How Would You Like to See Government Reformed?

Back in 2016, then Lower Macungie Commissioner Ron Beitler, myself and a few readers came up with a laundry list of government reforms. Some were actually enacted, at least partially. But most suggestions are still out there. These are neither Republican nor Democratic proposals. You either believe in good government or you don't. 

I am running the latest list and ask you to make your own suggestions. 

1. Term limits now and tweak the terms. Three four-year terms for State Reps. Two six-year terms for State Senators. A two-year term for State Reps is too short, They have to start campaigning for the next election virtually the day after they win.

2. Reduce the size of PA government so state rep districts have 85,000 people within. This is small enough to maintain constituent services at the current level, but large enough to eliminate 52 positions entirely. Eliminate the state senate. 

3. Eliminate pensions for elected officials. Salaries for a full-time state legislator should be adjusted to be the median for the district represented. It is a full time job, but not a career. Pensions are for career positions.

4. Enact Resign-to-run rules that would apply to any full time elected position that draws a taxpayer funded salary.  The only exception to this rule I can see is if the candidate is in the final year of his term.  

5. Require all candidates for state office to file campaign finance reports electronically so the people know immediately how the campaign is being funded. Too many candidates refuse to file electronically, and the state elections office is never in a hurry to get reports online.  

6. Ban the use of campaign funds for criminal defense.

7. Increase penalties for noncompliance with state campaign finance laws, and continue the requirement that a candidate pay for violations out of his own personal funds.

8. Require all local governments with a website to post the campaign finance reports of all candidates and elected officials in that municipality, including Statements of Financial Interest. 

9. All local governments with a website should be required to provide an Internet broadcast of every meeting. If it is too expensive, the government should be dissolved.

10. Ban gifts of any kind, on a state and local level.

11. Require receipts for per diem payments.

12. Allow independent voters to participate in Primary Elections.

13. Ban local governments and school districts from attaching risky derivatives/"swaps" to their debt.

14. Ban candidates or elected officials from using campaign funds to make contributions to any other PAC or candidate committee to prevent the money laundering.

15. Limit campaign expenses to year of election requiring forfeiture of unspent monies. Eliminate rolling campaign accounts and expenditures in non election years. I believe district magistrates must spend it or lose it and cannot accumulate funds when they are unopposed. Similar rules for everybody.

16. LIST candidates on the ballot (per office) in random order with no party affiliation attached.

17. Rather than term limits, place "None of the Above" on the ballot for every elective office. If "None of the Above" wins a majority or plurality of the votes, the other candidates are disqualified and a new slate of candidates (including "None of the Above") must be drawn for a new election. Lather, rinse and repeat until someone other than "None of the Above" receives a majority of the votes.

18. Limit the amount of money any individual can contribute to a candidate to the same amount that can be contributed in a federal race. 

19. Ban campaign contributions from employees of a municipality to any candidate seeking election in that municipality.  

This is Reform?

Below is a list of government reforms proposed, way back in 2016, by Lower Macungie Commissioner Ron Beitler, myself and a few readers. These were sent to Governor Tom Wolf and the Lehigh Valley delegation to the state house and senate. I never received a reply.  

These are neither Republican nor Democratic proposals. You either believe in good government or you don't. 

1. Term limits now and tweak the terms. Three four-year terms for State Reps. Two six-year terms for State Senators. A two-year term for State Reps is too short, They have to start campaigning for the next election virtually the day after they win.

2. Reduce the size of PA government so state rep districts have 85,000 people within. This is small enough to maintain constituent services at the current level, but large enough to eliminate 52 positions entirely.

3. Eliminate pensions for elected officials. Salaries for a full-time state legislator should be adjusted to be the median for the district represented. It is a full time job, but not a career. Pensions are for career positions.

4. Enact Resign-to-run rules that would apply to any full time elected position that draws a taxpayer funded salary.  Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley should not be able to use the perks of his office as a springboard to the state senate. Nor should the myriad of other elected officials, including three NorCo Council members, whowant to run for something else. The only exception to this rule I can see is if the candidate is in the final year of his term.  

5. End gerrymandering by establishing independent commissions to do the redistricting. (The current commission is appointed by incumbents to help them keep their jobs.  

6. Require all candidates for statewide office to file campaign finance reports electronically so the people know immediately how the campaign is being funded. Too many candidates refuse to file electronically, and the state elections office is neverin a hurry to get reports online.  

7. Ban the use of campaign funds for criminal defense.

8. Increase penalties for noncompliance with state campaign finance laws, and continue the requirement that a candidate pay for violations out of his own personal funds.

9. All local governments should be required to provide an Internet broadcast of every meeting. If it is too expensive, the government should be dissolved.

10. Ban gifts of any kind, on a state and local level.

12. Require receipts for per diem payments.

13. Allow independent voters to participate in Primary Elections.

14. Ban local governments and school districts from attaching risky derivatives/"swaps" to their debt.

15. Ban candidates or elected officials from using campaign funds to make contributions to any other PAC or candidate committee to prevent the money laundering.

16. Limit campaign expenses to year of election requiring forfeiture of unspent monies. Eliminate rolling campaign accounts and expenditures in non election years. I believe district magistrates must spend it or lose it and cannot accumulate funds when they are unopposed. Similar rules for everybody.

17. LIST candidates on the ballot (per office) in random order with no party affiliation attached.

18. Rather than term limits, place "None of the Above" on the ballot for every elective office. If "None of the Above" wins a majority or plurality of the votes, the other candidates are disqualified and a new slate of candidates (including "None of the Above") must be drawn for a new election. Lather, rinse and repeat until someone other than "None of the Above" receives a majority of the votes.

