12 TheDallasPost Dallas, PA Wednesday, May 2, 1990 Answers to questions posed by The Dallas Post. All candidates were asked identical questions in the same order. No previews of questions were given. Scott Dietterick Andrew Kotch Clarence Michael Phyllis Mundy 1 ames Phillips Anne Vernon ES Q: Would you briefly summarize your reasons for seeking the office, and your qualifications to serve? “I have always been in- volved with service to people. In 1973, my first elective office was with the project area committee of the flood project . It was a citizen liason between the SBA and the community to help handle the $60,000,000 that was coming into our town because of the flood. “Service was always one of my main motivations for anything I do in life. I be- longed to the Jaycees for eight years and I do a lot of volunteer things. 1 have faced the electorate proba- bly a dozen times and have been elected each time. I have a deep and abiding interest in the job.” “I'm a lifelong resident of the area, I have a concern for our community, which “has grown over the years. In dealing with public fig- ures, I think I can do as well if not better. “I have a personal desire to help the community; I think I can because of my background in television. For 15 years I have covered the entire 17 counties of our TV coverage area, and | got tounderstand the people and the problems of the area. “My qualifications are my news experience in dealing with the people and prob- lems, different agencies and local community groups." “Basically, I began think- ing about seeking the office _ about two years ago. I think that in the Back Mountain as well as the others areas | would represent, like Wyo- ming, Kingston and Forty Fort, we have an intellec- tual population that has a lot of creative ideas. If we can amalgamate them in some way we should be one of the leading districts in the state. I don't see a lot from our representative in a creative vein. I've been kind of dis- appointed with the way our representative has been going.” “I am seeking the office because I want the job; and I think I would be really good at it. I have extensive background working on issues. My background is with the League of Women Voters. I have been a member for about 10 years now and I was president for four years ending in 1989. | really dealt extensively with a variety of issues; local, state and national. “I was able to form coali- tions to work on problems. I was able to encourage citi- zen participation in govern- ment, which I think is very important.” “My reasons for seeking the office are that I have always had a strong inter- est in government at all levels. Over the years I have participated since the early ‘60's in campaigns at all levels. I have seven years of county government in now, and I felt the opportunity was there to move up to the state level. I recognize that a lot of problems in the county are created at the state level and I am very familiar with what those problems are. I could go down there and try to do something about them.” “I have had a lot of expe- rience in many areas that are important to the com- munity; important to the welfare of our area and I think my background is excellent for some of the] most serious legislative problems that are on the Pennsylvania agenda. have been encouraged by many, of my friends to use my experience to advantage. | “1 gave it very serious consideration for a long time because like the job I have. I'm involved in many inter-, esting things. But I also thought the people who were! urging me were right, I had a lot to offer.” |} Q: Should recycling be made mandatory for everyone? “Yes. It already is. Act 101 is putting the people on line by population in a step by step basis. “Ifwe mandated recycling for everyone immediately, we would have no place to put the recyclables. We'd be in a miniature landfill crisis all over again. We must take it step by step, and that's what we've done.” “I think we should get into recycling quicker than what our present state law says. I think it should be stepped up. If we're going to be serious about it, we should do it as a whole. “I think it should be mandatory, and I think we should step up the proc- ess.” [think right now the state is addressing that issue. I think recycling should be made mandatory, but you have to plan on tax incen- tives and things like that if you are going to make it mandatory. If we get people doing it at a local level, we then we won't have to worry about the landfill issues." “Yes, and I believe it will be. We have to reduce our waste stream in order to survive. We are going to run out of landfill space and we are going to have to turn to other methods of disposing of our wastes, which will not be palatable, unless we start to recycle now.” “Well, it is going to be mandatory for most every- body. I would imagine that in some areas it is just completely impractical. “I could see certain places where it just won't happen; right here, take out in the boonies where the houses are so far apart I don't see where it would be practi- cal.” “I think eventually it should. I think it has tobe a gradual process. I think the program the state now is encouraging is a good one. In some areas it’s going to be difficult. They're going to, need help in getting the] program off the ground. If the government is going to! mandate they should pro- vide the funds, especially for the smaller communi-| ties." | Q: Should Pennsyl- vania have a bottle bill? “l am pretty well con- vinced not that we should have a bottle bill. There are very strong lobbying efforts against a bottle bill; they come from the manufactur- ers, grocery stores and un- ions. I would like to see it as a container bill covering plastic, cans and bottles. “Why are we making things that we can’t recycle? “Why not have an indus- try that thinks