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March 25, 2008

May: Boback ducks debate

State rep says she’ll be in legislative session on dates her challenger offered.

By Bill O'Boyle boboyle@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
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The race for the Republican nomination in the 117th Legislative District is heating up.

Challenger James May issued a press release Monday accusing incumbent state Rep. Karen Boback of ducking his challenge to debate.

Boback denied the accusation, saying she wasn’t given ample time to arrange her schedule. She said she will be in legislative session in Harrisburg on the three dates offered by the Wilkes-Barre chapter of the League of Women Voters.

Jane Manganella, president of the League of Women Voters, sent a letter to May to inform him Boback was unavailable on April 7, 8 and 9. A check of the state General Assembly calendar shows legislators are in session on those dates.

“I suggest to the League that in the future they contact candidates running for office much earlier in the campaign to accommodate busy legislative schedules,” Boback wrote. “It is evident that my opponent’s attack is just another in a long line of baseless, negative charges.”

Manganella said Boback told her a heavy campaign schedule prohibits her from providing an alternate date for a debate.

May feels voters lost an opportunity to help them make a decision.

“The public has a right to know where all the candidates stand on the issues and debates are the best way to air our differences,” May said in a release. “I would hope my opponent could show enough respect for the voters by making 0.5 percent of her time available for a debate.”

May said there are 21 work days available to debate between now and the April 22 election. He believes a debate helps voters distinguish the differences between candidates.

May cited issues such as taxes, education, health care, the economy, teacher strikes, illegal immigration and state spending.

Boback was notified a week ago that the League of Women Voters was planning a debate, according to the incumbent’s public relations manager Bob Zampetti.

Boback said she is willing to present her voting record of working to eliminate property taxes, introducing legislation to prevent teacher strikes, pushing for health care reform and standing strong for pro-life and pro-Second Amendment values.

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