I got to know Joe Brennan when he sat on Northampton County Council. Although we disagreed on a few things, Joe was always committed to transparency and accountability, and actually supported campaign finance reform long before it became popular. Joe's legislative district meanders from South Bethlehem through Fountain Hill, parts of east Allentown and stretches all the way up through Hanover Tp, Catasauqua and Coplay. His son just started playing T-ball.
Q) Two state legislative leaders have been convicted of using their office for political or personal gain while others are under indictment. Will we ever change the way business gets done in Harrisburg?
A) We have taken steps and I think you'll see a drastic reduction, if not elimination, of the types of unfortunate behavior we've had in the past. Specifically, members and all staff attend mandatory ethics meetings about all that we may and may not do. We are told to err on the side of caution.
Q) According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Pennsylvania has the largest full-time and second most expensive legislative branch in the nation. Is it time to cut back?
A) Yes, it is. And we have reduced, by attrition, the size of our capital and district offices. But you have to remember we make up only 1/2 of 1% of the state budget. We have also consolidated departments. It's not going to happen overnight, but we are headed in the right direction.
Q) Last year, you and other LV representatives had something to do with breaking the state budget impasse by demanding to keep the House in session as a Committee of the Whole, which gives every member a voice. How will you avoid a devastating budget impasse like the one we suffered last year?
A) Last year, Craig Dally, I and other Lehigh Valley members started a movement to for a Committee of the Whole, and the budget impasse broke. We might have nudged them. Th's year, we started the budget process much earlier. In the Hose, we sent a spending plan to the Senate in March. We have to see results and have taken a more urgent approach. We need to be able to deliver a good and sound budget by deadline. People are tired of it.
Q) Many state reps tell me too much power is invested in just a few powerful committee chairs and leaders. How can you change that?
A) The whole process is leadership driven. Our leadership team takes a different approach and does a better job of reaching out to members to find out what we think needs a vote. The structure is not necessarily bad, but leaders need to talk to rank and file members.
Q) The biggest concern people have is taxes, especially property taxes. Despite the promise that gambling revenue would reduce or eliminate property taxes, they go up nearly every year. Any relief in sight?
A) Yes, there is a movement to freeze school property taxes for senior citizens. It's something worth reviewing. There has been some property tax relief, but two or three of our biggest casinos are not even open. Property tax is often driven by the school district. I am not being critical, but every year, we increase our contribution to school districts.
Q) Is there anything else you'd like Bethlehem Press readers to know about what's going on at the state house?
A) I work hard every day to make re we get a balanced budget passed in time so that it does not unnecessarily overburden people.
25 comments:
Even smilin' Joe knows that the local districts have gone too far. The state gives them more, we give them more and, more often than not, the Feds give them more, and it is never enough.
And, he is right about the impact cutting the number of legislators would have on the overall budget. It would be a symbolic move that, in reality, is a straw man set up to deflect from the real problems of the bureacracy, pensions and regulation.
Joe's an insatiable tax raiser who's always done what Rendell ordered. hat's why his tax answer was so generically evasive. He's part of the problem in Harrisburg. He's a proud member of, and contributor to, the worst state legislature in the US. We need his ilk to be thrown out before he and they do more damage to this sate.
If Joe voted for every tax proposed by Rendell, he'd be hanging from a tree. He did vote to tax cigarellos.
In all fairness, Joe is great guy who did much for others as volunteer long "before" his first elected position to NorCo council. He does not forget his roots as the saying goes. Joe and wife Jane are great family folks and so are their entire families extended. They have all been great for LV community and continue helping to improve the quality of life here the best they know how to do so. Elected or not, nobody can ever please all of the people all of the time. I've known Joe for a few decades and he is his own man always trying to do his very best for community, state, nation and now his constiuents, is my opinion. BTW, any elected official's job, who is honestly working for the people, is never done. Please trust me, I know from experience that it's a 24/7 deal with much unappreciated sacrifice by family members of "real" public servants. Joe is one of them Jane knows it, so do I and others should learn to understand it. Thanks Mr. and Mrs. Brennan for your continued public service. Remember, "You can't please all of the people all of the time...and I say "some people, especially anons, NEVER". Lastly, character counts for bonus points with me and most I know.
He has the character of a guy who votes to raise taxes and seems unapologetic about being a contributor to the worst legislature in the country. It's time to send nice guy Joe looking for honest work in the real world. He seems up to it. No hard feelings. Incumbents who created our current mess should not be rewarded with another term. Good grief, but memories are short.
In addition to what Larry said, Joe has the best senese of humor of just about anyone I know. He also works hard at his job. He is unabashedly liberal, but is always willing to listen.
Anon 2:03, what taxes has Joe increased? Or are you just ranting about any politician without any evidence whatsoever?
Joe pointed out small steps being made to change the worst legislature in the country. Anybody who uses the word "contributing" to describe an incumbent, has nothing substantive to add to the debate. It is guilt by membership and that is week. Did you vote for Bush in 2000 or 2004? If you did, you contributed to the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression. Obviously, the logic is flawed.
But go ahead, pontificate about taxes that Joe didn't raise.
2:26 is right. Joe's mistakes are all Bush's fault. And the next ones he makes will be Bush's fault also. This is fun.
3:19 misses the point. To blame Joe, a new-comer to harrisburg, for the sins of Veon, Perzel, DeWeese, Brightbill and Jubiliar is as foolish as blaming any Republican voter for the botched presidency of George W. Bush. It is just stupid to do so.
