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 housing bills have only gone up, and keep going. Most people and families are one missed paycheck away from poverty, many are already there, and the fear of homelessness can quickly become a reality for many of us.
Rob will take on:
- Increasing the minimum wage to a livable standard
- Reducing housing costs, especially for families, seniors and veterans
- Lowering and capping utility costs
- Establishing paid sick, medical, and family leaves
- Supporting unions and protecting workers’ rights
- Responsible and meaningful tax reform
- Ending price gouging and predatory consumer practices
We need meaningful policies that will keep costs of living low and bring back to our district the tax dollars that we send out. We need a representative willing to take the bold steps necessary to enact them.tax reform so that the dollars we send out are coming back to benefit the taxpayers in our district.
All individuals deserve equitable access to quality 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.
Rob will fight for:
- Expanding Medicaid coverage for all people in Pennsylvania
- Enshrining Affordable Care Act protections as Pennsylvania law
- Lowering and capping prescription drug costs
- Expanding resources for mental health and substance abuse treatment services
- Holding accountable insurance and drug companies
- Protecting a woman’s right to bodily autonomy
- Keeping the government out of private medical decisions
All Pennsylvanians should receive medical coverage (with medical privacy) from the time they enter this world until the time they leave it. The only people that should be involved in medical decisions are the individual and their care provider.
Community safety takes many forms, from law enforcement and public transport to the quality of our air and water. Whether it’s what we put in our food or what happens with our digital data, we are entitled to a government that prioritizes people over profit.
Rob will relentlessly advocate for:
- Equitably funding public schools and first responders
- Funding and resources for childcare and after-school programs
- Restricting and regulating AI data centers
- Establishing OSHA protections for PA public sector workers
- Expanding resources for violence intervention and public housing programs
- Improving our local infrastructure
- Promoting clean energy and environmental protection initiatives
By taking a serious look at how our tax dollars are being allocated, what laws we have that are doing more harm than good, and being regularly available to take your concerns with him to Harrisburg, Rob will help to keep our district safe.
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.
Public Education
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.
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 411 Voter Guide
- Steel City Stonewall Democrats Endorsement Questionnaire
- Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey
- WESA Candidate Survey
