News & Issues: Candidate Interviews

PA Senate 17th District (Delaware and Montgomery)): Candidate Lance Rogers (R) and Candidate Daylin Leach (D)

May 8, 2008

1. What do you hope to accomplish as a member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly?

   Daylin Leach: There are a number of issues I have focused on: Access to healthcare and serendipitously, women’s health care; I am on the education committee with kids in the schools – I have introduced some legislation that has been passed; environment – as a member of the environmental resource energy committee, I introduced a bill that for the first time brought hybrid cars to the state fleet; there is one political reform that is the most important – redistricting – gerrymandering results in very few competitive elections. It creates uncompetitive government and gives no incentive for politicians to reach across the aisle to work with the other party. It is the death of modern politicians with voter behavior more predictable.

   I will continue to work on all this in the Senate. What I can contribute is what the senate is lacking – intellectual energy. 

    

   Lance Rogers: What I would like to accomplish is based on what I have experienced and seen here in Philadelphia. After law school, I was homesick and wanted to return to the greater Philadelphia area – I got involved locally with eminent domain issues when the Lankenau Hospital was considering a redevelopment plan. We brought in a bipartisan committee to provide the hospital an acceptable alternative.

    

   Soon thereafter I ran as an independent in Lower Merion Township for Board of Commissioners and really enjoy working with the people there, so the General Assembly is a logical next step.

    

   One of the main issues I ran on for the Township Board of Commissioners was eminent domain – particularly in Ardmore. After I was elected I cosponsored a resolution which took eminent domain off the table in Ardmore.

    

   In my tenure on the Board of commissioners I have served as chair of the fire committee. In Pennsylvania we have a crisis on our hands: 90 percent of the firefighters are volunteers. In Lower Merion Township, if we had a paid force, we look at a 68 percent tax increase. We need to do something to support the firefighters. Unfortunately, Harrisburg isn’t helping or hurting – Harrisburg increased the number of hours required to pass classroom training. The requirements are now166 hours of training for volunteer firefighters. Harrisburg has failed to give incentives to volunteer firefighters – I’d like to help them by making it more feasible and affordable for them to do their job.

    

   We also need to help support the seniors in our state. Inform them about rent and property tax rebate programs that they don’t know about.  I have heard from many longtime residents of the 17th district that seniors cannot afford to retire and live where they want to be. Instead of being forced to leave by financial restraints, our seniors should be able to stay in their homes in the communities where they have built their lives.

2. What do you believe are the major problems facing the Commonwealth and your legislative district?

   Daylin Leach: We have a lot of global problems and unique problems: traffic congestion, quality of life issues, health care. We have very good hospitals in this area but their financial stability is undermined because they are called upon to treat the uninsured.  We need to address the issue of uncompensated care – this is an affluent area, but places like Philadelphia and Norristown, they present challenges.

   Another major problem is economic development which piggybacks on healthcare. Look at Norristown as the county seat compared to other county seats. They are thriving, and where people go. When I go to Norristown, I have a specific destination whereas when we go to Media or Manayunk, we just go. I am optimistic that Norristown can be turned around. It has had some poor leadership with poor decisions over the years. The movie studio in Logan Square will be huge for the area. Lots of opportunities for waterfront development could also help shape the community. There is nothing about the raw materials about Norristown that would suggest that we can’t have a thriving county seat that we can be proud of.

    

   Lance Rogers: One of the things I’ve seen in the last 3 years is that Harrisburg does not understand how to support its townships. Harrisburg handcuffs our municipalities’ ability to get the job done with preemptive legislation: i.e. smoking legislation. Philadelphia is exempt and passed its own clean air resolution. Lower Merion residents tried to do it 5 years ago but it was thrown out because the state is preemptive. The state should allow the municipalities to legislate certain issues on their own.

    

   Unfunded mandates – the state is requiring more and more every day without giving us the funds to handle things. The state wants us to fix a bridge, but the township has to raise its taxes to fund the bridge repair.

    

   Also an issue is cleaner government, and more transparent government. The government should be more open so that citizens can know where their tax dollars are going.

