Two vie for 15th Legislative District
Three-term state Rep. Jim Christiana is again vying for a seat in the redrawn 15th District, which now includes a sizable stretch of western Washington County in addition to part of Beaver County.
Christiana, the Republican incumbent, is facing former Aliquippa police officer Paul Cain in the general election Nov. 4. Cain, the Democratic candidate, has been mum on his run for office and, aside from a few roadside signs scattered throughout Beaver County, has had little or no public presence.
He has not spoken to local media and did not respond to an invitation to meet with the Observer-Reporter editorial board, nor did he return calls from a reporter seeking comment.
According to Cain’s business card, which was posted online, he is a lifelong Beaver County resident and a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and a union prevailing wage. He is married with three children.
The Beaver County Times reported Cain and two other Aliquippa police officers were fired Oct. 1 without explanation. The newspaper also reported Cain violated a policy, approved by Aliquippa council in 2010, that prohibited police officers from running for public office.
Christiana said aside from the roadside signs, his opponent has had “a pretty inactive campaign.” He said he hasn’t heard Cain speak publicly about his run for office since the day he filed his nominating petition.
Christiana, 31, lives in Beaver with his wife, Jayann. He listed his introduction of PENNWATCH, the Pennsylvania Web Accountability, Transparency and Contract Hub, among his accomplishments in office. Passed in 2011 and made public in December 2012, the online database includes information on state spending, budgets, revenue and employees’ salaries.
He also introduced SchoolWATCH, a similar online database to track spending by public, charter and cyber schools. It was approved by the House, but needs to be re-referred to the Senate Education Committee for consideration in the next session, beginning in January.
His legislation expanded the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program and created a new program called EITC 2.0, which is funded by tax credits to businesses that contribute to an Opportunity Scholarship Organization. The program provides an additional $50 million in scholarships to eligible students in low-achieving school districts so that they can transfer to new public schools.
“I do believe we have a responsibility in Harrisburg to rescue kids from chronically under-performing schools and give those that come from lower-income households an opportunity for a different environment,” Christiana said.
Christiana said cyber schools should be funded by the state, rather than each school district footing the bill for students who choose the nontraditional teaching option.
“We could get rid of this continual fight about cyber vs. traditional if the state just met its responsibility and funded them separately and distinctly,” he said.
Christiana said public schools are facing budget crises partly because they have too many administrators, and he called for a significant reduction.
When asked about property tax reform as a way to fund education, Christiana said property taxes are “un-American” and ideally should be eliminated. He said an expanded sales tax and personal income tax could fill in the funding gaps.
Christiana said he would vote in favor of legalizing medical marijuana if more research shows it is safe and beneficial. He does not support a severance tax on Marcellus Shale gas drilling and believes the impact fee should stay intact so that Pennsylvania’s drilling industry can remain competitive.
Christiana introduced legislation in the 2011-12 session in support of constructing a multibillion dollar petrochemical plant in Beaver County. It would be the first of its kind in the northeast part of the country.