Taxes, abortion, crime, schools, voting - Josh Shapiro answers your questions

Editor's note: The Erie Times-News asked voters to submit their questions for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor, U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, Pennsylvania 16th District. Here, Pennsylvania governor candidate Attorney General Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, answers your questions.

Question: What is your plan to defend and preserve democracy in Pennsylvania? What is the chief threat against it?

Answer: Throughout the 2020 election and over the last two years, Pennsylvania has become the epicenter of the fight to defend American democracy. Dozens of times, I went to court to protect Pennsylvanians' right to vote and ensure every vote was counted — and in the face of those attacks, we won.

Defending democracy is the foundation for making progress in Pennsylvania. I believe that if we want to grow our economy, improve our schools, and make our communities safer, then we need a stable democracy where all Pennsylvanians' voices can be heard.

As governor, I will continue my work to ensure voters have access to the ballot box and that every legal vote is counted in every election. That's why I released a 10-part plan to defend democracy, ensure access to the ballot, and improve our elections by appointing a pro-democracy secretary of state, allowing counties to pre-canvass and cure ballots, establishing automatic voter registration and early in-person voting, and vetoing any attempt to restrict mail-in voting in Pennsylvania. I'll work with Republicans and Democrats alike in the legislature, to find common ground and ensure we can expand access to the ballot box — not restrict it.

In contrast, my opponent is a threat to our democracy — he's said that he could decertify all of the state's voting machines "with the stroke of a pen" if he disagrees with the results, he has a plan to force every Pennsylvania voter to re-register, and he wants to repeal the bipartisan legislation that enabled mail-in voting — legislation he himself voted for. It's clear that he is a risk to democracy, and that the stakes have never been higher.

Violent crime is rampant in Pennsylvania cities, especially Philadelphia. Perpetrators are getting younger and younger. What will you do to lower crime across Pennsylvania?

As Pennsylvania Attorney General, I've arrested over 8,100 drug dealers, seized 3.2 million doses of heroin and 4 million doses of fentanyl, broken up interstate gun trafficking rings, and led the fight to close the ghost gun loophole. I've also deployed our Strategic Response Teams to hot spots across the commonwealth, including Philadelphia and McKeesport, where our agents worked with local law enforcement. In West Philly, our partnership led to a 46% decrease in shootings in the 18th district and an 18% decrease in the 19th district.

However, there is still so much more that needs to be done and there needs to be real accountability for criminals. As governor, I’ll invest more resources in public safety, hire over 2,000 more police officers across the commonwealth, and work with federal, state, and local officials to make our communities safer.

Please explain what Pennsylvania's law on abortion should be in terms of limits or exceptions or outright bans and why. Has your position changed amid the campaign?

Following the Supreme Court's ruling that overturned Roe vs. Wade, a woman's freedom to choose now depends on the state in which she lives. While abortion is still legal in Pennsylvania, whether it remains legal will depend entirely on who we elect as our next governor.

Our state legislature is poised to pass a law banning abortion in Pennsylvania, and my opponent would sign that bill into law as governor. He wants to use government to dictate how Pennsylvanians live their lives and has said that his number one priority is to ban abortion — without exceptions for rape, incest, or the life of the mother. It's clear now more than ever that the rights of women to have control over their own bodies and our fundamental freedoms are on the line.

Throughout my career, I have always fought to protect reproductive rights — and as governor, I will continue to stand with women, protect Pennsylvania's current laws, and expand access to reproductive health care here in Pennsylvania.

Given the polarization in the legislature and the country at large, how will you lead to defeat gridlock and ensure Pennsylvania's government works for its people?

Right now, our politics seem broken and divided, but we can't just take our ball and go home. There is too much on the line, and I know there is so much more that unites us than divides us. Elected leaders have a responsibility to bring people together and act in the best interest of the people we serve.

Throughout my career — and every day as attorney general — I work hard to bring people together, solve problems, and get things done for Pennsylvania. I have a long track record of doing that successfully, from bringing the Legislative Black Caucus and law enforcement to the table to create the first statewide database for police misconduct, to brokering a deal with UPMC and Highmark to protect health care for 1.9 million people in western Pennsylvania.

