All individuals deserve access to affordable and equitable healthcare. Families should not have to choose between groceries or paying off their inflated medical bills. People should not let their health conditions go untreated because they don’t have the coverage for a doctor. No one should die because their insurance no longer covers their life-saving medications. All of these problems exist in each of our daily lives, and Rob will fight to change that.
By lowering healthcare premiums, holding insurance and drug companies accountable when needed, and ensuring all Pennsylvanians receive medical coverage from the time they enter this world until the time they leave it, we can ensure that everyone in our community is healthy and has the best quality of life.
The cost of living keeps going up while our wages stay the same. The minimum wage in Pennsylvania has been stagnant since 2009. Utility and grocery bills have only gone up, and keep going. Costs of living have risen significantly, and continue. Most people and families are one missed pay check away from poverty, many are already there, and the fear of homelessness can quickly become a reality for many of us.
Rob will fight for an immediate increase in the minimum wage, meaningful policies that will keep costs of living low, and significant tax reform so that the dollars we send out are coming back to benefit the taxpayers in our district.
Public schools are an essential part of our community, and we must treat them as such. Strong schools ensure a promising future for our children, and every student in our district deserves the same opportunities as every other in the commonwealth. Only when our schools are effectively resourced and the teachers are well supported can they can provide optimum quality education to their students.
Fighting to raise pay for teachers, equitably allocating funds for schools to provide modern and effective resources, and decreasing practical or institutional roadblocks to education for all students and families are some of the first steps Rob will take.
Raising the Minimum Wage
The minimum wage in Pennsylvania has been $7.25 since 2009. By modern standards, that is simply not livable. Pennsylvania is being left behind while our neighbors–West Virginia, Ohio, and New York–have all raised their minimum wages. Pennsylvania deserves the same and it’s time we caught up.
Protecting Reproductive Freedoms
The majority of Pennsylvania supports a woman’s right to have autonomy over her own body. Rob proudly stands with that majority. Reproductive rights and all healthcare decisions that come with them are between an individual and their doctor. Rob will always vigorously defend the rights for women to choose what to do with their bodies, and for doctors and other medical professionals to treat their patients to the best of their medical ability.
Supporting Small and Local Businesses
Small businesses are part of what makes a community unique, and our district has a great many. Rob will support all efforts that protect the interests and promote the growth of locally owned businesses.
Community Safety
Community safety takes many forms. By taking a serious look at how our tax dollars are being allocated, Rob will prioritize access to community healthcare, public outreach on important health and safety issues, ensuring our schools, police and fire departments, and all other public services are well-resourced, and fight for the tax dollars that come out of our district come back to benefit our local infrastructure.
Cannabis Reform
Despite its ubiquity in everyday society, cannabis remains restricted in significant ways. The commonwealth has deemed it appropriate for medical use, but despite 66% of registered Pennsylvania voters supporting the recreational use of it, current legislation has not only made access more difficult, but also consequences for possession and use more severe than is warranted–even for medical card holders.
Cannabis is not dangerous. People who use it are not criminals. 24 states and D.C. have already legalized recreational use for adults and have seen drops in crime rates, significant job creation with a steady market, and a noticeable boost to their local economies. Rob will support policies that bring these benefits to our state and district, backed by current scientific, medical, and economic evidence.
Environmental Protection
Clean air and water are things that we take for granted, and they are not a guarantee–particularly with the impending development of AI facilities. Some of our resources are finite and contributing to the very real crisis of climate change. There are forever chemicals in our soil and carcinogenic pollutants in our air. Pennsylvania is already making strides in green energy, but we can do more. Rob will support policies to protect the environment and keep our district clean and residents healthy. We can grow our economy, job market, energy output, and local infrastructure without killing the planet.
Economic Growth
The local economy doesn’t have to be small just because it’s local. Respected small businesses, high-performing school districts, affordable housing, a stable job market, empowered unions, and a feeling of safety will not only bring new residents to our district, but also benefit the residents already here. We need someone in Harrisburg who won’t forget that.
LGBTQ+ Rights
It is no secret that the LGBTQ+ community is facing a severe increase in hate crimes nationwide, and it is no different in Pennsylvania. Whether they are physical attacks for sexual orientation or legislative assaults against gender identity, they are harmful to a great many people. Everyone deserves to feel safe and be included, and Rob will vigorously fight for that, always.
Vote Rob Francis 