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Week One:
Many York County residents are hoping the state Legislature takes action to reform the property tax system. Do you support reform? If so, what approach to reform would you support? If other taxes have to be raised to offer property tax relief, what tax/taxes should be considered? If you don't think reform is needed, why not?
Ernest Merisotis: I firmly believe that we are past due for a change in the property tax system. The current system is fundamentally unfair. We simply cannot afford it. First, I would be in favor of a move to an income tax-based system, at no higher than a county level, to ensure that our local taxes remain local. I feel an income tax-based system would be a better choice than a sales tax based-system, which could discourage sales and therefore harm local businesses. Finally, the issue of the pension raise which the Legislature voted for and its role in increasing taxes needs to be addressed.
Ron Miller: Property tax reform/ education funding fairness are the main reasons I ran for the House of Representatives. I've proposed legislation changing the funding formula to be fairer for the 93rd District, co-sponsored and voted for legislation to eliminate property taxes, and voted to expand the Property Tax Rent Rebate Program for senior citizens. My amendment (A4276) to the table games legislation directed all the tax money received by the state would go into the Property Tax Relief Fund established under the slots legislation. I lost that vote on a 97-97 tie vote. This vote highlights the difficulty in eliminating the use of property taxes for the funding of public education. Property tax reform has been and will remain my main focus as your state representative.
Carroll P. Tignall, Jr.: I support property tax reform. Many people have lost their job, are having trouble meeting their mortgage payments, or have lost their home. The current school property tax is an onerous and outmoded method of taxation that places taxpayer properties at risk of loss and has no relationship to the owners' ability to pay the tax. The state Legislature created the problem, but has done little to fix the problem. Spending is out of control and far exceeds the affordability of taxpayers to pay. It should be replaced by a sales tax or combination of sales and income tax and revenue should be allocated on the basis of student population. The School Property Tax Elimination Act (HB1275) spells out the solution in great detail.
Doug Walters: Property taxes need to be eliminated, but let's not put the cart before the horse. It would be unwise to cut taxes unless we cut spending first. We can try all sorts of methods to replace the revenue the state makes from property taxes, but we cannot ignore the fact that Pennsylvania is already billions of dollars in debt. If we eliminate property taxes and don't eliminate any spending we'll be in even bigger trouble when the pension hike hits. If we can make sure that our debt, pension, and spending issues are being fixed then I will throw my full support behind property tax elimination. The people need to put a lot of pressure on their representatives to make sure this happens.
Week Two
Republican state Attorney General Tom Corbett has charged 25 people in an ongoing corruption scandal. In some cases, the allegations are that the individuals misused of taxpayer-funded resources for political purposes. In other cases, staffers were allegedly given taxpayer-funded bonuses to perform campaign work. What measures would you support to ensure state legislators operate in a legal and ethical manner?
Merisotis: Attorney General Tom Corbett should be applauded for his work to punish those who have abused the public's trust. I would like to see our state government become far more transparent. In my personal experience it is clear that the current system is not user friendly and serves to protect the incumbent by hiding the truth. An informed voter is the best defense against illegal and unethical incumbents. To help the voter I would like to see more information placed on each Representative's Web site. This should include how much of the taxpayer money has been used to provide perks such as per diem and vehicle leases. This information should also be published in the local paper prior to the election.
Miller: The ongoing investigation is about conduct that is not legal now. Whether new laws or further clarification is needed will become clearer as the court cases are decided. In the interim, measures have been taken by the House of Representatives to assure the line between service as a legislator and political purposes is clear. Ethics training is now required of all members and periodic legal updates are provided. Changes made to open records requirements and the increased notification of public meeting schedules serve to provide additional transparency that will increase public scrutiny and help assure compliance with the law.
Tignall: The integrity of the Legislature has been undermined by corruption and the arrogance of power. Legislative term limits would prevent long term alliances with legislators and special interests. More spending transparency is needed to establish legislator accountability and citizen access by creating online databases that identify all state spending including earmarks, WAMs, and funding for political activities. The redistricting process should be reformed to reflect voter choice rather than political choice that protects incumbents. An initiative and referendum process would allow citizens to enact laws and constitutional amendments and reject laws and amendments passed by the Legislature. The General Assembly should be returned to a part-time, limited session organization reducing salaries, benefits, and staff. These measures would substantially reduce corruption and improve integrity and accountability.
Walters: Without a doubt, voters are the first line of defense against illegal and unethical behavior by politicians. To quote Thomas Jefferson, "The time to guard against corruption and tyranny is before they shall have gotten hold on us. It is better to keep the wolf out of the fold, than to trust to drawing his teeth and talons after he shall have entered." We should always be looking for wise and honest representatives. Additional solutions include restricting the excessive salaries and benefits so that public office is not a lucrative profession, enacting transparency laws, and employing the methods of initiative, referendum and recall. These solutions will increase accountability and punish representatives who campaign on the publics dime or pander to lobbyists and special interests.
