Stefano ripped for negative campaign
Let me congratulate Senate candidate Pat Stefano on apparently achieving the all-American dream of becoming wealthy through a private sector business owner.
With that said, you should be ashamed that wealth didn’t bring class or integrity to you. Some things you can’t buy.
You have chosen to launch an all-out attack against Deb Kula, the Democratic candidate for the 32nd District of the state Senate. You’ve attacked her for spending her life dedicated to public service, while she raised a family.
You see, Mr. Stefano, working in the public sector is done for the love community and service not to gain wealth. The only “issue” you could find to attack Rep. Kula after serving as our state representative for the 52nd District was that she accepts per diems allocated and taken by every serving member of the state House and state Senate.
You don’t seem to take issue with the Republican Party of Pennsylvania paying for your campaign. There has been at least one tree used in my mail box alone, making me aware you intent to not accept your per diem.
OK, that’s wonderful. You have been blessed to have a family, raising four children and be able to cover expenses to make those kind of promises.
Consider the following:
_ Turnpike expenses are $40 a week to and from Harrisburg.
_ Gas expense round trip is 350 miles a week when in session at 55 cents, the federal paying wage for mileage. That comes to $200.
_ Overnight accomodations, assuming you aren’t living in your personal vehicle, will run a minimum of $400 in rent.
These are the minimum requirements and of course estimates you are assuming the cost of already close to $1,400 a month and does not include food, additional living expenses, wear and tear on your personal vehicle I have spent my entire life working in the public sector and can’t afford to make the promises you have. You’ve been blessed in life. That’s what makes your actions so reprehensible.
While you have made it to the American Dream, you look back and kick those of use who dedicated their lives to public service and can’t afford to run a state Senate office covering multiple counties out of our pockets.
Shame on you, Mr. Stefano for becoming an elitist Republican. As a former county and state Republican committee member, I will be voting for the first time in my life not for a Democrat but for a woman who managed to raise a family and serve her community with integrity while you were busy amassing your fortune.
Rather than allowing the Pennsylvania Republican Party to dictate how you run your campaign, you would have been better served to think independently and filled my mailbox with what ideas you have for bringing jobs, veterans issues, property tax relief and education to the forefront of politics in Fayette County instead of running a negative campaign against a woman who has dedicated her life to community service.
Please join me in supporting Deborah Kula for the state Senate. After her years of public service, she has earned the support of Fayette County.
Wendy Baur is a resident of Uniontown.