Issue Position: Legislative Benefits and Term Limits

Issue Position

Pennsylvaia legislators are entitled to a number of costly benefits which strain the state budget and prevent lawmakers from leading the way on needed state employee pension reform. Among the benefits available to representatives are per diem expenses and a state car. I will refuse to accept either.

Forgotten by many is the largest benefit of them all, a fully-vested pension and lifetime health insurance program. This costly "career" benefit is available to all legislators who serve a minimum of ten years. The conservative Commonwealth Foundation estimates that this benefit alone is the equivalent of handing each "retiring" legislator a $3 million CD. I will refuse to accept this benefit and lead the way to real reform. My opponant publically states that she will take this benefit, despite calling herself a fiscal conservative.

I support mandatory term limits for all state representatives as a means of limiting money and influence in politics.

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