State Rep. Jamie Flick reflects on impactful first year in Harrisburg
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A state lawmaker from South Williamsport pledges to remain fiscally conservative while co-sponsoring and writing legislation to help strengthen his home district.
State Rep. Jamie Flick, R-South Williamsport, is in the second year of his two-year term in office in Harrisburg, serving the 83rd District, which includes Lycoming County and two northern townships in Union County.
It means he is seeking reelection this year with an expected announcement this week, according to his office staff.
In a recent interview with the Sun-Gazette editorial board, the freshman legislator offered highlights of his year in Harrisburg.
"I stuck to my campaign promise, which is if the budget did not pass by July 1, I would have my paycheck withheld until it got passed," Flick said.
"I felt that if the library was not getting money and community colleges were not getting money then I should not," he said.
As one of the 12 of 203 members who made similar commitments not to take a salary until the budget was passed, Flick kept to that pledge and did it for longer than any legislator during the budget impasse for 166 days, or almost half a year.
His commitment as a legislator, with a base salary of $102,844, included not taking a pension (401K plan), or asking for taxpayers to foot his meals or accepting the per diem of $181 a day that he could, his office staff said.
In further keeping to his campaign promise to be watchful of spending habits, Flick said he has not accepted cash from lobbyists, special interest groups or businesses or political action committees, mentioning the Marcellus Shale Coalition as one such industry-aligned interest group. He does like to connect people with their needs and does accept private campaign donations, his office staff said.
"I campaigned on that," Flick said. "I believe in a smaller government and we have to set an example as legislators."
Flick defeated Ann Kaufman in the Republican primary on May 17, 2022. He was preceded by Jeff Wheeland.
Asked for some highlights of the year, Flick said it started off as a battleground.
"It certainly started off crazy … a microcosm of what was going on in D.C.," he said, revealing how the state did not have a Speaker of the House until Jan. 3. After taking the oath, Flick said he watched various members of the caucuses go to work on the House floor. "You swear in and then watch the fights begin," he said, referring to who was going to have control in terms of the majority and who would be speaker along with debating continuing pieces of legislation from the year before.
He was appreciative for state Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Loyalsock Township, on lending his experience to the freshman legislator.
"I can't say enough good things about Sen. Yaw," he said. Flick and Yaw's working partnership grew over the year.
Flick said he learned how to write legislation, co-sponsor bills and introduce them on the House floor. Yaw and his staff helped Flick to navigate who to call and how to go about the process and, as is typical for a House member, Flick was assigned to various committees.
Today, Flick is on five committees: Human Services; Government Oversight; Children and Youth (one that is close to his heart as he became the legal guardian of two boys from inner-city Brooklyn and has an affinity for strengthening families); Game and Fisheries (also close to his vest as an outdoorsman who has hunted and fished since he was young -- he has a stocked pond on his property where he allows youth anglers to fish); and finally the Tourism and Economic and Recreational Development, which fits nicely in the district and its abundant natural settings, state parks, hiking and biking trails, recreational and outdoor activities and major tourist attractions, he said.
He has hosted events at New Trail Brewery with the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, where there was a grant seminar held this past December and focuses on the county's role as gateway to the PA Wilds.