Peggy's Issue Statements

On this page you will find my views and commitments on issues that matter in the 182nd District and in the Commonwealth. Below are summaries of some of my positions and what I will do to support my commitments.


Government Transparency and Reform
Public Education
Public Safety
Reproductive Rights
LGBT Rights
Slot Parlors
Transportation
Health Care Reform

Government Transparency and Reform

We have the 3rd most expensive legislature in the country and scandal-ridden leadership.  Our incumbents have not brought the accountability or leadership we need to Harrsiburg.  Our elected leaders should spend our money to safeguard the present and future health of the people and the Commonwealth, not on strategies to hold onto their publicly funded jobs and pensions. 

As State Representative, I will:

  • Hold regular Town Hall Meetings in convenient places throughout the district in order to increase listening, communication, and participation.
  • Support the work of the Speaker’s Reform Commission such as changes adopted to promote legislative process openness and fairness, shift power and responsibility from a few members to all Representatives, and to encourage financial and process transparency.
  • Move to advance many of the ideas that the Reform Commission were not able to pass yet such as term limits and campaign finance reform.
  • Tie Legislator pay to changes in the state's median salary.


Public Education

The root cause of much poverty, violence, and economic stagnation is poor public education. Public education that is relevant and engaging can create hope for a brighter future for all of us. We need to focus our resources on improving education – the tools, the techniques, the buildings, and the options.

As State Representative, I will:

  • Support the effort of parents who work to ensure fiscal accountability in the district, a public process in planning, and a parent voice in decisionmaking.
  • Develop partnership opportunities between the schools and their neighbors in order to bring more role models and expertise into the schools.
  • Promote the accomplishments of our public schools and look for opportunities to partner our schools with new initiatives in order to increase resources and raise awareness.


Public Safety

To paraphrase Michael Nutter, 'violence sucks the life out of all of us.'  As a member of the community I am engaged in public safety through awareness and partnership and know that most crime in the 182nd District is not violent.  Any crime, though, impacts your comfort and happiness and needs to be addressed.  Violent crime, especially with guns, permanently destroys families and communities.

As State Representative, I will:

  • Stress to my peers and constituents that the only long-term solution to violence is inclusive, quality public education and work to adequately fund that ideal.
  • Form a committee to evaluate and propose solutions to reduce recidivism including waiving certain hiring restrictions.
  • Work with Philadelphia police and public safety organizers including Town Watch leaders in the 182nd District to find opportunities to encourage resident participation for a more aware and active community.
  • Propose and support legislation that requires guns to be treated as potentially lethal tools. As such, guns should require inspection and owner training, should be reported when lost or stolen, and their owners should be responsible for their actions.
  • Propose and support legislation that makes it easier to investigate and convict “Straw” purchasers.


Reproductive Rights

I support a woman’s right to choose unobstructed and unaltered, as defined by EMILY’s List. In addition, I believe that all women should have access to affordable contraception, emergency contraception, and prenatal care.

As State Representative, I will:

  • Support pending legislation that protects a woman’s right to choose.
  • Propose and support legislation that enforces fair health policies for all women regarding their reproductive rights.


LGBT Rights

Members of the LGBT community are law-abiding, tax-paying residents of the Commonwealth the same as me and deserve all of the same rights. Click here to see my Questionnaire Response to Liberty City.

As State Representative, I will:

  • Propose and support legislation which allows any consenting adult couple to marry.
  • Support and vote for HB 1400 so that it will be illegal to discriminate in employment, housing, and public accommodation based upon sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
  • Approach all legislation and initiatives in an inclusive manner, remembering that all of my neighbors and constituents deserve consideration.


Slot Parlors

Slot Parlors are not a healthy part of any neighborhood. Neighborhood residents and businesses should be buffered from the impact of slot parlors.

As State Representative, I will:

  • Support HB 1477 which requires a 1,500 foot buffer between a slot parlor and any school, playground, or home.


Transportation

As residents of the 182nd District, we depend upon public transit not only to provide transportation, but also to protect our environment and quality of life. An ineffective public transit system leads to more car traffic and a greater disruption to our neighborhoods, increased pollution, increased noise, and the general detriment of our way of life.

As State Representative, I will:

  • Work to adjust the representation of the SEPTA Board to reflect the demographics of the current and anticipated ridership.
  • Propose and support a resolution requiring all public transit agencies to submit an improvement plan demonstrating how they will use their new dedicated funding to meet their customer’s expectations.
  • Propose and support legislation to reform the current scattered, segmented, and administratively burdensome funding systems in place in order to build a simpler, consolidated funding source.
  • Propose and support legislation to enable localities and municipalities to raise additional revenues, which would be dedicated to public transit funding.


Health Coverage Reform

Our current health insurance system has resulted in high premiums, millions of uninsured, and a redundant set of stop gaps. Well-meaning band-aids at the State and Federal levels subsidize the current system without solving the root causes. In my professional career I have over a decade of experience in the health insurance industry, mostly around Medicare-related products and an extensive understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of our current system.

As State Representative, I will:

  • Support mandatory single-payer universal health care through HB 1660. A significant reason for the rise in health insurance premiums is that the insured are paying for those without insurance. Whether people are uninsured by choice or because they cannot afford it, some of the uninsured will need care. The cost of their care is factored into insured care, resulting in increased premiums. Increasing premiums result in more uninsured and continues the downward spiral.