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LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF PENNSYLVANIA CITIZEN EDUCATION FUND - NONPARTISAN VOTERS GUIDE GENERAL ELECTION, NOVEMBER 4, 2008 (C) Copyright 2008 LWVPA - CEF Polls open 7 A.M. to 8 P.M. This Voters Guide may be taken into the voting booth. PURPOSE AND POLICY OF THE LEAGUE The purpose of the League of Women Voters is to promote political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government. The League is nonpartisan: it does not support or oppose any political parties or candidates. Nothing in this Guide should be construed as an endorsement of any candidate by the League of Women Voters.
*** WATER AND SEWER IMPROVEMENTS BOND REFERENDUM Do you favor the incurring of indebtedness by the Commonwealth of $400,000,000 for grants and loans to municipalities and public utilities for the cost of all labor, materials, necessary operational machinery and equipment, lands, property, rights and easements, plans and specifications, surveys, estimates of costs and revenues, prefeasibility studies, engineering and legal services and all other expenses necessary or incident to the acquisition, construction, improvement, expansion, extension, repair or rehabilitation of all or part of drinking water system, storm water, nonpoint source projects, nutrient credits and wastewater treatment system projects?
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES and THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE The Electoral College was a compromise written into the U.S. Constitution in 1787, with the result that the President and Vice President are not elected directly by the people, but by Presidential Electors. Electing the President indirectly through the Electoral College rather than directly by the voters was seen by the founders as a hedge against “popular passion.” The number of each state’s electors is equal to the number of Senators and Representatives a state has in Congress. Pennsylvania has 21 and each political party’s presidential nominee has chosen that number of Presidential Electors committed to the nominee. The candidate receiving the highest number of popular votes gets the state’s entire electoral vote. While Pennsylvanians will choose the Electors and not the President and Vice President at this election, the names of the electors do not appear on the ballot. Instead, the paired names of the candidates for President and Vice President are on the ballot under the heading “Presidential Electors.” All votes cast for the candidates for President and Vice President are counted as votes for that party’s Electors. The Electors, in turn, will cast Pennsylvania’s vote for President and Vice President. (Vote for one)
President - BARACK OBAMA Vice President – JOE BIDEN
President - JOHN MCCAIN Vice President – SARAH PALIN
President - RALPH NADER Vice President – MATT GONZALEZ
President - BOB BARR Vice President – WAYNE ROOT
ATTORNEY GENERAL JOB DESCRIPTION The Attorney General, as Pennsylvania's chief legal and law enforcement officer, represents the Commonwealth in legal actions brought against it, furnishes legal advice to the Governor or any state agency, and prosecutes organized crime and public corruption. The department's law enforcement program includes criminal investigations, drug law enforcement, direction of statewide and multi-county investigative grand juries, and a Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Other duties include review of all proposed rules and regulations of state agencies and administration of provisions relating to consumer protection. Under the state constitution the Attorney General must be a member of the bar in Pennsylvania. Term: 4 years; Salary: $141,565.00; (Vote for one) Question: What specific priorities do you have if elected to the office of Attorney General? DEMOCRATIC
D.O.B: 11/12/1955 EDUCATION: 1977, Moravian College, B.A.; 1980, Villanova Law School, J.D. OCCUPATION: District Attorney QUALIFICATIONS: District Attorney – 16 years; Prosecuted Numerous murder cases; PA Commission on Crime & Delinquency – 5 years, President, PA District Attorneys Assn. – 2 years, Special Deputy Attorney General, Special Prosecutor. ANSWER TO QUESTION: 1. Pass a gang statute that makes gang membership a crime so as to attack the gangs before they commit their next murder or drug deal. 2. Address the proliferation of handguns into the hands of criminals, young children and those with mental illness. 3. Abolish parole for violent criminals. 4. Crackdown on illegal criminal aliens who have no respect for our laws, commit crime and use fraudulent identities. REPUBLICAN
D.O.B: 06/17/1949 EDUCATION: 1971, Lebanon Valley College, B.A.; 1975, St. Mary’s University School of Law, J.D. OCCUPATION: Pennsylvania Attorney General QUALIFICATIONS: Attorney General of PA – 4 ½ years, Assistant District Attorney in Allegheny County, 3 ½ years, US Attorney, 4 years, PA Army National Guard, 13 years, Commissioner, Shaler Twp, 2 years ANSWER TO QUESTION: My top priority is making Pennsylvania a safer and better place to live, work, and raise a family. As Attorney General, I will continue protecting the most vulnerable of our communities such as our children and seniors from those who would do them harm, reaffirming the public’s trust in our elected officials, making sure that our communities are safe and free of drugs and gang activity and protecting Pennsylvania consumers from those who commit fraud. LIBERTARIAN
D.O.B: 03/01/1962 EDUCATION: 1981, Wilson College, B.A.; 1984, Dickinson School of Law, J.D. OCCUPATION: Attorney QUALIFICATIONS: Practicing attorney with criminal defense and civil rights experience ANSWER TO QUESTION: My particular areas of concern are stopping the unnecessary, wasteful prosecution of victimless crimes, abolishing the death penalty, and the protection of citizens’ rights, including defending Pennsylvanians’ right to privacy from government intrusion.
