The Pennsylvania primary for 2022 voting is on Tuesday, May 17, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. There will be nonpartisan outreach volunteers at many of the polling places with the “Fix Harrisburg Petition.” You can email questions to info@fairdistrictspa.com.

In Pennsylvania only about 6%-7% of the thousands of bills introduced each year get passed. Rules are the problem. A very big problem in our state. Did you know that any one of the six majority party leaders can single-handedly block any bill? The party leader outweighs the voice of the people. If the chair does not want the bill discussed, it won’t be discussed, period, end of story. This is not representative democracy.

Our legislators have ignored economic development, broadband access to rural areas, minimum wage, environmental accountability and competitive health insurance, to name a few. And property tax reform, hear this, unless the rules change, it will not get done. How many years have they been yakking about that?

If they have bipartisan support and public-demonstrated support for a bill, it deserves a vote. Leaders want to control the process, and they have, for years! They talk, talk, talk because their job is to get re-elected. Listen to what they say, check their websites, and then compare their voting record. I have. Former Republican House Rep. David J. Steil of Bucks County is a supporter. He was there from 1993 to 2008. This fight is bipartisan-nonpartisan.

U.S. News and World Report ranks states in various categories. Check it out. Pennsylvania is listed with the bottom three states that are least responsive to what the people want.

Now, ask your legislator “where do you stand on rules reform?”

Debra Becker

Effort