League of Women Voters holds Legislative Brunch at Wilkes University

WILKES-BARRE — The League of Women Voters of Wilkes-Barre held its annual legislative brunch on Saturday, inviting all 12 local state lawmakers, but only two showed up.

Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre, and Rep. Jim Haddock, D-Pittston Township, were the only two to attend the event, held in the Miller Room of the Henry Student Center on the Wilkes University campus.

Despite the absence of the other 12 state legislators, the event was spirited and informative, with approximately 60 in attendance, several of those being college students.

As you might expect, education was the first and hottest topic, with questions asked and answered about funding.

Mischelle Anthony, president of the chapter, welcomed all to the vent that was moderated by Dr. Christine Mellon.

“A big part of our job is to listen and to answer questions,” Pashinski said.

Haddock agreed, saying, “This type of event is invaluable for me.”

So without bashing their absent colleagues, the two Democrats answered all the questions and provided some insight into how Harrisburg works.

Pashinski, who has been in the legislature since 2007, said every issue always seems to turn on funding and how to get support for legislation and budget items — like education.

“For many years, Pennsylvania’s public schools have been underfunded,” Pashinski said. “Many efforts to change that, to balance it out, have failed.”

Pashinski, a former public schoolteacher, said every child should have the opportunity to learn.

“I’ve always said, the more you know, the further you go,” Pashinski said. “We have to learn to work together and deal with truth and facts.”

Haddock, serving his first term, said he was amazed to discover how many line items there are in the state budget and how much advocacy goes on every day.

“We hope and we will strive to see that public education is properly funded,” Haddock said. “And there are funding sources out there rather than property taxes.”

Pashinski said a recent study showed that many Pennsylvania school district are “vastly under-funded,” while others are over-funded.

“There needs to be more balance,” he said.

Pashinski and Haddock briefly discussed Gov. Josh Shapiro’s plan to make college more affordable for students who struggle to pay. They said the current system that often leaves graduates with a huge debt to re-pay has to be changed.

The two legislators also said that Pennsylvania has approximately $14 billion in reserve and they agree with Gov. Shapiro that some of that — as much as $3 billion — should be used to ease the burden on college students.

The two were split on the topic of legalization of marijuana. Pashinski favors it, stating that it would better control the distribution, make it safer to use and also bring as much as a billion dollars in revenue to the state. Haddock said he is still analyzing the issue and has not made up his mind on how he would vote.

Pashinski and Haddock agreed that it’s time for “common sense” gun control. They said five bills on the issue have passed the House, but the Senate has not taken any action on them. The House majority is Democrat; the Senate is controlled by Republicans.

On the question of should Pennsylvania have an open primary, Pashinski suggested that voters choose a party closest to their beliefs and then “go out and try to effect change.”

About the League of Women Voters

Founded in 1944, the League of Women Voters of The Wilkes-Barre Area (LWVWBA) is a nonpartisan organization that presents citizens of the Wilkes-Barre area with educational tools about issues and candidates so they can make informed decisions on election day.

Activities include publishing a government directory and voter guides, voter registration drives, and hosting events where constituents can meet their elected officials.

Entirely run by local volunteers, League membership is open to all, regardless of political affiliation or gender.

For more information, contact the League at 570-675-3429, or — lwvwba@gmail.com.