Polls show the majority of citizens support Pennsylvania joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative with the benefits of increased job growth and decreased pollution and carbon emission. However, our Legislature, with the backing of the fossil-fuel industry, has been blocking that effort. They have gone to court to stop us from joining RGGI. They would rather support their donors than their constituents.
As with the fossil-fuel industry, the utility industry is a powerful political force with its massive political donations and lobbying efforts. The Senate passed the Water Quality Accountability Act, and the bill is in the House. Once again, our lawmakers are siding with donors over constituents. This bill makes it easier to privatize our water systems. The average bill for customers of private water companies is 59% higher than that of public utilities.
If there is any one thing that demonstrates our lawmakers are working for their own interests and not ours, it is their position on wages. They recently gave themselves a 14% salary increase over a two-year period. At the same time, they refuse to raise our minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. A living wage is reported to be $25 an hour and rising due to inflation.
Our lawmakers have forgotten that we are their employers. Let’s vote them out.
Julia Bojalad
North Huntingdon