Flood, Zrinski compete to replace Hahn
NOTE: This is one in a series of election Q&A’s for candidates for the state House of Representatives in the Lehigh Valley region. The Morning Call asked the candidates to respond to written questions in 150 words or fewer.
The race to fill the 138th state House District seat being vacated by Rep. Marcia Hahn will pit nonprofit charity operator Ann Flood, a Republican, against Democrat Tara Zrinski, an adjunct professor andNorthampton County Council member.
Hahn has represented the 138th for 10 years. The district includes Moore, Bushkill, Plainfield, East Allen, Lower Nazareth, Hanover and Bethlehem townships, and Bath, Chapman, Wind Gap and Pen Argyl boroughs.
Flood, founder of Lauren’s Hope Foundation Inc., a nonprofit charity for children with brain injuries, lives in Moore Township. Zrinski lives in Hanover Township.
Q: COVID-19 hit the state in early March. Since then, the Wolf administration’s attempts to keep people safe have affected the lives of millions of Pennsylvanians. Has the administration done a good job, or not? Please explain your answer.
Flood :
Initially, the extreme measures were understandable while the nation got a handle on what exactly we were dealing with. Gov. Wolf did not do a good job after that. Shutting down small businesses, road and home construction, restaurants, real estate and other jobs where people could safely work was extremely detrimental to the commonwealth. People lost their livelihoods, and when applying for a waiver, there was no fair and just way to how they were granted. Some businesses and restaurants, despite best efforts, are closing for good. Schools were closed and are now only functioning on a minimal level. Parents are struggling to work full time from home and be a teacher. The education of our youth is falling between the cracks. He violated our constitutional rights while issuing these mandates without any consideration from either branch of our legislature and unwilling to work with our elected officials.
Zrinski: When we are talking about science, we should consult the experts. The director of the Public Health Dynamics Lab at Pitt’s public health school stated we have nearly 8,000 COVID-19 deaths in Pennsylvania, but had fewer restrictions been imposed, that toll could have been several times higher. Given that the federal government knew and held off on preparing our state governments, our communities were forced to lock down for much longer than perhaps had we known sooner.
As a Northampton County councilwoman, I see firsthand the struggles our small business owners and families have had to endure. Most businesses can’t survive on 25% occupancy. We need to ensure our businesses have the proper support to reopen. That is why I voted on $8.6 million dollars of relief to businesses.
Q: A myriad of changes to election laws have taken place in Pennsylvania within the last year, and more are being talked about right now. Do you feel comfortable with the state’s election process? Please explain your answer.
Flood: While I believe that mail-in ballots can be very useful, I feel that choosing a presidential election year to start the mail-in ballot program in Pennsylvania was poor timing. It should have been rolled out in a different year. The mail-in ballot program was rolled out prematurely, leaving a lot of unanswered questions and creating confusion among voters on how the program works. There are concerns with ballot harvesting, as well as ballots getting lost. Votes should not be received after Election Day. People have ample time prior to the election to make sure you send your mail-in ballot on time. If your vote is important to you, you will make sure it will be there on time. Also, as a citizen of the United States, it is our right to vote and let our voices be heard. I believe we need to protect the process through voter ID.
Zrinski: I believe Americans should be able to exercise our most basic civic duty, free of obstacles. Voting should be safe, secure and simple. I’m confident in the ability of our state and local officials to conduct our elections. On Northampton County Council, I’ve seen the remarkable capacity of our local election offices.
Counties have had ample time to acquire counting machines and letter openers to ensure that mail-in ballots are counted quickly. Drop boxes will be supervised if voters would like to drop off their ballots instead of mail them. Regardless of misinformation about election procedures, there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud. A 2014 study by the Washington Post, which examined elections over 14 years, found only 31 instances of alleged voter impersonation, out of 1 billion ballots. Despite the efforts to cast doubt upon the integrity of our election process, I have faith in our democracy.
Q: The state currently faces a budget shortfall of billions of dollars, largely related to the effects of the pandemic. At the same time, it is unclear if the federal government will give more help and one Pennsylvania lawmaker has publicly predicted an “economic collapse” early next year. How should Pennsylvanians feel about the state’s financial future, and what will you do to make it better? Flood:
Pennsylvanians should be concerned about our economic state. We need to get our people back to work, let our small businesses reopen, restaurants open to capacity. I will fight to make sure that they are protected and make sure they have the resources needed.
Zrinski: While working families and seniors struggle to pay their rent or mortgage, wealthy corporations are getting richer from tax breaks. Pennsylvanians feel frustrated. A mother of two working in a warehouse pays the same rate as a wealthy CEO. We have an unfair tax system that punishes working people and seniors. We need to repeal the uniformity clause, which mandates a regressive flat tax. The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center found that by taxing the wealthy morewecould raise $2.2 billion a year. Also, we must close the Delaware Loophole, where Pennsylvania companies registered in Delaware avoid hundreds of millions in taxes. We can use this revenue to fill our deficit and invest in clean energy, infrastructure and education to create union jobs and rebuild our economy. I’m the only candidate with the courage to take on special interests, because I’m grassroots funded and supported.
Q: What is the most pressing issue in your district, and how would you use your seat to benefit the people in your district? Flood:
The most pressing issue right now in the district is reopening Pennsylvania by getting our local small businesses fully opened again, our restaurants functioning at full capacity and our children getting their education back in schools. I will listen to what is needed most and fight to make sure that they have access to the resources they need.
Zrinski: Pennsylvania is ranked as the sixth most corrupt state. Families and small businesses have a high cost of living and are forced to pay high property taxes and health care costs without a solution in sight. The reason that these problems are never addressed is because of the legal bribery in Harrisburg. Politicians are able to accept unlimited amounts of money from corporate interest groups and no longer serve us.
My first priority will be to break the culture of corruption and gridlock that has created partisan infighting, but leaves us behind. Wecan’t fix Pennsylvania until we fix that problem. I will build the coalition to institute a gift ban so elected officials will listen to their constituents, not lobbyists. I will join the current elected officials that agree so we can finally pass this bill and deliver on promises of lower property taxes, affordable quality health care and protecting our environment.
Q: Why should people vote for you? Flood:
I have been serving and advocating for those living in our community for over 12 years! I have a proven track record of getting things done and will make sure to represent you and the issues that are most important to you. I will collaborate with legislators and work together as a team in Harrisburg to accomplish initiatives that are good for our entire community. I am invested in our community. I have lived in this district my entire life. I’ve raised my family here and run my business here. As president of the Greater Bath Chamber of Commerce, I have my finger on the pulse of our local businesses around our community. I am a fighter. I will be that strong voice in Harrisburg, fighting for what is important to our families here at home and throughout the commonwealth with integrity and conviction.
Zrinski: People should vote for me because I think Harrisburg lacks three things: Courage, conviction and compassion, and that’s what I’ll bring. Nowadays, we’re trapped in a vicious cycle of elections with empty promises. Every cycle, candidates use familiar talking points and trade attacks, the parties switch who’s in charge, but for the rest of us, nothing changes. As a single mother and educator, I know what’s at stake. I was born in Bethlehem Township and raised my three boys here. I have had to work three-four jobs just to make ends meet, to afford housing and health care, and to put my child through college. My father still drives a school bus to afford my mother’s insulin. Enough promises, we need real leadership.
With over 1,000 small-dollar donations, I’m the only grassroots candidate in the race. I don’t take a dime from corporate interests, because I’ll only answer to you.