Lets Talk Issues

Property Taxes

What is the biggest LOCAL concern your district has that hasn’t been met by action in Harrisburg, and what would you do about them if elected?

On Property taxes:

Homeowners, particularly seniors on fixed incomes, should not have to worry about being taxed out of homes they spent a lifetime paying for. Pennsylvania relies too heavily on local property taxes to fund public education, creating inequities among school districts and burdening homeowners. I support fundamentally restructuring how Pennsylvania funds public schools, with the Commonwealth assuming a greater share of the cost and replacing school property taxes with broader, fairer and more reliable state revenue. My goal is eliminating the school property-tax burden on homeowners, not simply providing temporary relief.

School Funding

Supporters of private schools have urged the state to expand a tax break that allows businesses to deduct contributions they make to those schools. Critics say private schools should provide more details about tuition costs and the family income of students that benefit from such support. Where do you fall on these questions, and on how the state should fund grade-school education generally?

Public education is a fundamental responsibility of the Commonwealth and must come first. I would prioritize adequate and equitable funding so a child’s educational opportunities are not determined by the property wealth of the community where that child lives. Where Pennsylvania provides tax benefits supporting private-school scholarships, taxpayers deserve meaningful transparency about where that money goes, who benefits and how it is used. I would not expand such programs at the expense of adequately funding public schools. Pennsylvania should assume greater responsibility for education funding while reducing our excessive dependence on local property taxes.

Revenue Proposals

There have been a number of legislative proposals that would increase revenue for the state, including marijuana legalization, a tax on digital advertisements, and the legalization/taxation of “skill games.” Which, if any, of these do you favor, and why?

I support legalizing and regulating adult-use marijuana and creating a legal, regulated framework for skill games. Prohibition or regulatory ambiguity does not make these activities disappear; it pushes economic activity underground or leaves it inadequately regulated. A legal framework can establish consumer protections while producing revenue for public priorities and property-tax relief. I am more cautious about a special tax on digital advertising. Pennsylvania should pursue a tax structure that is broad, understandable and economically sustainable rather than continually creating narrowly targeted taxes.

Data Centers

The growth of data centers has attracted controversy across the state, yet lawmakers have so far struggled to devise legislation to address it. Are there legislative measures you support to address data center concerns, such as local or statewide construction moratoriums or efforts to require more transparency/limit resource use by the centers?

Data centers must not raise electric rates for families, drain local water resources or overwhelm communities. I support codifying Pennsylvania’s GRID requirements and strengthening them where necessary. Developers should pay the full cost of the electricity and infrastructure they require, disclose energy and water consumption, and provide meaningful community benefits. Local communities must have a voice before projects are approved. With federal carbon-emission standards being rolled back, Pennsylvania must also aggressively develop sustainable, non-emitting energy sources to meet growing electricity demand without sacrificing our environment or returning to greater dependence on fossil fuels.

Governance

Control of state government has been divided for years. Assuming your party doesn’t win a “trifecta” by winning both chambers of the legislature and the governor’s office, what’s an important piece of legislation you could see working with the other party to pass? Conversely, if your party does win a trifecta, what should its top legislative priority be?

With divided government, I would seek bipartisan agreement on property-tax reform. The burden crosses party lines: Republican, Democratic and independent homeowners all receive property-tax bills. Harrisburg should find a sustainable way to fund schools while protecting homeowners, particularly seniors.

With unified Democratic government, my top priority would be strengthening the economic security of working families: property-tax reform, stronger consumer protections, good-paying jobs and greater state responsibility for public-school funding. Government should make people’s everyday lives more affordable and economically secure, regardless of ZIP code or income.