Raising the Minimum Wage

Pennsylvania workers are being shortchanged by a lack of political courage in the General Assembly. Every day minimum wage workers see their buying power eroded by inflation. That not only hurts families, but it also depressed the economy in individual neighborhoods across the state.

Numerous bills were introduced in the previous session targeted at updating Pennsylvania’s 2005 minimum wage bill, but none received a floor vote.

Jobs

Pennsylvania lags the nation in job creation despite the business tax cuts and Corbett’s no-tax-increase policy. Tax cuts have not produced the jobs. We need to invest in the economy to create jobs. I support two primary job creation investments — an infrastructure bank and education.

The American Society of Engineers gave Pennsylvania a D grade for critical infrastructure, including roads and bridges. A transportation bill passed last year will address some of our infrastructure needs, but more must be done to create the platform for sustained growth.

Raising Support for Public Education

America was founded on the principle of equal opportunity for all, and education is at the core of putting that principle in practice. Ensuring the full and fair education for future generations goes beyond principle. It is absolutely essential to the economic security and stability of the state and nation.

As the son of a public school teacher and the father of public school students, I have witnessed the importance of our state’s constitutional mandate of providing a “thorough and efficient system of public education.”

Reducing Gun Violence

As in every state across America, gun violence in Pennsylvania is shockingly common compared to other developed nations.

This plague is devastating families and communities. As a Cheltenham Township commissioner, I supported an ordinance to require reporting of lost and stolen guns and I successfully pushed for divestment of township pension funds from assault weapon and ammunition makers.

Women’s Rights

A little more than a year into his term, Gov. Tom Corbett was asked about his support for a bill that would force doctors to perform a mandatory ultrasound on women seeking an abortion.

He said: “I’m not making anybody watch, OK, because you just have to close your eyes.”

As casually as it was uttered, the bill — and the governor’s glib defense of it — are deeply troubling signs for Pennsylvania government.