Piccola reforms too little too late
An Editorial Written By Judy Hirsh
Published on Sunday, August 3rd by the York Daily Record/Sunday News

In last Sunday's York Sunday News, Sen. Jeff Piccola wrote about the political failures of Harrisburg. I, too, am disheartened, but not surprised that our state Legislature has let the citizens of Pennsylvania down yet again. The recent charges made against current and former members and staff of the state Legislature reinforces the ever-growing need to fix the way the General Assembly is run.

Unfortunately, Sen. Piccola's most recent attempt at reform with a call for a "special and extraordinary legislative session" appears to be nothing more than political rhetoric. His headline-grabbing talk of reform is a prime example of the empty talk that has failed the citizens of Pennsylvania for far too long. Quite simply, it is too little, too late.

As a 32-year member of the Legislature and the third-ranking member of the Senate Republican leadership from 2001 to 2006, Piccola had ample opportunity to reform state government. Yet it is only in his third decade in the Legislature that Piccola voted to limit the terms of a state legislator to eight years. It is only in his third decade that he proposed a measure to ban lobbyists, who represent special interest groups, from giving gifts to lawmakers, even though he has accepted more than $750,000 in campaign contributions over the past eight years from these same special interest groups. And it is in his third decade that Piccola touts his efforts to take redistricting out of the hands of the state Legislature after having voted in favor of gerrymandered legislative boundaries as far back as 1981.

Sen. Piccola, for years, you were a member of the Senate leadership. When you were walking the halls of corruption, you had a chance to bring serious reform. Why is it that you have waited until the third decade at the Capitol to seek reform? Sen. Piccola, where have you been?

It is time for fresh blood and energy in the state government. Across the Commonwealth, Pennsylvanians are ready for change, including in the way that our government is run.

Our state Legislature is not working. Each year reveals a different problem with the way state government works. While there have been some reforms since the 2005 pay raise, Pennsylvania still has one of the most secretive and closed state governments in all of the United States.

The Pennsylvania Legislature, particularly the Senate, is stagnant and ineffective, often incapable of passing the simplest reform. The Capitol is filled with too many people concerned more about their committee assignments, their place in the leadership and their paychecks and pensions than about representing their district and working to improve the lives of their constituents. In order to fix the broken system, I am committed to change in the state Legislature and will work to bring about necessary reforms to:

--- Amend Pennsylvania's "Sunshine Law" to include transcripts from budget negotiations.

--- Limit campaign contributions from individuals to $2,500 and from political action committees to $10,000.

--- Bring Pennsylvania in line with 30 other states that require lobbyists to report all expenditures on state legislators.

--- Fully fund the Pennsylvania Ethics Commission to investigate ethical violations, impose fines and make recommendations to the appropriate law enforcement officials.

The voters now have a choice to elect new leadership. Pennsylvanians deserve more than empty talk of reform. They deserve more than years of inaction and then grandstanding during an Election Year. Pennsylvanians deserve real change to force our Legislature to be held to real ethical standards, the same ethical standards that Central Pennsylvanians hold to in their own lives.

Judy Hirsh is the Democratic nominee for the 15th state Senate District. An attorney from Susquehanna Township, Hirsh has been a community leader for more than 20 years. The married mother of three children, she is also the owner of a family-owned small business in Harrisburg.


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