Aug. 23—WILKES-BARRE — With all the campaigns heating up across Pennsylvania, here are a few items candidates and their supporters are saying about their stance on issues and about their opponents.

PSEA critical of Mastriano's

proposed education plan

A new Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) analysis finds that gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano's education plan would cut public school funding by more than $12 billion annually — resulting in the loss of nearly 119,000 jobs and more than doubling teacher-to-student ratios in classrooms statewide.

"Cutting funding by more than $12 billion would absolutely devastate Pennsylvania's public schools," said PSEA President Rich Askey. "Doug Mastriano's plan is completely irresponsible, a violation of the state constitution, and an insult to the 1.7 million students who learn in our public schools."

During a March 2022 radio interview on WRTA in Altoona, Mastriano said that Pennsylvania should reduce per-student school funding from an annual average of more than $19,000 today to just $9,000 or $10,000, per-student funding levels unseen in Pennsylvania in more than two decades.

PSEA estimated the statewide impacts on public schools if Mastriano were to fund each student at $9,000 in state funding annually, while eliminating all local school property taxes, as he has proposed. The estimate assumes local non-property taxes and federal funding would remain untouched.

PSEA's analysis found:

Funding for public school districts, charter schools, intermediate units, and career and technical centers would decrease by $12.75 billion, or 33%.

School districts alone would see a total cut of $11 billion.

More than 118,700 jobs would be lost in public school districts, charter schools, intermediate units, and career and technical centers — a drop of 49% in employment.

The student-to-teacher ratio would more than double in public schools.

Details of the estimated impacts on Pennsylvania school districts, charter schools, career and technical centers, and intermediate units can be found at www.psea.org/mastrianocuts.

"Sen. Mastriano would set the clock back 20 years on public education in Pennsylvania," Askey said. "Student programs would be eliminated, educators would be laid off, and class sizes would go through the roof.

"One thing this proposal would accomplish: School districts wouldn't have to worry about staffing shortages anymore. They'd be too busy laying off educators and support staff, increasing class sizes, eliminating sports, and curtailing other programs."

PSEA undertook this analysis in the absence of a clear explanation from Mastriano of how his funding proposal would impact public education.

"Pennsylvanians deserve to have some idea what a proposal like this would mean for the commonwealth's public schools," Askey said. "Parents deserve to know how many teachers their children's public schools would lose. These are important details that Doug Mastriano has chosen not to disclose.

"It's hard to even imagine just how devastating these impacts would be. What would our schools look like with a fraction of the teachers, school counselors, school nurses, custodians, bus drivers, and aides? What would this mean for the education and well-being of Pennsylvania's students?

"How we fund public schools in Pennsylvania is one of the most important functions of state government. Doug Mastriano's dismissive notion that we can cut public school funding by this much is just the latest evidence that he is unfit to lead and simply doesn't care how his extreme ideas would impact real Pennsylvanians and real children."

Askey is the president of PSEA. An affiliate of the National Education Association, PSEA represents about 178,000 active and retired educators and school employees, student teachers, higher education staff, and health care workers in Pennsylvania.

Mastriano challenges

Shapiro to two debates

Republican nominee for governor of Pennsylvania, Doug Mastriano, last week sent a letter to his Democratic opponent, Attorney General Josh Shapiro, challenging him to two 90-minute debates in October that would be organized by both campaigns.

In his letter, Mastriano explained that his debate challenge is designed to give both candidates an even playing field and mitigate the bias of mainstream media which traditionally moderates the debates.

"Typically, Republican statewide candidates fall prey to the trap of debates that are effectively a two-against-one match-up, in which the mainstream media, who moderate the debates, are unpaid advocates and ideological allies of the Democrat candidates," Mastriano wrote in the letter.

"I challenge you to two 90-minute debates in the month of October, one at a location of your choosing, and one at a location of my choosing," Mastriano added. "Each debate will have two moderators ... who will be allowed an equal number of questions asked of each candidate. The topics for the debates can be open-ended with no limits."

To learn more about Mastriano for Governor and his policy plan, visit — www.doug4gov.com/plan.

DR. Oz offers to debate

Fetterman five times

Ten days ago, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Doctor Oz said he agreed to five debates in Pennsylvania and his Democratic opponent, John Fetterman, has agreed to zero debates.

The Doctor Oz for Senate Campaign released the following statement:

"Doctor Oz has agreed to five debates. John Fetterman has agreed to zero debates.

"If John is too sick to debate and is concerned he can not stand in front of cameras for more than 10 minutes, then he should just say so.

"We're sure voters would understand and so would we.

