Local Voting: Teach Your Kids the Importance

The Times News

October 31, 2007

This past month, students in my American government classes investigated which political party they and their parents belonged to. For some, it was model boredom; for others it was interesting, and still others were filled with hope and excitement, especially for the upcoming presidential race.

As the days progressed and as they grow increasingly aware of the imminent '08 election, one of my students asked, "Is that what the signs are for?"

I gave an unfettered, automatic response: "No."

"Well then," she retorted, "what exactly are they for?"

My mind jogged for a moment. How do you explain just how important the office of County Commissioner is to a 15-year-old? So I gave it a shot.

"The two gentlemen are Democrats," I said, "running for office against two Republicans for a total of three seats. The three commissioners combine to act like a three-headed president of Carbon County."

Her face looked back at me, confused, bedazzled, and her gaze a bit more jowled than normal.
"We'll talk about this later on as the class progresses," I said, and quickly dismissed the issue and moved on with class.

But isn't this what we always do with local elections? In our hearts we continually emphasize how important these local elections are but our words and our votes never follow.

It should be treated differently this year. Here's why:

Carbon County's Commissioners are going to play a pivotal role in the county's future. Long gone are the days of coal miners and factory workers, and as the county's vocation morphs into a service economy and an epicenter for lower-priced housing for commuters of the Lehigh Valley, it will be up to our Commissioners' leadership to plot a course that elevates our county onto the same scale as our neighbors to the south (Lehigh and Northampton) and Northeast (Monroe) rather than taking a step back into regression.

November 6th will be more than just a commissioners' vote. Every school district will see a dramatic shift in their respective school boards, and some have more importance than the "big race" next November.

For example, Palmerton's new school board will have some difficult concerns to face, such as hiring a new Superintendent as well as dealing with an expired teacher's contract. Panther Valley's school board will welcome a new school, but not many will envy their task of budgeting effectively to offset these new costs. And all school boards across the county will be responsible for the discussions over the planned, multi-million dollar renovation of the Carbon County Technical Institute.

In addition, there are always other races. Jim Thorpe's borough council will be a heated race, where some incumbents may be ousted in favor of new faces, seeking change for some of the tourist town's concerns. And of course there are always the unglamorous-yet-crucial positions such as controller (the County's chief financial officer), recorder of deeds (the person-in-charge of documents central), coroner, sheriff, and treasurer, not to mention the additions to our State Supreme and Superior Courts.

Which leads me back to asking, "How do you clarify this to a 15-year-old???"

You vote. You take them with you as you vote. And you explain to them how millions of Americans laid their souls down for this simple and undemanding task that many of us shrug off until it's time to elect our next president.

Dollars Over Democratic Justice

www.commoncause.org/PA
September 30, 2007

While most of America remembers Teddy Roosevelt for reining in the corrupt corporations, most are unaware that in 1907 the Republican worked across party lines to pass the Tillman Act. The Tillman Act was the first time where free speech – the type the common American owns – was promoted over the words of the wealthy.

Yet as America watched the Model-T Ford evolve into today’s modern automobile and the Wright Brothers’ plane transform into the jetliner, the American political system has changed from a democracy fed by 20th century dollars into a democracy fed by 21st century dollars.

Pennsylvania’s court system also sports an old fashioned fundraising system. The connection between fundraising and bad politicians has been obvious, but not much light has been shed on how money affects our “independent” Judiciary. Until now.

According to The Pennsylvania Legal Intelligencer, the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association raised $632,000 for three State Supreme Court candidates, nearly half the money these Juatices needed to win office. While this is legal, the venerable G. Terry Madonna of Franklin & Marshall College said this “is a poster child case for why there ought to be limits.”

One state in the nation already solved this problem. North Carolina adopted The Judicial Campaign Reform Act, creating a voluntary system of public financing for judicial candidates. Why? The driving factor behind the change was the people. A poll conducted by the N.C. Center for Voter Education revealed that:

- 78% believed campaign contributions influence judges’ decisions “a great deal” or “some.”
- 58% believed there is a system of justice for the rich/powerful and everyone else.
- 81% support electing judges while only 15% support appointment of judges.[i]

After the pay-raise scandal, budget delay, and an array of other issues the voters of this state have presented similar concerns in regards the Commonwealth’s direction. What PA voters need is a viable solution to all the corruption. They need a system where the judges’ loyalty is to the public, not special interests, before they are running, while they are running, and when they are elected. They need Voter-Owned Elections.

Those who believe it is impossible to introduce this measure should note Sen. Jeff Piccola (Chair, State Government Committee) and Rep. Bill DeWeese (Majority Leader) already co-sponsored a similar Voter-Owned Elections bill in 1985 (HB-1379). It is our hope they introduce an updated version of this bill.

While much has changed in Pennsylvania since 1985, the ownership of elections (by special interests) has not. Changing this is not only intelligent, it is imperative; otherwise a vital part of our government will be further wedged into the same 100 year-old regressive political state it had been.

While at the stump in 1907, Roosevelt decried that “No people is wholly civilized where a distinction is drawn between stealing an office and stealing a purse.” The time has come to remove that distinction from our courts, and Pennsylvanians must seize the opportunity to take the money out of elections and place qualified judges back in.


Jake Miller is the Chair of the CC/PA Voter-Owned Elections Project Team and John Latini Jr. is a Staff Member of The Pennsylvania Delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives.