A look at the 11th Senatorial District race
The race to represent the 11th Senatorial District in Harrisburg pits a Democratic incumbent against a Republican challenger.
The district includes Reading, Birdsboro, Centerport, Fleetwood, Kenhorst, Kutztown, Laureldale, Leesport, Lyons, Mohnton, Mount Penn, New Morgan, Shillington, St. Lawrence, Topton, West Reading and Wyomissing; and Alsace, Bern, Brecknock, Caernarvon, Centre, Cumru, Exeter, Lower Alsace, Maxatawny, Muhlenberg, Oley, Richmond, Robeson and Ruscombmanor townships.
State senators serve a four-year term and receive an annual salary of $90,300.
We asked the candidates to respond to this question:
Question: The impact of the coronavirus pandemic has been widespread and severe, affecting everything from the economy to health care to education. As the state fights to recover from this global health crisis, what specific steps do you feel need to be taken to aid that recovery?
Democratic incumbent Judy Schwank, 69, Ruscombmanor Township.
Background: Incumbent, previously served as dean of agricultural and environmental science at Delaware Valley College, former Berks County commissioner for eight years, former chief executive of 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania.
Answer: The pandemic has presented us with unprecedented challenges that we must still overcome, but I believe that it also provides us with an opportunity to reimagine the way we deliver government services to build a brighter future for all Pennsylvanians.
In the short term, as we take prudent steps to reopen our economy and achieve a new sense of normality, we must continue to provide the unemployed a financial lifeline until jobs reopen for
them, offer businesses — especially small businesses — the resources they need to recover, and tackle the tough task of completing the 2020-2021 state budget to meet the needs of our citizens within the revenues available.
Long term, making health care, including preventative medicine, more accessible possibly via technology like telemedicine; increasing access to high-quality, affordable child care; offering more educational opportunities across our lifespans, promoting lifelong learning and attainment; developing a more equitable way to pay for education that has school property tax elimination in mind; improving our road, water, sewer and technology (particularly broadband) infrastructure; working to mitigate the impacts of climate change with renewable energy and regenerative agriculture and, making government a better partner with business — will help us achieve prosperity beyond COVID.
Republican Annette Baker, 53, Brecknock Township.
Background: Homemaker and home-school teacher, local radio personality, chairwoman of the Berks County Republican Committee’s southern region and former environmental scientist.
Website: annettecbakerforsenate. wordpress.com
Answer: The citizens of our commonwealth have suffered greatly because of the pandemic and we will be feeling the effects of COVID-19 for many years to come. No sector of our economy has been left untouched.
Rebuilding must begin with helping small businesses and restaurants. Many of them are on the verge of closing permanently. They must be able to reopen at full capacity. Educational institutions must also open, supporting parents returning to full employment.
Employers and employees, while following guidelines, are capable of solving the problems facing the reopening of our state. When the government gets out of the way, people can find solutions to difficult problems. By getting people back to work, we will begin to provide stability to families and businesses in the commonwealth. This is important not only for our economic well-being but for the physical and mental well-being of our residents.
I will support legislation such as House Bill 836 because it is time to reopen our economy. The governor and General Assembly should be working together to determine whether emergency declarations should be extended. It is time to unite together to move forward and restore normalcy to our commonwealth.