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Q & A with Jim Stefanick
Wednesday, March 14, 2001
Q: Why do you want to represent the people of the 40th District?
A: With my government jobs and my life experience, I have something to offer the people. Government has gone way out on a limb ... with a lot of the issues. They spend a lot of our money on projects the average person doesn't understand or doesn't want. I'm the average guy that's going in and understands what the working man and the small-businessman wants.
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Q: Describe for me three main issues you want to communicate to the public.
A: Heath care: [I support] the whole concept of lowering overall cost for all Pennsylvania citizens for prescription drug care. Overall, I think we have to look at the programs we already have. ... We need to look at how we work with pharmaceutical companies to try to pool our purchasing power, either Pennsylvania or mid-western state regions. ... We need to look at health care cost so it doesn't blow us out of the water as our population ages.
Education: We need to make sure vocational schools are working directly with industry so what children in the schools are learning is current information [on] industry needs. ... Generally speaking, it's a cost-effective way to spend our tax dollars by educating young children as early as possible. So, the money is well spent on after-school programs, community-based youth development programs. The best thing we can do is make sure these kids have after-school activities. I don't need to raise taxes. I propose shifting funds from other programs that are being wasted.
Infrastructure: We're not spending enough on roads, intersections and bridges. I propose that we need to be more aware of where our money is going and quit spending it on access roads for corporations. There are secondary roads in our existing communities that need to be addressed. If the state mandates a new sewer system, they should come up with the funds. They mandate and mandate and they don't come up with funding. They spend the money somewhere else.
Q: Why should Republicans or Democrats vote for you?
A: I'm a good representative of a middle-class upbringing, which is representative of people in this district. I have a wide range of life experience from the perspective of a middle-class citizen.
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