AUDITOR GENERAL JOB DESCRIPTION
Term: 4 years; Salary: $141,565.00; (Vote for one) Question: What specific priorities do you have if elected to the office of Auditor General? DEMOCRATIC
D.O.B: 01/04/1948 EDUCATION: 1974, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, B.S., Safety Management OCCUPATION: Auditor General QUALIFICATIONS: Auditor General since 2005, State Senator, 10 years (Allegheny County), Pittsburgh City Councilman, 10 years (President, 4 years), Certified Safety Professional, 10 years, Marine Corps, Vietnam combat veteran, husband and father, 2 children ANSWER TO QUESTION: I look forward to continuing to work in an independent and bipartisan way to protect the taxpayers’ hard-earned money and improve the lives of all Pennsylvanians. I will continue to focus on creating jobs, strengthening education, improving infrastructure, and protecting pensions. I am the only candidate with over 30 years of experience in both the public and private sectors watching the bottom line, reforming operations, and protecting working families. REPUBLICAN
D.O.B: 05/19/1963 EDUCATION: 1987, Pepperdine University, B.S. OCCUPATION: Business Owner, CEO QUALIFICATIONS: 20 years of business building, County Chairman, 2 years, Rotary Club of Lancaster, 6 years. As a business builder, I know the value of a dollar and have experience developing systems that promote economic efficiency. ANSWER TO QUESTION: - Empower our auditors and honor their findings by systematically making more audit results public. - Expand performance audits. - Be an independent fiscal watchdog who does not play favorites; no government department or entity will be off limits as we seek to protect your tax dollars - Hold quarterly press conferences to report on progress. - Ensure state agencies are receiving their appropriate allocated tax monies and that they are spending those funds correctly while operating effectively & efficiently. LIBERTARIAN BETSY SUMMERS, Wilkes Barre NO RESPONSE
STATE TREASURER JOB DESCRIPTION The State Treasurer, as chief executive officer of the Treasury Department, is official custodian of Commonwealth funds. Fundamental duties of the department are receipt and deposit of moneys received from state agencies, investment in short-term securities of moneys exceeding the daily needs of more than 140 separate funds, management of securities within its custody, pre-auditing all requisitions for expenditure of state funds as to legality and correctness, and payment of state moneys to those entitled to them. Term: 4 years; Salary: $141,565.00; (Vote for one) Question: What specific priorities do you have if elected to the office of State Treasurer? DEMOCRATIC
D.O.B: 03/05/1959 EDUCATION: 1982, Harvard University, AB; 1989, University of Pennsylvania Wharton School, MBA OCCUPATION: Full-time candidate after 15 years as a financial executive QUALIFICATIONS: 15 year career in finance; Managed more than 1 billion dollars in assets; Raised money for start-up companies that have created more than 2,000 jobs in PA. ANSWER TO QUESTION: In these uncertain economic times, it is more important than ever to have a State Treasurer with appropriate business and financial expertise. As a business leader who has managed over $1billion in assets and helped fund startup companies that created over 2,000 PA-based jobs, I will serve as a catalyst for positive economic change. In addition to generating jobs, I plan to help improve pension performance, cut wasteful spending, and invest in environment-protecting technologies. REPUBLICAN
D.O.B: 07/14/1959 EDUCATION: 1982, University of Pennsylvania, B.A. (summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa); 1985, University of Pennsylvania Law School, J.D. (cum laude, Editor, Law Review); OCCUPATION: Public Finance Attorney – Partner, Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP, 1985- QUALIFICATIONS: Chairman, Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, 2004-07-reduced property taxes, saved $30million; Cheltenham Board of Commissioners, 1990-02 (Chair, Finance Committee); 22 years experience in finance ANSWER TO QUESTION: 1.) Use over 22 years of public finance experience to protect tax dollars and ensure financial responsibility in office of Treasurer. Saved over $30 million in debt service as County Commissioner. 2.) Enhance 529 college savings program to make best in nation – encourage college savings and provide incentives to save, such as matching funds (not taxpayer dollars). 3.) Implement policy prohibiting investment in nations that sponsor terrorism (enacted as County Commissioner). LIBERTARIAN
