Ten Questions with State Senator Don White

 

Question: As you look back on your two terms in the Senate, what do you see as the highlights of your legislative career so far?

 

Senator White: It would be impossible to single out one or two specific highlights. The job is gratifying on so many levels. Probably, the best times we enjoy as legislators come when we can look back and say that we have made a positive difference in the lives of the people we represent. One of my favorite legislative accomplishments is the enactment of a bill (in 2005) I introduced that extends the coverage that full-time college students called to active military duty can receive under their parents’ medical insurance plans. That’s a law that doesn’t impact a wide section of society, but it is very important to those families involved. I have also been very fortunate to secure state funding and create vibrant partnerships to advance many important projects throughout the district. In particular, the partnerships between the state, local and county officials with Indiana University of Pennsylvania are making tremendous strides in improving the quality of life in Indiana and Armstrong counties. The Saxonburg sewer project in Butler County, the Route 22 Renew project throughout the region are all great examples of the growth and revitalization we are seeing in the area.

 

Question: What about the low points so far?

 

Senator White: Without a doubt, the largest single disappointment is the failure to reach an agreement on a comprehensive and effective property tax relief bill. We keep inching along in the Legislature, but we just can’t get a bill together that effectively provides relief to property owners without jeopardizing school districts or simply shifting an onerous burden upon another tax. I remain committed to working toward the goal of providing tax relief, but I believe the Legislature is becoming increasingly aware of the fact that a one-size fits all approach likely won’t take care of the problem. The tax bases, school systems and economic climates of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties are extremely diverse. Likely, the only effective way to address this issue will be to forget about wide-ranging legislation, but rather to bring the process and the decision making down to the local level, to let municipalities and school districts find the best mix of taxes.

 

Question: What about gaming? Won’t that provide the funding to provide property tax relief?

 

Senator White: We are just now beginning to see signs of revenues coming back to school districts and those numbers are far from impressive. I don’t see it being a panacea that will completely solve school funding problems, but it will provide a modest measure of relief in 2008.

 

Question: There has been much made of the lack of legislative action in Harrisburg. Why can’t government act to address the issues facing Pennsylvanians?

 

Senator White: Currently, there is a significant ideological gap in the Capitol. The Administration has pursued an agenda that calls for significant spending on so many fronts. That all sounds well and good, but we don’t print money in Harrisburg. The revenue to pay for those projects must come from somewhere and for the most part, the Administration is looking to take more and more from taxpayers’ wallets. On the other hand, I -- and a majority of my colleagues in the Senate – believe that government must live within its means and should be less intrusive in people’s lives and upon their money. That’s the basic divide that led to last year’s budget debacle. The Administration wanted seven tax increases that would have cost Pennsylvania taxpayers an additional $250 million. I am proud that the Senate leadership held the line and said no to each and every one of those tax increases. That led to a 17 day stalemate, but in the end, we prevailed and those tax increases failed.

 

Question: So, where do you see progress being made?

 

Senator White: Some of the best advances have been made on issues that impact Pennsylvanians in uniform, our military personnel and our first responders. We recognize and need to reward the service and the sacrifice of those men and women. One of the best moves we made was the enactment of a law providing a five-year authorization of a grant program that provides support for Pennsylvania’s volunteer fire companies and ambulance squads. Many of those organizations are finding it difficult to cover the costs of essential equipment and training. The individual grants are relatively small when compared to the size of the state’s budget, but they make a giant difference in the health, safety and welfare of our communities.

 

Question: Illegal immigration is a major national issue, how is it impacting Pennsylvania.

 

Senator White: Certainly, the problem in Pennsylvania is not even close to those facing states in the Southwestern United States. However, it is a growing problem and one that needs to be addressed. Illegal immigrants are a drain on our resources and they account for a significant portion of the crime problems we face. Under current federal law illegal aliens are prohibited from receiving federal, state or local public benefits with exception of emergency medical care, necessary immunizations and disaster relief. However, Pennsylvania law is simply too lenient in enforcing those provisions. I support a bill introduced by Senator Joe Scarnati that would require anyone requesting public benefits in the Commonwealth to provide identification proving they are legal residents. Additionally, they would be required to sign an affidavit stating they are a U.S. citizen or an alien lawfully present in the United States.

 

Question: What about health care? Why isn’t Pennsylvania doing more in that area?

 

Senator White: This goes back to the ideological differences between Governor Rendell  and the Republican led Senate. The Senate has passed legislation on three separate occasions that would require state oversight of the pending merger of Highmark and Independence Blue Cross, yet all of those bills are stalled in the House and the Governor hasn’t made any effort to push this process. Currently, we have absolutely no control over this merger, which would create a huge mega-company that would control more than half of Pennsylvania’s health care marketplace. That could have dramatic repercussions on the affordability, availability and the quality of health care for all Pennsylvanians. The Senate also twice passed bills reauthorizing a program that helps keep health care providers – particularly those in high-risk fields such as OB-GYN and neurosurgery – in Pennsylvania. We created this program five years ago to stop the outflow of these critical care providers, but the Governor simply closed it down because the Senate won’t act on a $1.5 billion entitlement program he wants. This is especially unfortunate considering that this entitlement program hasn’t even made it out of the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives.

 

Question: Where do you think more efforts can be made to improve the quality of life for Pennsylvanians?

 

Senator White: I believe improving our economy and creating – and keeping – good paying, family sustaining jobs are the keys to improving the quality of life for everyone in Pennsylvania. We hear talk about a new national recession, yet I look around my district and see areas that still haven’t recovered from the last one. We have never fully recovered in Western Pennsylvania from the collapse of the steel industry and the ripple effect it had on other jobs, particularly in the coal mining industry. On the bright side, we are making progress. Our infrastructure is improving. We are rebuilding our highways. We are upgrading and installing water and sewer service. And, we have an excellent work force of dedicated people. We have a great state university at the heart of our region, we have a prime location, bordered by Interstates 76 and 80, and we are fairly close to Pittsburgh.  We are attracting high-tech companies and we are developing spin-off businesses from them. We need to foster those efforts in the future.

 

Question: What do you see as the most dangerous peril to that growth?

 

Senator White: Taxes, taxes and taxes! No government has ever taxed its way to prosperity. In fact, look at the ground we lost after Governor Casey’s $1 billion tax increase. We have yet to fully recover economically. It’s far too easy to look at business that is paying $10,000 in taxes and say “They won’t mind paying $300 more.” That 3-percent tax doesn’t look like a serious burden. Yet, if the company decides to move, or close, you’re going to have to find some way to fill that new $10,000 revenue deficit you’ve created. And, that doesn’t count the loss of jobs that goes with it.

 

Question: After the public outcry of two years ago, do you think the Legislature has cleaned up its act.

 

Senator White: We can never forget that we have a solemn responsibility to the people of Pennsylvania. I certainly can’t speak for the House, but I believe the Senate has come a long way toward providing transparency in its daily operations. The first step we took on the first day of this legislative session was to adopt a whole series of rules that are intended to ensure that legislation is considered in a manner fully open to public scrutiny and to end the passage of controversial bills in the dead of the night. I totally support those efforts.

 

We also passed a comprehensive open records law that shines new light on state and local government in Pennsylvania.

 

Moreover, we passed a sweeping lobbyist disclosure measure that now ensures public disclosure of special interest activities in Harrisburg.

 

The bottom line is we have taken solid steps toward increasing openness and transparency in Pennsylvania government.