State Senate candidates speak to the issues

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Two candidates for 23rd state Senate District shared their thoughts on government, gas leasing, education and other issues with Williamsport Rotary Club members Monday.

E. Eugene Yaw, a Republican, said if elected he will draw on his experience as an attorney working with the county, school districts and Pennsylvania College of Technology.

Independent candidate Michael A. Dincher said he hopes people consider electing a person who represents neither Republicans nor Democrats.

After all, he said, each of those parties "has stepped away from you."

Yaw is an attorney with the Williamsport law firm of McNerney, Page, Vanderlin & Hall.

Dincher is an associate professor of forestry at Pennsylvania College of Technology. He also has a landscaping business.

Yaw and Dincher did not debate issues, but instead took turns to speak freely to the small audience. The Democrat on the ballot, Louis "Trey" Casimir, spoke at a previous Rotary meeting.

Dincher, 50, said government spending is out of control and criticized Gov. Ed Rendell for traveling around the state giving away money.

"Those are the kind of things that have to end," he said, while calling for getting the government to get itself in good fiscal shape.

Dincher also called for reform in government, particularly in education funding.

Hired consultants, he said, will conclude that a school needs closed, only to have the school district keep it open, resulting in higher taxes for everyone.

Dincher called for greater accountability in education, but said he's against using a merit system to reward teachers, claiming that favoritism can play into the equation.

"Some who are not well liked may be good teachers," he said.

He added that a lot of school districts are involved in nepotism and that tenure makes it almost impossible for some teachers to get fired.

Yaw, 65, pointed to his days in private law practice that allowed him to deal with businesses and municipal issues.

He said he saw an opportunity to run for the Legislative seat occupied by state Sen. Roger A. Madigan, R-Towanda, when the latter announced last year he was retiring at the end of 2008.

Yaw said while he will not try to imitate Madigan, the two do share a rural background, which is important for the 23rd Senatorial District.

Yaw said gas drilling will be perhaps the biggest economic boon for the area since the great lumbering days of the late 19th century. He said it will be important for the area to ensure how to best benefit from the business.

He called for impact fees on drilling, with much of those revenues staying locally.

Yaw said he was happy to see the federal government reject tolling along Interstate 80, but warned that it's an issue that may arise again.

"I get the feeling tolling is like a bad horror movie," he said.

Yaw also said he is against leasing the Pennsylvania Turnpike to raise revenues for state transportation needs.

He called for abolishing the Turnpike Commission.