Leader Reed sets House GOP agenda
Leader Reed sets House GOP agenda
Author: Jason Gottesman/Monday, January 26, 2015/Categories: News and Views
House Majority Leader Dave Reed (R-Indiana) struck a tone of bipartisanship at Monday’s Pennsylvania Press Club luncheon where he outlined his caucus’s legislative priorities, noting they broadly align with Gov. Tom Wolf’s as announced at his inaugural addressed.
While he said his caucus agrees economic, education, and government reform are a priority, Rep. Reed noted there may be a difference as to how to achieve the broad-based policy goals on which many—if not all—agree Pennsylvania needs to tackle.
“I think you are going to find a lot of agreement on those being the broad topics, from a governing perspective, that we as a House Republican Caucus want to focus on,” he said. “We certainly have put forth probably a little bit broader, a little bit tighter definition of how we are going to focus on those agenda items.”
Speaking to the need to work on economic issues and bring jobs to Pennsylvania, Rep. Reed said a “free market” approach is needed where the Commonwealth uses a mix of competitive tax rates, ends “corporate welfare” and closes tax loopholes, and invests time and money in the infrastructure of the commonwealth including expanding sewer, natural gas, and broadband access.
“When government focuses on lowering tax rates, closing corporate loopholes, and getting away from the cardboard check approach to economic development and actually spends our time and effort investing in infrastructure, I think we are going to be more successful from an economic perspective,” he said.
On education reform, Rep. Reed indicated a focus is needed on quality over quantity in how education dollars are spent.
He stated in order to do that, the caucus intends to focus on five areas including determining whether the property tax is the best method to fund public schools, if education funds are distributed equitably, what can be done about cost drivers—particularly state and public school employee pensions, and individualizing how education is provided.
“What works for one student may not work for another student,” he said. “How do we make our young people more than just a number and actually a person we are seeking to find success in their lives.”
Lastly, Rep. Reed said government reform will no longer mean reducing the size of government, though proposals to reduce the size of the General Assembly remain a priority for the caucus.
Instead, he stated, the focus should be on a substantive change in the way government operates by determining the core functions of government and allowing government to adapt with the times.
In this vein, he called for thorough examinations of whether Pennsylvania’s government should own the liquor market in Pennsylvania and whether things like medical marijuana should be legalized.
“With new medical and health care advances, we have a responsibility to thoroughly vet these sort of topics and figure out what is the right public policy mantra going forward,” he said.
Noting liquor privatization is the closest of the major proposals to passage, he said in the short-term, his caucus will be focusing as well on the equally important issues of property tax and pension reform.
Robert Storm
Eastern Region Vice President
rstorm@pscoa.org
www.pscoa.org