Candidates discuss cash gifts, campaign finance reform
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
Herald-Standard editorial page editor Mark O’Keefe (second from left) moderates a recent debate between Democratic candidates for the 52nd Legislative District of the state House of Representatives (from left) Brad Geyer, A.J. Boni and Marigrace Butela.
Geyer
Boni
Butela
The following is the first in a four-part series on the Democratic primary race for the 52nd District covering Fayette and Westmoreland counties.
Three candidates who are vying for the Democratic nomination for the 52nd District in the House of Representatives recently met with the Herald-Standard’s editorial board to discuss issues of concern relevant to the district.
The house seat is open as Deberah Kula, incumbent, is seeking her party’s nomination in the May 20 primary for the open seat in the 32nd Senatorial District.
Democratic candidates A.J. Boni, Perry Township supervisor; Marigrace Butela, Dunbar Township tax collector; and Brad Geyer, a Connellsville City councilman, will appear on the ballot for the 52nd District race later this month.
The 52nd District includes part of Fayette County, which consists of the city of Connellsville, Bullskin, Dunbar, Lower Tyrone, Menallen, North Union, Perry, Saltlick and Upper Tyrone townships; and Dawson, Dunbar, Everson, Perryopolis, Seven Springs, South Connellsville and Vanderbilt boroughs.
It also includes parts of Westmoreland County, which consists of East Huntingdon Township and Scottdale Borough.
The candidates met to discuss issues related to cash gifts to legislators, per-diem (daily allowance) vs. vouchered expenses and campaign finance reform.
The state Senate recently voted to ban members from accepting cash gifts. The measure is now in the state House of Representatives, which must approve it before it becomes law.
“Are we public servants or are we politicians?” Geyer asked. “I’m a public servant. We don’t need gifts. We don’t need bonuses, and these kickbacks from special interest. I would vote to uphold the ban.”
Both Boni and Butela agreed that they, too, would vote to ban members from accepting cash gifts.
“In 14 years of being a township supervisor, I’ve never seen that happen,” Boni said.
“I would never consider cash gifts of any sort. There’s just no place in good government for that kind of stuff.”
Butela added that she’s “really appalled” that anyone in office would accept a cash gift.
The conversation then turned to proposed legislation that would require lawmakers to turn in receipts to collect reimbursement for work-related expenses, instead of just claiming unvouchered daily allowances, up to $159 a day, that require no receipt.
Speaking from experience as a Perry Township supervisor, Boni said there needs to be a “checks-and-balance” system.
“We don’t do anything unless there’s receipts,” he said.
“It should be a reimbursement for what you spend.”
Butela said it’s only “common sense” that receipts should accompany any spending.
She also added that state legislators should not be provided a car to travel to and from Harrisburg.
Geyer agreed with Butela and Boni about the necessity of receipts, saying that private sector jobs require receipts from employees who attend conferences.
The candidates also discussed issues related to campaign finance reform.
Common Cause, a nonprofit, nonpartisan citizens’ lobby organization, and others in Harrisburg have called for reform, which would include limits on the size of contributions that can be given to candidates and the amount of money that candidates can spend on statewide races, such as governor, attorney general and treasurer.
Butela said campaign finance reform should have occurred “a long time ago.”
“It seems that money always wins these elections, and that’s very sad,” she said.
“I think there’s a lot of good people out there who could do so much good and would like to run for offices, but they just don’t have the funding, or the political backing.”
She also believes that those who receive political backing are then indebted to the person once elected.
“That means you may not be serving your constituents in the proper way,” she said.
Geyer agreed that those with connections and those in the know are able to raise big money and able to trump the “average Joe,” but that it’s difficult dictate what a person should do with his or her money.
“There is a freedom of speech issue we have to be cognizant of,” he said.
“Why should the government be getting involved in a person’s free will and what they choose to do with their own resources, so we have to make sure we balance the freedom of speech and what makes common sense for the person.”
Boni said he supports campaign finance reform, especially because the Federal Election Campaign Act places monetary limits on contributions to support candidates for federal office and prohibits contributions from certain sources.
“There’s no reason why the governor should be getting a blank check written to him,” Boni said.
“There definitely needs to be reform brought to this.”