    

   Business taxes currently stand at 9.99 percent in PA, the 2nd highest in the country, and it is at the root of the problems in this state. Our greatest export today is educated students. Lower the 9.99 percent tax to give a greater incentive for businesses to open and stay.

3. Initially instituted as a temporary tax, the realty transfer tax has evolved into a large source of revenue for PA. Would you support or oppose legislation which would increase appropriate monies from the realty transfer tax to fund programs such as open space preservation, urban revitalization and the like?

   Daylin Leach: I did oppose that when Representative Evans proposed it. I believe that you have to pay for what you want in government – I don’t believe in frequent tax cuts. Taxes should be fair and broad whereas the RTT targets a small sector. That doesn’t mean that I won’t support any tax increase that comes along – I supported the governor’s .27 percent income tax increase.

   At the end of the day, there is a global agreement about all the outstanding budget items. I don’t support targeting specific professions.

    

   Lance Rogers: I am all for lowering it I would absolutely oppose any changes – whether it is increasing it or giving municipalities the chance to increase it. There is no reason or purpose to tax new homeowners for mass transit. If we are to fund mass transit, we need to put that burden on folks that use it. The RTT drives residents away. I know how important it is, but also how overly dependent municipalities have become. The answer is not to increase the tax, but to look elsewhere.

4. The General Assembly and the Governor’s Office are discussing ways to reform property taxes. What do you believe is the best way to reform this issue?

   Daylin Leach: This has been a debacle for 30 years. There are political difficulties. Number 1: when you want to reduce property taxes, in general, you have to raise another tax. We can’t completely eliminate it. Rule number 2: whenever there is a tax shift, there will be winners and losers. The losers are always more angry than the winners are grateful. It is difficult to pass a tax shift which is why we made no progress for 30 years. With gaming, a non-tax revenue source, raised about $1.5 billion which is fine, but it is not what people were looking for. We raise some money, but people want more relief.

   I opposed the commonwealth caucus plan, the sales tax on things that are not currently taxed. It would raise taxes on food, clothing, funerals, and professional services.  It is regressive and there are great injustices in it. What I would like is a tax based on ability to pay that is fair. A progressive income tax – it is a needs-based tax. The most likely thing we’ll see is gaming to expand table games and generate more revenue and give more relief that way. It has the potential to get up to 25% relief. About $3.2 billion leaves Pennsylvania for Atlantic City and Delaware casinos.
   
   Lance Rogers: I was strongly opposed to Act 1 -  it was a debacle and failed in its own way. We need to do a number of things to keep property taxes from going up. There are a number of options that have been floated (I oppose an income tax) because if we do that and put that option out there, it opens up a new window. We as legislators rely on that and always see it as an option of growing it. We need to get into our government and eliminate the waste – the slush funds. 

    

   We need to lower department cost without compromising services. We have to lower the amount of administrative oversight out of Harrisburg. We need to keep the money locally and cut government costs. Some folks cannot keep up with the cost of increases – like the seniors in the area. My thought is that there must be a way that seniors and people can pay into the system so they can buy their tax futures or put their taxes into abatement once they are on a fixed income later in life.

5. Pennsylvania’s Municipalities Planning Code provided local municipalities authority for comprehensive planning and zoning. What sort of authority do you believe local governments should have in this area?

   Daylin Leach: One of the things we did years ago was more regional zoning. My focus on land-use is that we have more development of brownfields rather than greenfields. Pennsylvania was the 2nd slowest growing state in the nation in 2004. But the 6th fastest in eating up new land, which is poor land use policies. Norristown is a great example where we should be encouraging redevelopment. Bridgeport is the same way. Tax Incentive Financing is a great way to promote reconstruction and we could encourage more with that.
   
   Lance Rogers: Local governments should have flexibility, but we should all be on the same page. It is a problem statewide for folks who are involved in more than one municipality. Local municipalities need the freedom and flexibility to tweak the code to work for them.

    

   Realtors are jumping in and out of municipalities every day and you should be able to know what is required of you to complete your transaction and serve your clients. And have it make sense.

6. Many properties in Pennsylvania suffer from blight as a result of tenant neglect and/or absentee property management. What role do you believe government should play in this area?