As governor, I will continue working to bring people together so that we can solve our biggest problems — because that's how we will deliver results for people across our commonwealth and move Pennsylvania forward.

I am a senior citizen homeowner in Erie County, PA. I would like to know why the House and Senate will not pass a law absolving senior citizen homeowners from paying school taxes. I am a widow. My husband and I worked hard to pay off our home. I receive $1,420 each month in Social Security. My taxes were $2,788 for 2022. I did receive a rebate of about $500 and then a one-time $300. I immediately put these totals into a tax account. That leaves about $1,900 for me to figure out where the balance is coming from. I know I am not the only person who struggles with this, and honestly, I am angry because there are many U.S. states that have either reduced or eliminated school taxes for senior citizens.

Where do you stand on school tax reform for seniors?

Pennsylvania has the seventh highest percentage of seniors out of all of the states and, as governor, I will continue to ensure that we bring relief to our seniors, while also ensuring that our schools are fully funded. It is essential that we fully fund our schools so that seniors are not paying a disproportionate amount of money into the school system. I will be a governor who invests more state dollars into our public education system so local governments do not have to rely on property taxes as much to fund schools and the burden for seniors is lower.

I also will lower the burden that seniors are facing by expanding and increasing the Property Tax and Rent Rebate program, so that more Pennsylvania seniors will get the help they deserve and more money will be in their pockets. Under my plan, seniors will get between $350 and $500 more than they do under the current program — up to $1,000 in total — and 275,000 more Pennsylvanians will be eligible to receive a rebate. I will propose concrete plans like that to cut taxes, reduce costs, and help seniors remain in their homes.

What will you do as governor to protect human rights such as reproductive rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, BIPOC rights, and women's rights?

No matter what you look like, who you love, or who you pray or don't pray to, I have always protected Pennsylvanians' rights and worked to make this commonwealth a place where everyone has the ability to live, work, and thrive.

From defending contraception and reproductive health care in court to helping the first LGBTQ+ couples marry in Pennsylvania — I fought for Pennsylvanians' fundamental rights.

I believe there is far more that unites us than divides us — and when it comes to protecting our communities, defending our freedoms, and building a commonwealth that is the best place for businesses and families to thrive, I'll be a governor Pennsylvanians can count on.

The database for police misconduct in PA has been a disaster, in my opinion. What would you do to bring needed reform to the system?

I have always taken on the big fights to stand up for Pennsylvanians and in a historic effort, I brought the Legislative Black Caucus and law enforcement leaders together to create the first ever statewide police misconduct database. In the wake of the killing of George Floyd, Pennsylvania became the only state in the nation with a divided government to pass some meaningful reform. By bringing community and law enforcement leaders all to the table, we were able to listen, build trust, and ultimately deliver real results for Pennsylvanians. This system is the first of its kind here in the commonwealth — it will help departments know who they are hiring and weed out people who shouldn't be wearing a uniform.

While there is more we need to do to make our communities safer and ensure members of the community feel safe, this database is an example of how we can get things done for the people of Pennsylvania. I have a long track record of bringing people together to take on the issues that matter most to Pennsylvanians and that is exactly what I will continue to do as governor to get things done for Pennsylvanians.

Please state whether you believe the 2020 state and presidential election was free and fair and valid, and if not, based on what evidence? What is your position on the events at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and the multi-pronged effort to overturn the election?

Let's set the record straight — there have been multiple legitimate, lawful audits that confirmed Joe Biden won Pennsylvania and the 2020 election. As attorney general, I went to court dozens of times to defend Pennsylvanians' right to vote and ensure every legal vote was counted.

Nearly two years after the election, politicians are still chasing conspiracies in an attempt to undermine our democracy. You can draw a straight line between the 2020 election, the insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and the attempts to restrict the right to vote in Harrisburg. Far-right politicians like my opponent are still consumed with the Big Lie — it's dangerous, it's extreme, and it's a threat to our democracy.