Week Three
The Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this year voted to table a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would add the phrase: "Only the union of one man and one woman shall be valid and recognized as a marriage in this Commonwealth." Would you support such an amendment? Conversely, do you believe Pennsylvania should permit same-sex marriages?
Merisotis: I fully support the amendment protecting marriage. Government should ensure that all people regardless of marital status have access to the same rights and benefits as married people: that is, if a married person can add family members to a health insurance policy, then there should be parity for, say, two unmarried siblings living together to do the same. Marriage is instituted by God, not government. It is therefore not up to government to alter a sacred institution the genesis of which is outside of politics.
Miller: Pennsylvania does not allow same-sex marriages now. I support the current law and do not support same-sex marriages. However, I do not believe the issue requires a constitutional amendment.
Tignall: Most citizens recognize marriage as the union of one man and one woman. I personally believe that marriage is a faith-based relationship blessed by God that is intended to be a faithful, exclusive, lifelong union of a man and a woman. I would support an amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution to define this relationship and ban same-sex marriages.
This would prevent recent incidents of judicial activism and efforts by special interest groups to recognize same-sex civil unions as a "marriage". Same-sex marriages would adversely impact the basic family unit related to parenting, education, religious training, and family traditions. An amendment to the constitution would be decided by popular vote rather than by the judiciary.
Walters: A constitutional amendment will not resolve the disagreement over gay marriage. I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman, but I do not have the right to push my beliefs onto others.
We need to place the institution of marriage back in the hands of the churches instead of giving the government more power to oversee the most personal and sacred aspects of our lives.
We also need to completely eliminate the social benefits and tax breaks that are handed out to married couples. It is unjust for our government to provide a benefit to one particular subset of society and withhold it from another. I support equal liberty and equal freedom of voluntary association for all citizens, regardless of sexual orientation.
Week Four
Pennsylvania is facing a possible financial crisis in 2012 due to a spike in pension costs. Recent projections show the cost could spike from $617 million in the current fiscal year to more than $4 billion in the fiscal year that ends in June 2013. What specific measures would you take to address this problem?
Merisotis: The current crisis is a result of a decade's worth of bad decisions by our state lawmakers and the governor. They should be held accountable for the higher taxes we face.
Pension reform is long overdue. We should look at a 401(k) type, defined contribution plan or a hybrid system rather than the current pension system. As a minimum, reforms should include setting minimum contribution levels that are actuarially sound, increasing retirement age and providing stronger oversight and investment rules. More information on the pension crisis can be found at www.Ernest4PA.com.
Ron Miller: Employer contribution rates were kept artificially low to allow state and school districts to avoid higher tax increases for over a decade. The economic downturn accelerated the negative impact on the pension systems. The employer contribution rate must be kept at a level to meet contractual obligations as determined by the pension system actuaries.
Shifting to a defined contribution system needs to be explored, but pension system actuaries indicate it will result in a cost increase to the pension systems. Any savings would be approximately 30 years out. Therefore, alternative funding sources need to be explored. I am a prime sponsor, with Rep. DePasquale, of legislation to allow small games of chance at taverns with the tax proceeds designated to the pension system spike.
Carroll Tignall Jr.: The financial crisis is due to the passage of ACT 9 by the Legislature in 2001. It provided for a 25 percent increase in benefits for teachers/employees and a 50 percent increase for legislators. It was not fiscally prudent but most legislators voted for it. This year the contribution rate for school districts is 4.78%, will increase 72% to 8.22% for 2010-2011 and continue to escalate through 2013 to a rate of 33.6% annually.
The Legislature has failed to address the problem for nine years and the burden will simply be passed on to the taxpayers. The solution is to repeal Act 9 and start over but it's doubtful current incumbents will do anything because it's their pension. The time to act is now
Doug Walters: The solution to our pension crisis must be two-fold.
First, we must ensure our promises to current pension recipients are kept. They need to receive their money. In order to do this we will need to cut government programs at the state and federal levels and divert the tax dollars those programs would have received to our pension funds. A tax increase is not the proper solution.
Second, we must ensure no new promises are made that cannot be fulfilled. New employees need to be given defined-contribution options that do not require the taxpayers to suffer down the road. There are many advocates of a 401(k)-style system. This idea, and many others, should be examined closely to see if they are feasible.
