SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - While Pennsylvania faces numerous policy difficulties, one thing could make them much more manageable, state Sen. David Argall said Friday.
"If we can just get the economy back on its feet, a lot of these problems will go away," Argall, R-29, said during the 90-minute "Coffee Talk With Our Legislators" sponsored by the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce.
With state and national economic woes showing few signs of disappearing, however, Argall and the county's three state representatives said many tough choices must be made in how to allocate Pennsylvania's $27.14 billion budget for 2012-13.
"The budget proposal ... is a starting point," state Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-124, said.
Speaking to an audience of about 35 local business leaders at Penn State Schuylkill's Health and Wellness Building, Argall, Knowles, state Rep. Neal P. Goodman, D-123, and state Rep. Mike Tobash, R-125, said they would oppose cutting money to local hospitals and nursing homes, are skeptical about proposals to privatize the state lottery system, agree some changes are needed in the prevailing wage requirement and say transportation needs must be adequately funded.
They showed particular concern about the last issue, saying adequate transportation funding is a core function of government.
"We need to make an investment in transportation," Goodman said. "We need to hear from (Gov. Tom Corbett)."
Argall said he knows the state Department of Transportation is having problems with increased costs for materials and lower gas tax receipts due to decreases in driving.
"PennDOT is not my favorite state agency, but I understand they're in a serious fix," he said.
All four also agreed that Pennsylvania should abolish property taxes, and each expressed optimism that it would occur soon.
"It is a system that is oppressive, especially to our elderly citizens," Tobash said.
Home builders want to end property taxes, saying abolishing them would boost the economy, according to Tobash.
"I believe it is good legislation," Knowles said.
"There has to be a better way of funding our public schools," Argall said.
"It is an archaic tax," Goodman said. "You can't tweak it any more. You need to eliminate it."
Goodman said he would oppose any efforts to privatize the lottery system.
"It's a bad idea. It's not broken," he said. "It is an extremely well-run program."
While not going that far, GOP legislators expressed reservations about changing the lottery.
"It's got to make dollars and cents to me before I make that vote," said Tobash, who added that the current state-run system appears to be working.
"I want to see the details of any such proposals," Argall said.
The Republicans also expressed support for changing the minimum amount of a contract subject to the prevailing wage law, which requires higher wages for government contracts, to $185,000 from $25,000, while Goodman said caution is needed.
"It would surprise me if we didn't get it done," Tobash said. "This is just an inflation adjustment."
"I am fully supportive of the legislation," Knowles said.
Goodman said $185,000 is too high, although he is open to an increase in the $25,000 level.
"This has been bantered back and forth," said Goodman, who reminded those at Friday's meeting that the original idea for prevailing wage contracts came from businesses who wanted local firms not to be underbid.
The legislators were unanimous in opposing funding cuts to local hospitals and nursing homes, and they expressed concerns about now-bankrupt Saint Catherine Medical Center Fountain Springs.
"This is a dumb cut. It hurts our leading employer. If they want my vote on the budget, this has to be fixed," Argall said.
"Local hospitals are just so important to us," Knowles said.
Schuylkill Medical Center, which has two locations in Pottsville, is a safety net for local citizens, Tobash said.
"We've got to be very mindful of reducing social services in the county," he said.
Goodman wants to keep such funding at current levels.
"If this would go down, it would really inconvenience a lot of us," he said. "It's a rural Pennsylvania issue."
Education also needs to have its funding kept at least at current level, if not raised, they agreed.
"I hope we can help more," Argall said.
Tobash also would like to see more money allocated to schools.
"Education is absolutely important," Tobash said. "Level funding is really a cut. (We must) make sure we're not ignoring the education needs of our kids."
Goodman said the state cannot ignore its responsibility of funding schools properly.
"I will not vote for a budget that does not have adequate education funding," he said.
Knowles also said schools in his district are telling him they have cut their budgets as much as they can.
All four also indicated satisfaction with the latest proposal to cut the size of the state House of Representatives to 153 from 203 and the state Senate to 38 from 50.
"I did have concerns about rural Pennsylvania," said Goodman, who finally decided to support the measure. "We're asking everybody to do more with less."
Tobash said the cost savings were the key.
"It was pretty much a no-brainer to me," he said. "Is it going to reduce costs? That's the true concern of the voters."
Argall said his move to the Senate from the House showed him it is possible to represent more people just as well by using modern technology.
Knowles agreed that technology will enable him to represent more people.
"I think it is going to happen," he said. "It is not going to happen overnight."