Bethlehem Council Members Propose Ethics Commission

Olga Negrón-Dipini and Michael Colón

When Olga Negrón-Dipini and Michael Colón were elected to Bethlehem City Council a little over a year ago, each of them had no monetary support from the usual gaggle of developers, lawyers and engineers who had business dealings with the City. That's a claim few other Council members or Mayor Bob Donchez can make. Negrón-Dipini and Colón would like that to change, and have introduced a good government ordinance that takes aim at the pay-to-play practices so common in government.

The draft 31-page ethics ordinance (which can be seen here)was introduced at Bethlehem City Council last night.

Under the draft ordinance, Negrón-Dipini stated that Council members who receive $250 or more in campaign contributions from an individual or entity would be required to abstain from voting on any matter involving that source and the City. In addition, the proposal establishes an "independent" ethics commission with subpoena powers to investigate, conduct evidentiary hearings and take enforcement action against possible violators. It imposes a two-year ban on city employees accepting employment or compensation with organizations that have city contracts. It also proscribes all but nominal gifts.

Part of this ordinance is a reaction to the controversial Martin Tower rezoning ordinance. Most of the Council members who supported this project had received campaign contributions from developers Lou Ronca and Norton Herrick,as well as unions that would benefit from the construction work. City Council President Willie Reynolds received 24% of his total funding from Martin Tower beneficiaries. Quondam Council member Michael Recchiuti received 29% of his funding from Martin Tower beneficiaries.

Recchiuti was defeated at the polls in 2015.

Both Colón and Negrón-Dipini made clear, however, that neither has been pressured by developers, lawyers or engineers to support or oppose projects before Council.

Noting that a city election will be held this year, Colón believes this is the perfect time for reform measures. "The last thing I or any elected official wants is for anyone to question their motives behind any of the reasons why they legislate," he said.

Numerous citizens questioned the motives of Council members who supported Martin Tower rezoning.

City Council President Willie Reynolds plans to introduce a fairly extensive legislative package next week that he is calling "Bethlehem 2017", aimed at making the City both more transparent and progressive.

Noting Reynolds'r efforts, Colón said that all Bethlehem elected officials are both "committed to legitimacy"and are "trying to earn the trust of the citizens here in Bethlehem."

Negrón-Dipini stated that the proposal imposes no limit on campaign contributions.

Philadelphia, Allentown and Reading have ethics commissions that have largely been ineffective in deterring political corruption in thise cities. That point was conceded by Negrón-Dipini and Colón, but Colón stated that the corruption charges in thise cities is no reason to abandon any effort to establish an ethics commission.

They also acknowledged that the state government would be more effective in dealing with pay-to-play and other forms of political corruption. But Colón noted that a laundry list of reform measures proposed by Governor Tom Wolf have failed.

"If we're going to wait for Harrisburg to pass something, we might be waiting a pretty long time," said Colón.

Both Council members also acknowledged the danger that an ethics commission can be "weaponized for political gain" by candidates making frivolous allegations that disappear the day after an election. Negrón-Dipini stated that investigations would be kept confidential until it is final.

What Good Government Reforms Would You Make?

No one has seriously challenged my assertion, made Wednesday, that the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is engulfed in a culture of corruption. It's everywhere. Nazareth (Mayor charged with felony theft), Allentown (Mayor named in political corruption investigation), and the state (Treasurer charged with extortion) are just a few of an increasing number of examples. A few local governments have adopted reforms, but they are pretty much meaningless unless the state government steps in with new laws that have a statewide impact.

On Wednesday, Lower Macungie Commissioner Ron Beitler offered a few ideas. I'll repeat them here, and add a few of my own. Please feel free to offer your own suggestions:

1. Term limits now and tweak the terms. Three four-year terms for State Reps. Two six-year terms for State Senators. A two-year term for State Reps is too short, They have to start campaigning for the next election virtually the day after they win.

2. Reduce the size of PA government so state rep districts to have 85,000 people within. This is small enough to maintain constituent services at the current level, but large enough to eliminate 52 positions entirely.

3. Eliminate pensions for elected officials. Salaries for a full-time state legislator should be adjusted to be the median for the district represented. It is a full time job, but not a career. Pensions are for career positions.

4. Enact Resign-to-run rules that would apply to any full time elected position that draws a taxpayer funded salary.

5. End gerrymandering by establishing independent commissions to do the redistricting.

6. Require all candidates for statewide office to file campaign finance reports electronically so the people know immediately how the campaign is being funded.

7. Ban the use of campaign funds for criminal defense.

8. Increase penalties for noncompliance with state campaign finance laws, and continue the requirement that a candidate pay for violations out of his own personal funds.

9. All local governments should be required to provide an Internet broadcast of every meeting. If it is too expensive, the government should be dissolved.

10. Enact State Rep. Bob Freeman's Bill Freeman's bill (H.B. 1745) to require candidates for the General Assembly to follow the same expense report requirements as candidates for statewide office. Currently, both General Assembly and statewide office candidates are required to file a report on the second Friday before an election, but only candidates for statewide office are required to report on or before the sixth Tuesday before the election.

11. Ban gifts of any kind, on a state and local level.

12. Require receipts for per diem payments.

13. Allow independent voters to participate in Primary Elections.

14. Ban local governments and school districts from attaching risky derivatives/"swaps" to their debt.

15. Ban candidates or elected officials from using campaign funds to make contributions to any other PAC or candidate committee to prevent the money laundering. .