   Daylin Leach: There are a lot of issues about resources. One area where I’ve been involved in terms of blight is eminent domain and how it is applied by the local laws. The local law in Pennsylvania is that the property has to blighted to be condemned. In Ardmore, there were several cases where blight was not present. We need to tighten the definition of blight. My proposal is that there would be an assessment of blight and a municipality could condemn a property but would have to pay up to twice the value of the property rather than the market price. Cities cannot afford to do much with blighted properties. There are no easy answers – you have to create opportunities and it’s about resources. In this era, we don’t want to government to do a lot, and it is hard for them to do anything unless it relates to the immediate area. At least encourage or enforce the code.
   
   Lance Rogers: A limited role. I am a strong believer in individual rights. When the government gets involved, the free market is obstructed. We saw this happen in Ardmore, and it is an unfortunate circumstance. I am in favor of less government.

7. States are struggling with the issue of providing affordable housing to its residents. What do you feel are the necessary components to address this issue?

   Daylin Leach: Ardmore has been successful with affordable housing – in small doses. Incorporate affordable housing in regular neighborhoods rather than isolating projects. It has been done in Conshohocken, West Conshohocken and Ardmore. Places like North Philadelphia, there are so many boarded up houses – I would love to able to do something about it.
   
   Lance Rogers: One of the things we are doing in Lower Merion Township is giving builders an incentive to include affordable housing in developments. I’d also like to see an add-on for firefighters. Also, keeping prop taxes low is important – some people are being forced out of their homes because of high property taxes. We can’t lose residents because of a temporary inability to make ends meet.

8. Do you favor or oppose legislation that would require the state to consider the impact of proposed regulations on the rights of individuals to use their private property?

   Daylin Leach: That is a broad question, but generally speaking, people should be able to use their property however they want. But with issues of pollution and environmentalism, I am a believer of the nuisance law. I am a believer, but within the bounds of reason.

    

   Lance Rogers: I am a strong believer in private property rights. I would oppose legislation that would take those rights away. I would steadfast oppose any such legislation.

9. What is your position on campaign finance reform in PA and to what extent do you believe PACs should be restricted in state legislative campaigns?

   Daylin Leach: I don’t think PACs should be restricted uniquely, but I am in favor of campaign finance reform. PACs are legit in the sense they represent people, whether Realtors or the Environmentalists or Doctors, it is legit to get together as a group and fight for your cause. There are 2 problems – the conceptual problem and the substantive problem. For example, the smoking ban would never pass because “we receive money from those people” and might lose funding. This is a corrosive attitude to have about government.

   I do support incremental steps for reform. There are only limits for federal campaigns, but not local or state elections. Even those limits face an uphill battle. If you’re going to have money from PACs, it provides very important work.

   
   Lance Rogers: Transparency. Transparency. Transparency. That is the key to financial reform – make people aware. It does tie into what I have been doing on the Board of Commissioners in Lower Merion. One of the things I have done is to change the way proposals and recusals are made. If there is the appearance of impropriety, transparency is paramount. We also need to make campaigns less costly. I am looking to spend upwards of 1.3 million on this campaign. We need a more level playing field while balancing our first amendment rights. We need to make media more affordable. Unless we do this, it makes it necessary to take money from PACs, but that information needs to be disclosed and talk to an attorney about being recused.

10. What are your views of the REALTOR profession and the role of your local REALTORS in this community?

    Daylin Leach: Well I have a lot of Realtor friends – my first realtor is still a good friend of mine. It is a very important profession that provides information to real estate consumers. If elected, I would be accessible to the Realtors, and I will meet and talk to them. 
    
    Lance Rogers: Realtors are the ambassadors to our neighborhoods. With your support, I will make it a priority and promise your organization will always be able to get a hold of me. If there is an issue on the table, I promise you access to talk about that. We need to support them because they are bringing new blood into the area. Realtors have an interesting perspective on what happening on the streets, and I need people who see what’s happening locally to help fill me in. Realtors have tentacles in every facet of the region.

11. Has your campaign been endorsed by any other state or local organization?