But if you do in fact want to blame Bush for everything, go ahead.
sorry, I meant Joe's constiTuents!
Also, I never took into account anon's contacting me when I served as an elected official and neither should anybody else pay attention to anon cowards. Yea, sometime is very important to remain anon for very legit reason(s) but mostly anons are cowards of highest order with too much time on their hands and no solutions to ever offer. Very easy to suggest the sky is falling, blame others and most never, ever served another person in their entire life is my opinion. Otherwise, they would proudly offer all of their private and public service solutions for the rest of us. Most anons think they are being constructive with their advice & have zero solutions for any of our real problems. Again, easy to bash USA and have absolutely zero ideas, except everyone else is at fault for any problems USA encounters. Ever see a staute erected for a critic with zero policy suggestions? I never did! Very sorry to say, anons only ever suggest sky is falling, blame others and is all they offer. Hey, anons, put your name and policy positions on the line, run for office based on them and then we'll all have a chance to vote for you or are you afraid to do so like most cowards? Get a life and come up with solutions public, in general, will accept & then will be credible as you will then represent us with your great ideas instead of your nonsensical opinions here and elsewhere. Ask us for donation and volunteer help and we might consider your efforts.
Otherwise your opinion means zilch to me and most I know. Go figure.
NorCo Rs have done quite well without go-along get-along Larry Kisslinger. We keep voting personalities and wonder why we're in such a mess. Brennan has a record and should be held to account for it. Period.
Anon 6:15 is right. I like Joe, he's a nice guy, but I disagree with him on everything. He is liberal, and we are in a mess. It's time to think about the issues, not what a nice guy or gal our current rep is. I wish Joe all the happiness in the world, in the private sector.
That was about as nice a rejection as I've ever read. Your ex-botyfriends or girlfriends must still like you.
Joe is a nice guy. He promoted more transparency and accountability in government back when he was still on county council, which is hw I became a fan. He does believe government exists to help people, and is liberal. If you are conservative, you'll disagree with Joe on many things.
But I suspect you'll do it in a very nice way.
You do realize Joe supported Glenn Reibman and the Bond issue. I mean, Who was on County Council that did not support transparent government.
That is a very subjective assessment.
I'm well aware that Joe supported both Glenn Reibman and the bond issue. I sued over it and actually named him as a defendant ... twice. I hope he can forget that.
I can have serious disagreements with an elected official and still support him. If I only voted for someone who agreed with me 100%, I'd soon be voting for no one but myself.
What I like about Joe, aside from his self-deprecating hunor, is his honest commitment to good government. When Joe was still on county council, he'd often support proposals to improve transparency on county council. He favored campaign finance reform on county council long before it became popular. He advocated open government at every opportunity. he actually listened to people instead of insisting they listen to him.
Yes, we disagreed about the bond. But as he never doubted my belief that it was seriously flawed, I never doubterd his equally sincere belief that this was a necessary step. People like Michael Corriere, Carol Cuomo and Mike Dowd, who ultimately supported the bond, are good people.
Is the person a decent person? Is he/she committed to good government? If you can get a yes answer to both of those question, all remaining differences are minor in my book.
I thought he represented Whitehall too?
Mr. Kisslinger:
Many people who remain in the background do much to serve their fellow citizens. We keep it anonymous because it is not about us. We do what we do not for self-promotion, but because it is the right thing to do.
This is a blog, bigshot. It is like a discussion at a bar or softball game, and I don't give out my name, rank and serial number every time I express a thought or opinion in those situations either.
People like you dream about having statues built in their honor. The more you talk, the more you betray your motivations for all your solutions and service. Most truly honorable and selfless people would never even bring up such egotistical nonsense.
We know why you NEED your name on everything.
In a softball game or a bar, people know who you are. Here, you are hiding behind a veil of anonymity to attack Larry Kissliger personally. That makes you a coward.
No, I speak to many people whose names I never learn, nor do they learn mine. Even exchanged a few insults under the same circumstances. The lack of seeing their ID did not lessen the value of what they have to say. Not necessary in the exchange of ideas or opinions, even when negative.
As for Mr. Kisslinger, gee, I'm sorry that I specifically addressed his know-it-all broadbrush that condemned people and categorically asserted that they do nothing for their fellow citizens because they don't put their name on a post on a blog.
No, I'm not.
Anon 11:52m, Anyone who hides behind anonymiry to attack a reader is a coward. You are also violating my comments policy. You can either play by the rules or be deleted.
In a bar or softball game, you are not hiding behind a curtain. Identifying you is an easy matter.
Any additional comments from you insulting Larry anonymously will be deleted.
If these guys are sooooooooooo concerned about senior citizen property tax relief why haven't then passed the bill to exclude annunities from the property tax income calculation?
Many anon's still abound with zero to offer except critical of others. must be nice hiding while bashing others and avoiding sunlight. I wonder if these folks can sleep at night with all of their nonsense?
Brennan has done a great job as my State Representative. I live in Whitehall and I've seen him at everything from fire company dinners to church picnics. He has been active in my community from the time that he worked for Rooney. I am proud to call him my representative and will be voting for him again.
Joe shows up even when it is not election time. He is vert accessible. I visited his office once. In less than half an hour, I had a call back from his Chief of staff with some feedback on my question.
I wish I could say the for some other elected officials.
Joe is deserving of my vote too.
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