U.S. REPRESENTIVE IN CONGRESS 17TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT JOB DESCRIPTION: A Representative serves the electorate as a policy and lawmaker for the United States. He or she is responsible for considering and voting on legislative initiatives that concern national policy and programs ranging from national security to taxation. He or she also has oversight of review and approval of budgets, expenditures and program accomplishments. Term: 2 years; Salary: $169,300.00; (vote for one) QUESTION: Please explain why you do or do not support spending limits for political campaigns and providing a set amount of public funding for all candidates who agree to take no private contributions. DEMOCRATIC
DATE OF BIRTH: 1957 EDUCATION: BA Bloomsburg University OCCUPATION: US member of Congress, 17 Congressional District QUALIFICATIONS: Member of Congress, first elected 1992; Sheriff, Sch County 1985-92; (former) Insurance agent, Real Estate broker ANSWER TO QUESTION: I voted for McCain/Feingold campaign finance reform (Bipartisan Reform Act of 2002), which established limits on contributions. I would consider additional reforms, however, the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark 1976 decision, Buckley vs. Valeo established the constitutional framework for campaign finance regulation, and has extended its holding in subsequent decisions. REPUBLICAN
DATE OF BIRTH: 5/29/1947 EDUCATION: Graduate: Bishop McDevitt HS, PA State Police Academy; Attended: HACC, Penn State University, Marywood University. OCCUPATION: Retired PA State Police Trooper; EAP Consultant/Trainer. QUALIFICATIONS: Constitutionally qualified. Taxpayer. Student of Government and US Constitution. As a Pa State Trooper for 25 years I was trained and learned how to deal with people on many different levels, instructed criminal and vehicle law, was trained in negotiation and mediation. Served as an appointed official, Commissioner in the PA Human Relations Commission for five years. Last ten years as political activist. ANSWER TO QUESTION: Spending limits infringe upon the right of free political speech as guaranteed by the US Constitution. As a candidate running against a well-funded incumbent, I do not make that statement lightly. Current campaign laws heavily favor the incumbent.
REPRESENTATIVE IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY JOB DESCRIPTION: A representative serves the electorate as a policy and lawmaker for the Commonwealth. He or she is responsible for considering and voting on major legislation that affects only select districts in the Commonwealth. A representative also has oversight of the executive branch through review and approval of budgets, expenditures and program accomplishments. Every law concerning taxation must originate in the House. Term: 2 years; Salary: $76,163.00; (vote for one) 101ST LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT DEMOCRACTIC/REPUBLICAN
DATE OF BIRTH: 07/10/1946 EDUCATION: Lebanon Catholic HS 1964; Hershey Junior College 1966; Pennsylvania College of Medical Arts 1968 OCCUPATION: PA State Legislator since 2003 QUALIFICATIONS: Palmyra Borough Council 12yrs – 10yrs as President; Palmyra Borough Planning Commission; Palmyra Borough Civil Service Commission; Palmyra Public Library Board; Athena Award recipient. ANSWER TO QUESTION: As legislators we have successfully addressed a number of practices in need of improvement. In the House of Representatives, rule changes now limit late night votes, require a 24 hour study period before a bill can be considered and prohibits amendment changes in the Rules Committee. I was proud to help to work on the lobbyist disclosure and the open records laws that now provide more transparency and access of information to the public. 102nd LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT REPUBLICAN
DATE OF BIRTH: 10/31/1945 EDUCATION: 1963, South Lebanon High; 1963-64 Thompson Institute; 1981-83, management courses thru Lebanon Valley College OCCUPATION: PA State Representative QUALIFICATIONS: City Clerk, 10 yrs.; County Commissioner, 5 terms; State Representative, 1 term; leadership awards from PA Senate (twice), City Council, PCCD, United Way, Kiwanis, Boy Scouts, Jaycee Women, BPW, ABWA, SEC, Southcentral Assembly, PROBE, DDS, Commission for Women ANSWER TO QUESTION: I am first co-sponsor on a bill introduced by Rep. Curt Schroder to authorize a people’s Constitutional Convention. I believe that only by letting the people study the state constitution and proposing the changes they are seeking, such as term limits, reducing the size of the Legislature, elimination of property taxes, a fair procedure for redistricting, etc., will we see any additional meaningful changes in Harrisburg.
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