Ask Russ
Have a question of your own for Russ? Send it now and he will answer in his own words. We may even post it here!
Where do you stand on property taxes?
- I believe property taxes are an extremely inequitable way to fund schools and local governments. They are also very expensive to maintain due to the need to constantly reassess property values. Unlike any other tax in Pennsylvania, property taxes - if you can't afford them - give government the power to take away something you already own. That's just wrong.
For these reasons and more, I am the prime sponsor of HB382, which would offer Pennsylvanians the opportunity to amend our state constitution to permanently abolish all property taxes once and for all. I have also supported every other bill in the House of Representatives that seeks to offer any sort of property tax relief.
How do you feel about gun rights?
- I believe in the clear and concise language of Article I Section 21 of the Pennsylvania Constitution, which declares: "The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned." This section is much stronger than the language of the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution.
What is your stance on abortion?
- I am 100% pro-life and am proud to have received the endorsement of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation.
How do you feel about government growth?
- I believe in limited government and as a Republican I would prefer to see government downsized instead of grown. I simply do not believe government should grow any faster than the real-world economy does.
Why does Harrisburg seem so dysfunctional?
- Many people believe Harrisburg is dysfunctional because change is slow to happen. However, state government was designed to work slowly and deliberately. I know it can be frustrating at times, but we need to reach consensus among 203 Representatives, 50 Senators, and a Governor to make any idea a reality. Pennsylvania is a very diverse state with several distinctly different regions and sets of traditions. Doing what's best to serve the needs of the majority of 12.8 million citizens takes time and deserves careful consideration.
The local Republican Party opposed you in 2014 and that campaign got pretty nasty. Are you still at odds with them?
- It would have been very easy to take all that business personally and continue to be at war against the local political establishment. However, I believe bygones should be bygones and have made every effort to take the high road, reach out, and make peace with all my former political opponents. I believe the Republican ideals of limited government and individual liberty are far more important than any petty personal disputes. Sometimes, you just need to move along.
However, that does not mean that I will always go along with what the local party, or even Republican leadership in Harrisburg, wants to do. I will always stand for what is right for you and your family, no matter what others in the party think.
Do you participate in the legislative pension plan?
- I do not participate in the legislative pension plan. When I was first elected, the state did not offer a 401k-style plan in which I could participate. Therefore, my only retirement option was a Deferred Compensation plan. Under this plan, I set aside a portion of my salary to be invested much like a 401k plan. However, that plan did not offer any "company match" from the Commonwealth. The investment was all mine, but so was all the risk.
The General Assembly has since enacted retirement benefit reforms which gave me three choices: I could continue on with the Deferred Compensation plan; I could buy all my service time and back-door my way into the lucrative legislative pension plan; or I could opt to join a new 401k-style plan. I chose to enter the new 401k-style plan, because that's what most of my constituents have in the private sector. I also still separately contribute to the Deferred Compensation plan.