about recy- cling as the products are made? Maybe government could make it happen.” “I would like to see one. In other states it has been accepted fairly well by the people. There's a concern not only for beauty, but for the economy of the farmer and the ecology of the area.” “Yes, if you look at our landfills and roadsides much of what is there is the bottles. What we have to do is determine how we can do it cost effectively. I think if we have the right people sitting down we can keep jobs as well as having a bottle bill we can live with and we will have a cleaner environment because of it.” “I'm in favor of a bottle bill, although I don’t believe that it will come to pass, certainly not in the short term. I would work for a bottle bill in the legislature. I think it would go along way toward alleviating our litter problem and toward the recycling issue.” “Itwon't be needed, Idon’t feel, under the present circumstances. With recy- cling being mandated, the bottles will find their way back in. - “The other thing with a bottle bill, it still doesn't eliminate the underage drinkers. They are not going to bring the bottles back, and they are the ones throw- ing them out the window half the time. I am for of stronger enforcement of the (littering) laws we have.” “Yes, I think we should. | But again, I think these things have to be a process | and I think Pennsylvania is | in the right direction at this | point.” Q: What, if any- thing, should be done to protect the wetlands in the Back Mountain? “First you have to define wetlands. The definition is what some person in DER says it is. Some farmers disagree with the definition. Some of them can't use land they have been using. The problem is we need a good definition of wetlands and then true wetlands need to be saved. They are a natural habitat for many species of life. It's tough to manufac- ture wetlands. “Let's give some defini- tion to this thing.” “I think we should pro- tect the wetlands; they're vital to ecology and to the water in any area. PennDOT now has a program with construction that if they destroy a wetland they will rebuild one somewhere else. I don't know if man can rebuild-a wetland properly. I'd like to see the wetlands left where they are and let man build around them.” “I can’t see just coming in and building without hav- ing some planning. One good thing we have in the Back Mountain is the Back Mountain Planning Com- mission. If we have some leadership in that area, I think that will help keep some of the wetlands so that it helps us environmentally, it helps us for the beautifi- cation involved, and it has a productivity sense also. It helps our water supplies and everything else.” “Wetlands, in general, should be protected. There is a bill sponsored by Sena- tor Musto, at the moment, regarding wetlands. Frankly I am not in favor of that bill because it reimburses people for the wetlands on their property. “Things that: I would be in favor of in terms of pro- tecting wetlands and pro- tecting property owners is that all wetlands should be registered. So when some- one goes to buy a piece of property it's right there as to whether there are wet- lands on that property or not." “I feel the legislation in Harrisburg now I would support. Some of the rules right now are ridiculous. A lot of farmers are screaming now that they're restricted in the use of their land. There has tobe a larger area to be designated as a wet- lands than there is now.” A —— ———— ——— TT — ——— — ——— “I think the laws now on! the books are quite good. | The problem is that the, definition of wetlands is not | always clear. “I have seen some of the | new pending legislation on wetlands and I have some | questions on it. It seems to | / hy’ divide wetlands into those | that would be very serious | to disturb and others that | wouldn't be so critical. I'm | afraid that would mean the | ones that aren't so serious | would lose consideration.” | Q: Under what cir- cumstances, if any, should abortion be allowed? “My personal opinion is that it should only be al- lowed in the case of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother. “Pennsylvania enacted a common sense, rational, abortion control act which says that after the 24th week you can't get an abortion unless it is to save the life of the mother or to prevent serious bodily harm. “I support any effort to bring a wholesome, straight- forward, frank discussion of sex education into the public schools or churches or private schools; it mat- ters not where. If we do that, perhaps we can help prevent these unwanted pregnancies.” “The only way I would allow abortion is in the case of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother. I think we have to be sensitive to a woman's needs in that time of crisis. I support the bill that the state recently passed.” “Well, abortion is a very, very emotional issue. I see extremists at both ends. A lot of the public is right in the middle of that. Even the people who are saying they are pro-life say,'But if. Now there are a lot of these ‘But if questions, ‘If there in- cest, if there is rape, if the mother’s health is in dan- ger then we should not permit it’ and I can agree with that. “As an educator I have to believe that we should go into more family planning and sex education. If we do a better job educationally we won't get to the point where we have the abor- tion.” “I believe in the individ- ual’s constitutional right to privacy in making reproduc- tive choices. The only re- striction I would put on abortion at this point in time is that I would ban abor- tions, as Roe vs. Wade did, in the third trimester. I believe that the decision whether to have a child or not should be made within the privacy of the family; should be made between a woman and her physician; and should not be inter- fered with by government.” “Rape, incest, life of the mother and extreme de- formities. Same as the bill that was in Idaho. I am pro- life.” “Ibelieve that government | should not intrude itselfinto | private affairs. This should | be up to the family and to | the doctor. I really think in | many cases it's a medical | decision. wouldn't attempt | to say when it should or | shouldn't be. I think the | present law under Roe vs. | Wade is a good one. “I don't think that gov- | ernment needs to intervene | in that. That law is estab- | lished and clinics follow it | with only a few exceptions. | I think that the new state | law is interference.” Q:Do you favor con- solidation of gov- ernment services in the Back Moun- tain? “I would leave that up to the folks in the Back Moun- tain. If they feel that there is cooperation and agreement between fire and police serv- ices, I would think that’s the logical thing to do. This is a local decision.” “I think we could use some consolidation of serv- ices; police, fire and ambu- lance. They are blending together now, which is good, because every community cannot staff those depart- ments adequately. I think they should continue to strive toward more unified, regional police and fire and ambulance services for the Back Mountain. “The way the community is growing, we should think more on a regional basis for services like that.” - “I see with the advent of our water supplies, water company prices and things, that we have to be cost ef- fective. I would have to fa- vor consolidation. I know thatyou go into the fact that you have your individual towns, but I think if we're going to worry about cost effectiveness, if we have to take that pie and work to- gether in order to formulate some answers. Through zoning and through a water authority we are beginning to think as a region in the Back Mountain." “That's an issue I haven't looked into too extensively. I understand that the Back Mountain is more rural in nature than other area’s of the county. I would cer- tainly encourage coopera- tion between communities for police, fire, and what- ever is necessary. In gen- eral terms, without having studied the issue, it sounds cost effective. In many ar- eas of the 120th they dorely on each other for fire and police protection when there is a problem or a shortage.” “I have no objection to combining the police force. I believe that is a munici- pality question that should be put on a referendum, just as they did with the school district. I would not favor passage of any bill that would mandate municipali- ties and force consolidation on them. I don't doubt that it would be good with the police force and certain others. I would leave it up to the voters to decide on how far to go.” “I think our townships | serve an important purpose. | But I think they could have | many more cooperative agreements. I think they | could have one body that is | not a legal one but a work- | ing one. In the area of zon- ing it would be very helpful to have zoning laws that would be responsible within | the townships. I would be | in favor of a Council of | Governments; not in taking” away the powers of the townships and boroughs. I think they work together in many areas now.” Q: What would you - as a representative do to make avail- “able more afford- able housing? “We could encourage builders by giving tax cred- its to build affordable homes. [I hesitate about warehousing people; you can't build apartments and put them in pigeon holes. We could offer tax credits to banks to make low interest loans ar accept lower down payments. “We have the PHFA in Pennsylvania to help first home buyers; we might be able to put extra dollars in there, but we have a reve- nue shortfall in the state. One other idea is to sell tax- free bonds, turn around and loan the money to first-time home buyers.” “I haven't thought much about making housing more affordable. What I would like is to help the area out with better-paying employ- ment opportunities that can help people purchase ~ houses. People can't sur- vive on $5.00 an hour jobs. “Maybe the FHA type programs can be expanded to allow more participants. In today's age, with the type of income people receive, maybe there should be tax breaks as an incentive for people to have the opportu- nity to afford a house.” “I think through low inter- est loans, and I like the idea of the ‘Habitat’ concept where people are helping people. I think we have to get more of that involved where we are not just giving people something without having some sweat and equity involved.” “There already is a coun- cil that works on that issue at the state level. In talking to other area legislators, I am told that very little will be done to make housing a separate item, in so far as it's not already a separate item. I think we need to work on that issue. It is an issue that is very important, not only for the homeless but for first time homebuyers, for people who are at the lower end of the scale who may never be able to afford housing except by renting. I do think we need to address the issue.” “On a state level, I can’t say what I would do. I'would actually be against any raise in Pennsylvania taxes, which also makes it diffi- cult to own a home these days. Perhaps a tax break could be given for first time owners or a rebate on tax dollars. It's a tough ques- tion.” “First we need to prove that you can build at low and moderate income hous- ing that looks nice and will not be a detriment to the environment. Once we prove that it is feasible, there would not be so much ob- jection from people about townhouses and so forth. 1 think we also need to solve some of the other problems like transportation. If you build a townhouse and you're going to have traffic backed up for two miles, naturally people are going to object."
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