Humble, Bower-Bjornson vying for 50th state House seat
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one in a series of stories featuring key races in the upcoming Nov. 3 election.
A new legislator will be representing the 50th State House District in Harrisburg next year after five-term state Rep. Bud Cook lost his re-election bid in the Republican primary.
Republican challenger Ben Humble of Waynesburg defeated Cook in May and will now face Lois Bower-Bjornson of Scenery Hill in the Nov. 3 general election after she ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.
The 50th State House District includes all of Greene County and southeastern Washington County.
We asked two questions to each of the candidates and asked them to respond with written answers.
Question 1: What are the most pressing issues facing Pennsylvania, and how would you address them?
Question 2: What is your position on the development of data centers, and what role should the state play in regulating them?
Their responses, which we asked to keep under 200 words, are below.
Name: Ben Humble
Age: 38
Residence: Waynesburg
Occupation: Humble Flooring & Decorating Center; President of Waynesburg Borough Council
Party: Republican
Question 1: Pennsylvania’s greatest challenges are rising costs for working families, aging infrastructure, and the need to create sustainable, good-paying jobs.
As a small-business manager and local elected official, I see firsthand how these challenges affect families, businesses, and municipalities. We need to focus on responsible spending, reducing unnecessary regulations, strengthening our infrastructure, and creating an environment where businesses can grow and families can thrive.
In Greene and Washington Counties, we are blessed with tremendous natural resources, hardworking people, and opportunities for economic development. We must build upon those strengths by supporting our coal and natural gas industries while welcoming new investments that create long-term opportunities.
I also believe Harrisburg needs to work more closely with local governments. Our boroughs and townships understand their communities’ needs, and they deserve a stronger voice in decisions affecting their future.
My priority will be practical, bipartisan solutions that strengthen our communities, protect taxpayers, and ensure the next generation has opportunities to build a future right here at home.
Question 2: I support responsible economic development and recognize the opportunities data centers may bring to Pennsylvania. However, I firmly believe local communities must have the final say in whether these developments are appropriate for their municipalities.
Decisions that affect our neighborhoods, infrastructure, water resources, and quality of life should not be dictated by Harrisburg or outside developers without meaningful local input.
Pennsylvania is blessed with abundant natural resources, including coal and natural gas, that can help meet growing energy demands. But we must ensure these projects do not increase utility costs for hardworking families or place additional financial burdens on local taxpayers.
The state’s role should be to establish clear environmental and infrastructure standards, hold developers accountable, and protect the authority of local governments to make land-use decisions within their communities.
I welcome investment, innovation, and good-paying jobs, but economic development must be done responsibly.
Progress should never come at the expense of the very communities it is intended to benefit.
Name: Lois Bower-Bjornson
Age: 61
Residence: Scenery Hill
Occupation: Small business owner, Southwestern Pennsylvania Field Organizer for Clean Air Council
Party: Democratic
Question 1: Affordable housing, transportation, Clean energy production, rural hospitals.
The 50th district has some of the most affordable housing. In order to promote our district and revitalize the district there needs to be public transportation. Everyone wants their children and grandchildren to be homeowners, to live the American dream. No one wants their children or grandchildren to leave the area. I plan on having a transportation study to determine the cost and need of new rail and bus transportation. This will allow folks to live where they choose and still have access to areas that they choose to work along with contributing to the economy therefore rebuilding our communities.
As an energy producing state second in the nation, next to Texas we should have a choice in the energy we consume. In Texas, you get to choose what is on your property whether it be renewables, an oil dike or well pad. Texas also retains billions of dollars from the Oil & Gas industry, paying for their public services, schools, and infrastructure. All that Pennsylvania receives is an impact fee. This fee is needed, but is nearly not enough for communities that are being extracted from. Recently I have learned that the impact fee is about to expire therefore leaving Pennsylvania’s with nothing, except pollution and destruction of our property and our health. Most major fossil fuel companies are investing in renewables and clean energy. In order to remain competitive in the energy market we must be allowed a choice so that Pennsylvania is moving forward to the future. This will enable Pennsylvania to be the leader in clean energy. If not, we will miss an opportunity to be leaders and left behind.
Rural hospitals are a must in the 50th district. By eliminating or cutting off access to healthcare you are separating the 50th district from the ability to take care of their own. People need close accessible health care and hospitals.
Question 2: There should be a three-year moratorium on data centers. I’m in agreement with Senator Katie Muth’s proposal on data centers. The mad rush is reminiscent of more boom and bust industry. There are very little jobs when building data centers. Once the data centers are complete there are possibly 1 to 10 jobs. This does not help our communities, it helps the data center developers and the fossil fuel industry.
The fuel that will be used to power data centers is natural gas. We already know the impacts from fracking and what it has done to our communities, our health, air, water and land, not to mention the cost in health impacts it has had to humans. We will be inundated with more fracking, therefore causing more negative impacts to our communities, polluting them further. We do not want Pennsylvania to become a super fund site.