Gallo seeking senate seat in 32nd district
Ronald L. Gallo, a businessman from Connellsville Township, has announced that he is seeking the Republican Party nomination for the state Senate’s 32nd District seat in the May primary and hopes to challenge incumbent Democrat Rich Kasunic in November’s general election. The district encompasses Fayette and Somerset counties.
Gallo, 63, who owns Gas Mart Oil, a heating oil sales business in Dunbar Township, said eliminating real estate taxes would be his top priority if elected.
“I want to eliminate them. There’s no reason to have property taxes,” Gallo said.
He said he would use all the revenue generated from slots, expand sales taxes, possibly increase the income tax rate and add those revenue streams to current school district education subsidies.
Real estate taxes levied by municipalities would also be eliminated, he said.
Gallo said the current law governing slots commits only one-third of slots revenue to property tax relief and that money would not be available until at least 2010.
The slots law directs $634 million to pay for an expanding Philadelphia’s convention center and provide other financial assistance to that city, Gallo said.
He said the law sends slots revenue to pay off the remaining construction debt from Pittsburgh International Airport and the convention center in Pittsburgh.
Casino owners are permitted to recoup their development costs from gaming revenue before any of it goes toward tax relief.
Then, after $1 billion in slots proceeds are deposited into a reserve fund, revenue from gambling will be used for property tax relief, Gallo said.
“All of it should go for tax relief and for nothing else,” Gallo said.
He said also objects to a clause in the law that allows state legislators to own a 1-percent share in slots casinos.
Gallo said he would like to see sales taxes expanded to more consumer products and services than are currently taxable.
As an example, he said services provided by attorneys should be taxed. Labor performed by auto mechanics is taxable, but labor performed by attorneys is not, he said.
However, Gallo said he would expect a great deal of opposition to the idea because attorneys have powerful lobbyists like other special interest groups.
All proposed tax increases should have to be approved in referendums, he said.
Gallo said citizens, “instead of lobbyists and special interests,” should be able to propose legislation and have those measures placed on referendums, as it is California.
“We have to change the way we do government in Pennsylvania. We have to take back our government,” Gallo said. “If I go to Harrisburg, you’ll hear from me all the time. I’m a loud mouth.”
He said powerful and long-tenured Democratic incumbents like Kasunic and H. William DeWeese (D-Waynesburg) have kept Pennsylvania a “welfare state” for decades.
“Pennsylvania still has thousands on welfare. Nothing has changed for decades. The Democrats in Pennsylvania have no reason to bring anything to Fayette County because they already have all the votes,” Gallo said.
He said his heating oil business gives him a first-hand look at how poor county residents are.
In many families, the husband and wife have low-paying jobs – many without health care benefits – and they still have to rely on welfare, he said.
“I’m mad about it. I can’t believe government is that way,” Gallo said.
He said there is a proposal in the state to build eight ethanol production plants, but none are in Fayette or Somerset counties, “which are huge agricultural areas.”
The plan calls for three plants to be located in Pittsburgh and one in Philadelphia, he said.
“We desperately need jobs here. It would a big win for our area,” Gallo said. “Everything goes to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. (Gov. Ed) Rendell needs those to get elected.”
Gallo said he is a member of the Fayette County Farm Bureau and organized a protest in January that resulted in the county easing some of the restrictions the zoning ordinance placed on farmers and rural landowners.
“The problem is, people who buy property next to a farm don’t want the smell and dust, but they want to live there,” Gallo said.
He said he hasn’t decided if he will seek the backing of PACleanSweep because he doesn’t want to be obligated to any group except the people in the 32nd District.
PACleanSweep is in the midst of an internal power dispute and, Gallo, said having its endorsement could do more harm than good to his campaign.