expand Medicaid has denied healthcare to 400,000 Pennsylvanians. A possible 41,000 new jobs were also lost by refusing to do what the majority of other states have already done. The federal choice to push 38 million people off the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) affects 7,254 Cumberland County children, reducing a powerful defense against hunger that also helps to keep our farms strong.

Having lived in Cumberland County all my life, I know that we are better than this. But the policies and choices of our elected leaders are not reflecting our values. Nor are they showing the kind of leadership needed to bridge our deep divides and lead us ahead.

So the second New Year's Resolution is to see how legislators are--or are not-- representing our values and beliefs. Despite the mean spirited, narrow thinking policies that some legislators are promoting, most people believe in expanding opportunities for those in need, not reducing them. Is your legislator a voice for fair taxation, family sustaining jobs, a healthy, well-educated workforce and supporting the public schools that 95% of our children attend? And what is their voting record to prove it?

You can learn how your PA State Representatives vote by going to: Pennsylvania Votes. And you can see how they vote in committee at: House Committee Roll Call Votes.

We hold the future of our children and our community in our hands. We need only to get informed, get involved and work together for what we truly believe in. Please join me in making 2014 the Year of the Citizen-- a year that truly reflects our highest values and ideals.