Newcomers to face off for state representative in 148th

Democratic candidate Mary Jo Daley and Republican Mike iudwig are competing to represent the 148th district in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and each candidate professed to offer unique TuDOLfiFDWLRns DnG H[SHULHnFH IRU the job.

The two are seeking the spot currently held by Democrat Mike derber, who decided to not seek UH-HOHFWLRn WR D fiIWh WHUP GuH WR hLs decision to accept a job in the private sector.

Daley said she’s running for offiFH EHFDusH shH hDs WhH H[SHULHnFH and feels the House needs to address a number of issues.

As president of the karberth Borough Council, the 63-year-old said she gained the foundation to wRUN wLWh RWhHU HOHFWHG RIfiFLDOs Ln public service and helped balance ERWh WhH EuGJHW DnG WD[ UDWHs.

She has also worked for more than 20 years at her alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, where she received degrees in business and public administration. At Penn, she said she has worked in positions that have required progressively greater amounts of responsibility, eventually in charge of an $18 million budget. She said she continued to meet those responsibilities and it has offered her JRRG H[SHULHnFH.

Some of the challenges the karberth resident said she feels the iegislature faces in the coming term include public school funding and the environment.

While funding for public schools hDs sWDyHG DW WhH sDPH OHvHO, H[penses have gone up, and charter schools have begun to take away some of the money schools need to sWDy DflRDW, shH sDLG. DDOHy sDLG hHU solution would be to restore funding.

“Prioritize education as something that’s valuable in the Com- monwealth of Pennsylvania,” she said.

The environment is also an issuH, sSHFLfiFDOOy IUDFNLnJ IRU nDWural gas at the Marcellus Shale site. She said that while she supports the project because it creates jobs, the wastewater impact fee “doesn’t cover the actual impact on the local environment,” and local municipalities are left dealing with the problem. She also said the project needs regulation and more needs to be done to understand the impact on wastewater.

6hH finDOOy sDLG shH’G OLNH WR sHH an increase in the number of women representatives. She said women currently occupy 16 percent of the House and a number of policies end up hurting women.

iudwig said fostering business and supporting law enforcement would be among his priorities.

He said it was his sense of duty to serve his country that has led him on the course to running for state representative.

After graduating from the police academy, iudwig joined the U.S. Army Reserve and was deployed a number of times on missions, including Operation koble Eagle and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 35-year-old Con s h o h o c k e n resident then reenlisted in the Pennsylvania kational duard before serving as an E7, or sergeant fiUsW FODss, Ln WhH PLOLWDUy SROLFH corps. Additionally, iudwig is curUHnWOy D SROLFH RIfiFHU wRUNLnJ IRU Montgomery County as a deputy sheriff.

iudwig said he gets enjoyment out of helping others and protecting them, which led to his career in law enforcement.

The biggest issue iudwig said he sees the iegislature facing this term is limiting spending and keeping a balanced budget. He said he feels the state can’t continue to keep borrowing money.

He said he’d also like to con- tinue to foster business, especially small business, by keeping WD[Hs UHDsRnDEOH. HH sDLG WhDW hLJh WD[Hs Sush EusLnHssHs RuW of the district. He said keeping WD[Hs ORw HnFRuUDJHs EusLnHssHs Ln WhH GLsWULFW WhDW wLOO SDy WD[Hs.

Another issue iudwig addressed was Marcellus Shale. He said while he supports drilling the natural energy source, he understands and supports the agreement for Bucks and Montgomery counties to not begin drilling until more information has been made available.

iudwig said a pet project of his would be to make sure law enforcement agencies are provided with the right equipment to keep them safe. From vehicles to weapons, iudwig said police RIfiFHUs nHHG WhH SURSHU HTuLSment to keep them and residents safe.

The 148th district covers Whitemarsh Township, Conshohocken and karberth boroughs and sections of iower Merion, Plymouth, Upper Dublin and Whitpain townships.