Week Five:
Now that the federal government has rejected a proposal to place tolls on I-80, Gov. Ed Rendell has called for a special sesson to discuss transportation funding. Money from the tolls was supposed to address a backlog of bridge and highway projects across Pennsylvania. Is there a transportation funding crisis? If so, how do you think the state should address it? Would you support an increase in the gas tax? Why or why not?
Merisotis: The proposal to place tolls on I-80 is a smoke screen to hide the fact that our roads have been neglected for years, while the governor has chosen to expand spending on his pet projects. This problem didn't happen overnight. What have our lawmakers in Harrisburg been up to? Our state gas taxes are already high and I oppose raising them. We must cut waste and reprioritize spending.
Miller: Yes, there is a transportation funding crisis. Contributing factors are declining federal highway funding, less gas tax dollars because of greater fuel efficiency including both cars and trucks, aging infrastructure, increasing construction/maintenance costs, and needed safety enhancements. There is not one answer but several steps that need to be considered including smarter construction methods, enabling private-public partnerships, increased public mass transit funding from consumers of the service, and possibly a gas tax increase. I will consider a gas tax increase when the governor is willing to commit to highway projects important to the residents I serve and the York County transportation network.
Tignall: Rather than transportation funding crisis there is a transportation leadership crisis. Reforms and reprioritization of spending have been a problem for years but neither the governor nor the General Assembly has taken corrective actions. Proper application of federal monies for highway and bridges should be implemented immediately rather than misdirecting funds to mass transit and special projects. Repealing prevailing wage laws would substantially reduce project costs and free up billions of dollars for highways and bridges. The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission should be eliminated. Public-private partnerships should be formed for greater efficiencies and savings on projects. Mass transit should be reformed to require competitive contracting of all transportation services. I do not support any increase in the gasoline tax because it is not necessary.
Walters: Tolling I-80 was a terrible idea from the start. There are numerous ways we can fund our transportation needs without having to raise taxes. Eliminating the federal Department of Transportation would be a great start. We can also begin eliminating state programs that are unnecessary and waste taxpayer dollars. According to a Commonwealth Foundation report we can begin by cutting spending for bike trails, beautification efforts, corporate welfare, hockey arenas, convention centers, film producers, and lobbyists and directing those funds toward filling potholes, building roads, and retrofitting bridges. We can repeal prevailing wage laws that increase construction costs by up to 25 percent. We can also create public-private partnerships that could bring in billions of dollars in revenue from projects like leasing the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Week Six
Gov. Ed Rendell earlier this year signed a bill that allows Pennsylvania casinos to operate table games, such as blackjack, poker, craps, baccarat and roulette. Some lawmakers want to further expand gambling. Gov. Ed Rendell earlier this year proposed allowing Pennsylvania bars and taverns to install video poker machines. Under his idea, the tax revenue from the machines would help students at the state's 14 universities and 14 community colleges pay their tuition. Some lawmakers are now proposing to use the money for the state's transportation needs. Do you believe the state should expand gambling further? If not, why not? If so, why? Where should the money be directed?
Merisotis: I do not favor the expansion of gambling in our state. The revenue produced under Gov. Rendell's administration seems to have benefited other parts of the state, but not us. I would like to see the tax revenue used primarily for local property tax relief.
Miller: Banning gambling due to negative social reasons has valid reasoning but Pandora's Box has been opened, so the focus needs to be on regulation, enforcement, and programs to address problem gambling. New revenue should not be used to expand state government programs. New revenue should be used to lessen the terrible burden of property taxes. My amendment to the table games legislation directed all the tax money received by the state would go into the Property Tax Relief Fund established under the slots legislation. I lost that vote on a 97-97 tie vote. I am also a prime sponsor, with state Rep Eugene DePasquale, of legislation to allow small games of chance at taverns with the tax proceeds designated to the pension system spike.
Tignall: The extension of gambling to video poker machines is a logical expansion of the state gambling revenue and control system. While some people have concerns about gambling addiction issues, in tough economic times the revenues generated from the expansion to video machines seems to outweigh those concerns. People are going to gamble and once the state got involved with legalizing bingo and the lotteries any other form of gambling is fair game. It is all a form of entertainment and most people do not become addicted in a harmful way. The real problem comes from the distribution of the revenue and the cost and/or enforcement of rules and regulations. So long as it does not result in an expansion of government, it should be considered.
Walters: Our lawmakers only want to expand gambling to bring in more tax revenue. It is a way for the Legislature to make it appear as though they have the best interests of their constituents in mind when clearly they do not. It's also a great way for our legislators to make it appear as though they are not raising taxes when, in all truthfulness, they are. Our government should have nothing to do with gambling operations. The true solution to our state's financial problems is to cut spending and allow the citizens and businesses to be prosperous again. If people want to gamble and engage in risky and often fruitless games of chance with their money, then so be it. That is their choice.
