Election 2022: Your guide to the race for the 10th district state Senate seat
Democratic incumbent Steve Santarsiero and Republican Matthew McCullough are running for the 10th state Senate district in Bucks County.
Here's where the candidates stand on the issues.
Matthew McCullough
Age: 48
Party: Republican
Occupation: Small business owner
Town of residence: Newtown Township
Q: What steps would you take to reduce polarization?
A: The best thing any one politician can do to is to stop the "us versus them" mentality that has become all too prevalent today. I will work hard to reach across the aisle to find common ground. I truly believe that good ideas come from both sides and by working together we can pass meaningful legislation to help our communities. I will also speak factually and not repeat misinformation because it advances an agenda, and I will call out both sides when they do.
How would you handle legislation regarding abortion?
I would oppose any changes to abortion rights. While I personally am pro-life, I do not believe that we should restrict a woman’s right to make decisions about their health care. I believe that the law as is represents a balance between access to choice and protection from late term abortion. We need easy access to adoption, birth control, and wellness programs for mom and baby after delivery.
How can we fund needed road and bridge improvements?
There are a couple things we can do. One, move non-roadway funding from the liquid fuels tax and put those items back in the general fund. This will leave more of that tax revenue available for road repairs without increasing the gas tax. Second, we need to implement a program for capturing mileage related or a flat yearly fee for electric vehicle drivers utilizing Pennsylvania’s roads. I will support ways to fund roads that do not raise taxes on our families.
What, if any, reforms to Pennsylvania's election law would you support?
I do support voter ID laws and the majority of voters agree. The US is one of only a few countries in the civilized world that does not require some form of ID at the polling place, whether that be a government issued ID or a scannable election day card. I also support removing the financial barrier to getting ID by having the Commonwealth pay for them. It will be a small price to pay to maintain integrity and confidence in the voting process.
Would you seek the adoption of any new gun control measures? If yes, what? If no, why not?
The most impactful thing we can do to prevent gun violence is to enforce the innumerable gun control laws we already have on the books. New laws impact law abiding gun owners. Criminals aren’t going to follow new laws any more than they follow the current ones and you need to look no further than Philadelphia and failed DA Larry Krasner. We also need to increase access to mental health services in our communities. I do support banning 3-D printed, non-serialized gun parts.
How would you position Pennsylvania to be a leader on environmental issues?
We do need to continue to develop alternatives to traditional fossil fuels to take on a changing climate. It is important to remember though that our energy needs and storage capacity aren’t compatible with a 100% renewable energy sector. We have seen vast improvements in air and water quality attributable to increased use of natural gas. The right approach requires balance, using traditional energy sources as a bridge to the future of renewable energy.
What should Pennsylvania’s minimum wage, now set at $7.25 an hour, be?
I would support increasing the minimum wage because we can all agree that $7.25 isn’t a livable wage. While I believe that market has a way to correct these wages based on supply and demand, we should show that we value the work everyone contributes to our economy. I would support an immediate raise in the wage and then common sense way to increase over time that doesn’t crush small businesses.
What, if any, procedural rules would you suggest or support for the 2023-24 legislative session?
One procedural rule I would like to see is that we have more up down votes in the Senate. Leadership shouldn’t have the only say in what bills get voted on and we should have a mechanism to get things done. I would also support a law that would ban elected officials from serving in party leadership and serving as counsel or employees at businesses that do public work. We should never have to question if elected official work for us or themselves.
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Steve Santarsiero
Age: 57
Party: Democratic
Occupation: Lawyer and state senator
Town of residence: Lower Makefield
Q: What steps would you take to reduce polarization?
I work across the aisle particularly on issues that have come before the Judiciary Committee, where I serve as the Democratic Chair. I worked closely with Lisa Baker, the Republican Chair of the committee, in drafting Kayden's Law, SB 78. We are the two prime sponsors of the bill, which would protect children in custody disputes by requiring that courts treat the child's safety as the primary consideration in awarding custody and visitation rights. It passed the Senate 45-5 in 2021.
How would you handle legislation regarding abortion?
I support abortion rights consistent with PA's Abortion Control Act and the Roe v. Wade decision. I voted against SB 106, a proposed amendment to our state constitution that would abolish the right to abortion in PA. I will continue to oppose attempts to limit or end existing reproductive freedoms in PA.
How can we fund needed road and bridge improvements?
PA has a sizable budget surplus. We need to use some of that money to supplement existing road and bridge revenues as well as the roughly $4.5 billion in funds that PA will receive as part of the recently-enacted federal infrastructure program. Since joining the Senate, I have fought to get many road and bridge projects done here in the 10th District. Each year I take PennDOT officials on a road tour in the district to highlight our needs and get the work done.
What, if any, reforms to Pennsylvania's election law would you support?
In 2021, I was part of a special, bipartisan Senate Committee reviewing the 2020 election. We interviewed elections officials all over PA, Democrats and Republicans alike. They all said that the 2020 election was fair and free of fraud. So, we have a secure system now, but we need to make it easier for people to vote, not harder. We should require counties to increase the number of vote-by-mail drop boxes available to voters. We also should enact early voting in PA.
Would you seek the adoption of any new gun control measures? If yes, what? If no, why not?
Yes. I am a prime sponsor of SB 88, which would establish a system of universal background checks for all gun purchases in PA. I also have written bills requiring the safe storage of firearms when they are not in use. I support the lost and stolen bill that would require gun owners to notify the police, if their firearms are lost or stolen, to prevent guns from getting into the wrong hands. And I have proposed SB 1300, a ban on assault weapons and a limit on magazine capacities.
How would you position Pennsylvania to be a leader on environmental issues?
We need to (1) increase our renewable energy standards in PA to lower carbon emissions (like my SB 300) to fight global warming; (2) pass strict standards to protect our drinking water, especially contamination from PFAS chemicals; (3) fully fund conservation efforts, particularly our state park and forest systems; and (4) we need to pass laws that better regulate the natural gas fracking process. I am currently leading a fight in federal court to protect our drinking water in Bucks County.
What should Pennsylvania’s minimum wage, now set at $7.25 an hour, be?
I am a co-sponsor of SB 12, which would increase the minimum wage in PA to $15 an hour by 2027. That is an important step, but we also need to bring more jobs that pay well to PA. That is why I helped bring the North Point development to the old US Steel Site in Falls Township, that will create about 10,000 permanent jobs when fully built. It's also why I have secured millions of dollars in investment funds for businesses and organizations here in Bucks County that create good jobs.
What, if any, procedural rules would you suggest or support for the 2023-24 legislative session?
As a Democrat I am in the minority in the PA Senate (the current makeup of the Senate is 29 Republicans to 21 Democrats). The rules need to protect the right of the minority to raise issues and be heard. So, we should do away with the ability to end debate with a simple majority vote. We also should require any suspension of the rules to be subject to a 2/3 vote of the Senate. Finally, all Senators should be allowed to bring at least 2 or 3 bills up for a vote in committee.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Voters Guide 2022: Race for Pennsylvania's 10th state Senate district