Pennsylvanians deserve to hear the truth from their elected officials. A governor, I will continue to protect Pennsylvanians' rights to vote and I will stand up to the lies and conspiracies of the far right — just like I did in 2020.

Pennsylvania has many secondary roads that are maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Why not consider making these roads county or municipal roads like most all other states?

This year, Pennsylvania made national headlines for the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh and the American Society of Civil Engineers gave the commonwealth's bridges and roads a D+ grade — with more than 3,300 bridges rated in poor condition.

As governor, I will ensure that we fund the repair and maintenance of structurally deficient bridges and roads. Investing in our outdated infrastructure will not only make it easier and safer for Pennsylvania drivers, but will also create jobs for Pennsylvanians living in rural areas.

Rather than shift the burden to our local governments — who are already facing high costs — I will ensure that the commonwealth invests more state dollars in our roads and will spend federal funding coming to PennDOT and other state agencies on repairs for infrastructure. I will also appoint a skilled and experienced team at PennDOT and the Turnpike Commission, and partner with labor groups to make sure that we are growing our economy while also establishing high-paying union jobs.

What position do you take regarding behavior problems in schools like the city of Erie public junior and senior high schools? Should state funding for schools be determined, at least in part, by the level of discipline used to foster a learning atmosphere?

I've spent months traveling across this commonwealth, listening to Pennsylvanians about their concerns, and too many are worried about their kids — their mental health, their education, and their safety in school. We are seeing a massive mental health crisis that needs to be addressed — which is why I plan to put at least one mental health counselor in every school.

As attorney general, I launched the Safe2Say program that allows anonymous reporting of safety threats or self harm in schools. In the 2020-21 academic year, approximately 62% of the reports received through the app were related to mental health issues and concerns about students harming themselves. What I've learned from this program is that our children need help and our schools are not currently equipped to handle this mental health crisis.

We need more resources to protect our students, which is why I have proposed putting at least one mental health counselor in every school. As governor, I plan to work with the Department of Education, Department of Labor, and the General Assembly to provide funding for local education agencies to recruit and train additional mental health professionals through residency programs and apprenticeships, and will offer loan forgiveness programs for counselors who teach in underserved areas, so that our children have all of the resources they need.

Should we ban military-style weapons such as the AR-15?

Every Pennsylvanian deserves to feel safe at home, at school, and in their community — and I know we can achieve that while upholding Pennsylvanians' rights and traditions.

Throughout my career, I have worked with my colleagues in law enforcement and with local communities across our commonwealth to fight gun violence and keep Pennsylvanians safe — breaking up interstate gun trafficking rings, leading the fight to close the ghost gun loophole, and launching a Track + Trace Initiative to go after gun trafficking and illegal transfers — ensuring every crime gun is tracked across Pennsylvania.

However, there is still so much more that needs to be done and there needs to be real accountability for criminals. As governor, I'll invest more resources in public safety, hire over 2,000 more police officers across the commonwealth, pass a red flag law, implement universal background checks for all firearm sales, support legislation that limits the availability of weapons of war and military-style, large capacity magazines, and work with federal, state, and local officials to make our communities safer.

What threat does disinformation pose to our country?

From lies about the 2020 election to false information about the COVID-19 vaccine — disinformation has proven to be a threat to our democracy and the health and safety of our communities. What's even worse is when our elected leaders spread these lies to their constituents.

Elected leaders have a responsibility to bring people together and act in the best interest of the people we serve — and that starts with speaking the truth. Throughout my career, I’ve taken on the big fights, fought to deliver real results for the people of Pennsylvania, and spoke truth to the powerful. As I campaign and meet people all across this commonwealth — and God willing, as our next governor — I will continue to speak the truth, push back against disinformation, and fight to tackle the most important issues facing Pennsylvanians.

State Sen. Doug Mastriano is the Republican candidate in Pennsylvania's race for governor. The Erie Times-News reached out to his campaign to invite him to answer questions submitted by area voters. The campaign did not respond.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: PA governor candidate Josh Shapiro answers Erie voters' questions