"Otherwise, he should pick some of the many debates Doctor Oz has agreed to, or explain why he won't agree to debate on KDKA on Sept. 6," said Oz /

Fetterman Op-Ed appears

in Times Leader Monday

Pennsylvania Lt. Governor John Fetterman on Monday penned an op-ed in Wilkes-Barre's Times-Leader laying out his agenda for Pennsylvania if elected to the Senate.

Fetterman's op-ed comes the week after the campaign released a new ad describing Fetterman's plan to fight inflation, bring down costs for working people, and stand up to powerful elites. The ad is currently airing in markets across the commonwealth, including in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and on Fox News statewide.

And running the op-ed in Wilkes-Barre, a large market often overlooked by politicians, demonstrates how Fetterman is taking his agenda to every corner of Pennsylvania, proposing real solutions to benefit people across the commonwealth.

In the op-ed, Fetterman notes that, "These aren't Democratic or Republican solutions. They're patriotic, pro-America, and pro-worker solutions — and they're just plain common sense. And while my opponent, Dr. Oz, has been trying to familiarize himself with his new state — and, apparently, with grocery stores — I've been putting in work, talking to people across the commonwealth, and coming up with a plan that will improve the lives of working Pennsylvanians."

Fetterman's new set of policy proposals, which build out the substance of the op-ed and is titled "John's Plan to Hold Washington Accountable," lays out his common-sense agenda in Washington D.C., including:

Making more stuff in America

Ending immoral price gouging

Cutting taxes for working people

Slashing "out of pocket" healthcare costs

Banning Congress from trading stocks

Dr. Oz holds campaign

event at Avenue Diner

Dr. Mehmet Oz Thursday told a crowd gathered at the Avenue Diner in Wyoming Borough that Pennsylvania and the country are not headed in the right direction, but after the November mid-term elections, when he predicts the Republican Party will control of Congress, "we again will elevate our nation."

Oz, the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Lehigh Valley, was in town for what his staffers said was his 137th campaign stop since the May Primary. Oz has visited 30 of the state's 67 counties so far, meeting with voters and community leaders to get his message out.

Oz faces Democrat John Fetterman, who has been Pennsylvania's Lieutenant Governor during the Wolf Administration, in the Nov. 8 general election.

Oz said the campaign has taken him more than 4,000 miles so far, with 164 stops in 30 counties and more than 90 media interviews. He said he has enjoyed meeting constituents and community leaders and elected officials to hear what their concerns on as he gathers information to take to Capitol Hill.

"It's extremely important for me to meet with as many people as possible to listen to their concerns and to discuss those issues with them," Oz said. "You can't just phone it in because Pennsylvania has immense power to change the direction of the Senate. Our country is being slammed by skyrocketing inflation on gas and groceries, shocking increases in violent crime, and the fear of energy shortages if we don't start standing up for our communities and our economy."

Oz said by him showing up in Pennsylvania's communities and talking about the tough issues, he gets a true reading on what issues are on the minds of voters.

"They have told me we have to enhance our energy infrastructure, combat inflation, get our kids in quality schools, and keep criminals off our streets," Oz said. "But John Fetterman is doing the opposite — hiding from voters and not talking to the press. John Fetterman doesn't know the value of a real job. He's only lived off his parents' wealth and the taxpayers without really showing up for Pennsylvania. He thinks releasing one-third of Pennsylvania's inmate population wouldn't make anyone less safe. Fetterman wants Washington imposing a green new deal on us and more spending that drives gas prices and inflation even higher — that's just crazy talk."

Oz called Fetterman a "radical left candidate," saying he is more far left that Vermonr Sen. Bernie Sanders,

"The only thing Joe Biden is building back better is the Republican Party," Oz said. "We need real, sensible solutions that come from the ground up. I'm doing the hard work, and I'll fight for Pennsylvania in the US. Senate."

Supporters turn out for Dr. Oz

Joining Dr. Oz at the event, were U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas; State Treasurer Stacy Garrity, State Sen. :Lisa Baker, R-Lehman Township; Rep. Aaron Kaufer, R-Kingston; and several GOP candidates for state offices and sitting Luzerne County Council members.

"Dr. Mehmet Oz will be making his way around the new 9nth Congressional District today," Meuser said. "We got to hear a great message about his plans to make America stronger by making Pennsylvania stronger."

Baker said Dr. Oz is criss-crossing the commonwealth every day to share his positive message for Pennsylvania's future.

"He is committed to reigning in inflation, including harnessing our natural resources to help consumers, and to empowering individuals and families to live better lives," Baker said. "Dr. Oz has proven he is willing to put in the hard work required to earn the support of voters across northeastern Pennsylvania and that he will be an advocate for our region in the United States Senate."

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Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.