Steve’s platform for providing help at home in the Newtown-Yardley area and change is Harrisburg is based on a set of specific proposals:

Helping Commuters and Improving Our Roads

Steve knows that the many commuters who live in the Newtown-Yardley area are suffering under the strain of  high gas prices. That’s why he will work to create a new system of  long-distance, single-stop commuter buses from park and ride locations in Yardley, Lower Makefield and Newtown to Conwells Heights and  Hamilton Stations, Princeton and, possibly, other transportation hubs  in the region. Such a system – which could be run in part or in whole  by private carriers – would enable commuters to cut their gas costs and  ease congestion on our roads and highways while offering a fast  alternative to get to work.

Steve also will fight for infrastructure money to help improve our area’s roads and bridges.

Holding the line on Electricity Rates

The electricity rate caps currently in place in Pennsylvania are set to expire at the end of 2009 and 2010 (depending on the utility).  Industry analysts say that rates in  the Newtown-Yardley area will rise as much as 30% in 2011 alone (PECO  rate caps expire in 2010) if state government does nothing.  Steve  Santarsiero knows that in tough economic times like these that kind of  increase can be crippling to families and businesses alike.  That's  why Steve supports a plan to phase any increace over time.  That  alone won't be enough, however.  The state must act to reduce  energy costs in the long run.  To do that, we need a strong  conservation law that requires utilities like PECO to implement new  programs and technologies (like smart meters) that will cut energy  usage and save consumers and businesses money.

Those measures when coupled with policies to expand renewable energy  like wind and solar will be good not only for the environment but for  our wallets too.

Protecting Open Space

Everyone  knows that our area is under assault from developers. Steve has a  strong record of fighting bad development as a former leader of the  group that stopped the Matrix Big Box Plan.

Steve will offer  legislation that will give our towns more power to control growth and  will fight for our area’s share of money to help preserve open space.

Property Tax Relief

Over the past decade, property taxes have  risen steadily as the State has repeatedly cut back on its share of  school funding and as both the state and federal governments have  foisted unfunded mandates on school districts. Steve will work on a  bipartisan basis to find a formula for school funding that provides for  a reduction in property taxes and a property tax cap for our seniors.


Protecting Our Children

As  a father of three and a teacher, protecting our children is a priority  for Steve. That’s why he was the first local official in the  Philadelphia region to propose a law to prevent convicted sex offenders  from moving within 2,500 feet of schools, playgrounds and other places  where children congregate.

Steve will introduce to the  legislature his proposed PA e-STOP (the Electronic Security and  Targeting of Online Predators Act). PA e-Stop will protect children who  visit popular social networking sites from online predators. That’s why  the measure is supported by Lower Makefield Police Chief Ken Coluzzi.

Developing Renewable Energy

Under Governor Rendell, Pennsylvania has  become a leader in renewable energy. Steve – as the organizer of the  first regional global warming conference in our area and a strong voice  in the movement to reverse climate change – will build on that success  by fighting for a broader policy of tax incentives for companies in the  renewable energy industry so that they will set up shop and grow in  Pennsylvania.


Making Health Care More Affordable

Steve  will help make health care more affordable by proposing that small  businesses, non-profit organizations, municipalities and school  districts be allowed to purchase their insurance coverage through the  state employee plan.

Steve also will support the Governor’s plan to allow the Department of Public Welfare to purchase prescription  drugs for Medicaid recipients. That plan will save taxpayers an  estimated $100 million each year.


Reforming Harrisburg

It’s  no secret that things need to change in Harrisburg. The recent  pay-raise and bonus scandals make that obvious. Steve is the only  candidate in this race with a strong record of reform at the local  level. He led the way to open meetings in Lower Makefield and is the  only Supervisor who is not receiving a salary – a voluntary step that he took in light of budgetary concerns and the bad economy. Also, and  in contrast to his opponent, he does not receive any tax-payer funded  benefits from the township.

Steve will support PennCPR (Pennsylvania Candidates Platform of Reform). PennCPR has three broad goals: cut politicians’ perks, crack down on lobbyist influence and  make campaign financing more open.

Fighting for the District

Steve has a strong record of getting things  done for the residents he serves as a Lower Makefield Supervisor.  Earlier this year, he was able to get the Delaware River Joint Toll  Bridge Commission to agree to over $7 million in funding for the  construction of sound barriers to help residents living near I-95. 

Steve will fight for the Newtown-Yardley area’s share of state funding on  road and other infrastructure improvements to improve our quality of  life.



 

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Democrat Steve Santarsiero’s

Plan for Resolving Teacher Contract Disputes and Keeping Kids in School


No one likes teacher strikes.  My wife and I are  Pennsburyparents.  We had two children in this district when the last  strike occurred.  It was tough.  Like many other parents of younger children, we had to scramble to get childcare. 

 

There are two problems with HB 1369 (the anti-strike bill), however. 

 

First, simply outlawing strikes would not solve contract disputes.  Contract disputes can go on for years without a deal.  When that happens, teacher morale sinks, mistrust between teachers and administrators builds, teachers may "work to the rule" meaning they do no more than they are contractually obligated to do (ex., college recommendations would not get written), and dynamic schools stagnate. 

 

Second, even with an anti-strike law, teachers could choose to face the sanction of the law and strike anyway.  That has happened in the states that have passed anti-strike legislation like HB 1369.

 

My proposal is more comprehensive and – most importantly –provides the finality which HB 1369 does not.  It would do that in 2 ways.

 

First, when an impasse is reached, my proposal would require school boards and teachers to negotiate 24/7 until a deal is reached. During the Pennsbury strike that did not happen.  The lawyer for the district claimed that he had continuing legal education classes to attend which, he claimed, made it impossible for him to negotiate.  That’s outrageous!  Both sides should be compelled to negotiate in good faith around the clock until a settlement is reached.  We all deserve that.

 

Second, my proposal would require that at the time that an impasse is reached both sides submit their last best offers to a Commonwealth Court Judge – not an arbitrator – who would then choose one offer or the other, and the decision would be binding on both sides.  The threat that one side would lose everything to the other would force both sides to stop posturing and reach a deal quickly.  That would greatly reduce likelihood that a strike would ever occur and would cut short any strike that did occur. 

 

Finally, my proposal has another important advantage over HB1369:  It has a much better chance of becoming law.  HB 1369 has little support in the legislature.  Current State Representative Dave Steil has admitted that it is unlikely ever to pass.  Moreover, Governor Rendell opposes the idea and would not sign it in the unlikely event that the legislature approvedit. 

 

--Steve Santarsiero