Record of accomplishment: What I will do if re-elected

By STEVE SANTARSIERO

Since taking office in January 2009, I have worked hard to bring jobs to our community, cut spending and reform Harrisburg. I am running for re-election to the Pennsylvania House to continue that work.

Jobs

Earlier this year I was able to convince a marketing firm to relocate to Lower Makefield. It will bring over 200 jobs to the area. At the same time, I fought against a proposal by New Jersey to require all of its public employees to live in the Garden State. In the end, I was able to convince New Jersey lawmakers to amend the proposal so that it did not apply to existing employees. As a result, over 3,000 residents of the Newtown-Yardley area who work in New Jersey's public sector - including my opponent in this race, ironically - will not have to choose between their homes and their jobs.

In a second term I will work to create a system of tax credits to small businesses to help them expand and create more jobs. Those credits will complement the bill that I proposed this year - and which was passed and signed into law in July - that will make more credit available to small businesses as they grow. I also push for targeted tax incentives to attract biotech and alternative energy companies to Pennsylvania. These incentives will include the creation of "Green Enterprise Zones" designed to offer tax abatements to companies in the alternative energy and green technology sectors who pledge to stay in Pennsylvania for the long haul and create jobs for Pennsylvanians.

Cutting Spending

Faced with an historic budget deficit in 2009 of $3.2 billion, I voted with a majority of the Legislature to make cuts across the board. We did the same thing this year. Overall, total state spending has gone down since I took office. As a result, we were able to balance the budget in each of the last two years without raising the sales or income tax. Despite those cuts, we were able to preserve funding for important services and even increase funding for basic education, helping our local school districts.

I also voted for a pension reform bill that will save taxpayers over $25 billion and will avoid a spike in property taxes in the next few years.

Reforming Harrisburg

I am the only representative from Bucks County who does not take the $163 per diem, the check that lawmakers get for just showing up to work at the Capitol each day. Most legislators use it for additional, non-taxable income each year. It's wrong and I don't accept it. I also am one of the few representatives who pay toward the cost of health care and proposed a bill last year that would require all representatives to do the same. I also refuse to take a cost of living increase in my salary and don't take a state car. Put simply, public servants should serve the public, not the other way around.

I also support term limits for the Legislature and believe that we should cut the size of the Legislature in half. Doing so will reduce costs and make the legislature more efficient.

We also need real campaign finance reform. I am a sponsor of legislation that would impose federal-style limits on the amount of contributions that can be made to candidates. I also have introduced a joint resolution of the Pennsylvania House and Senate proposing a 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would allow Congress and the states to impose limits on both contributions and campaign spending. It would overturn the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the Citizens United case that held that corporations and unions can contribute unlimited amounts to influence elections.

I am honored to have received the endorsement of the Sierra Club for my work to protect our environment and the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police for my dedication to public safety.

It's easy to make promises as a candidate. The real test is whether an elected official actually follows those promises up with action. As my record shows, that is exactly what I have done and what I will continue to do if re-elected. I ask for your support on Nov. 2.