Candidate Survey - State representatives

Erie Gay News sent out a candidate survey to a number of area candidates for the Pennsylvania State House. For those that responded, we have reprinted their responses as we received them. Where relevant, we have included other information for current office holders.

PA House District 1

1. Do you favor amending the Pennsylvania constitution to ban same-sex marriages in the Commonwealth?

Patrick J Harkins (D) Would need more info.

Dennis Iaquinta (D) No - we need less government in control in our personal lines.

PLEASE NOTE! There was an ad on page 8B of the Sunday, May 14 Erie Times News for Dennis Iaquinta, who is one of the Democratic primary candidates. Mr. Iaquinta had replied to our candidate survey with some relatively bland and evasive answers.

The section of the ad that is particularly relevant reads:

Dennis Iaquinta, when elected, will Defend Traditional Marriage:

Iaquinta believes that every child serves a mother and a father, and opposes efforts to redefine traditional marriage.

He also mentions protecting life, born and unborn.

2. Do you support the concept of Civil Unions for same-sex couples in Pennsylvania? Would you support legislation making Civil Unions legal, granting same-sex couples all of the same legal rights as heterosexual couples?

Patrick J Harkins (D) Would need more info.

Dennis Iaquinta (D) There is too much government and too many laws already and we need to align them with present-day issues without creating new laws.

3. Should gays and lesbians, either as couples or individually, be allowed to adopt children in Pennsylvania and serve as foster parents?

Patrick J Harkins (D) Yes.

Dennis Iaquinta (D) The question should be what is in the best interest of the child. Your organization needs to take out labels such as a, lesbian, heterosexual to the best qualified person to be able to serve as parents.

4. Would you support the passage of laws protecting gays and lesbians from discrimination statewide when is comes to employment, housing, sexual harassment, education, access to public services, etc.?

Patrick J Harkins (D) Yes.

Dennis Iaquinta (D) Once again take away the labels as in question number three. Have the person apply and then why should sexual preference come into the question?

5. As an elected legislator, would you be willing to hire qualified, gays or lesbians to work on your staff?

Patrick J Harkins (D) Yes.

Dennis Iaquinta (D) Have hired in the past even before being elected official. Qualification calms the first always.

Not responding from District 1:

Michael Skrzypczak (D); Christine E Pontoriero (R)

PA House District 2

Not responding from District 2:

Flo Fabrizio (D)

Flo Fabrizio, who is on the House Judiciary Committee, voted NO on moving HB 2381, the so-called Marriage Protection Amendment, out of committee. (In other words, he voted against this antigay bill).

PA House District 3

1. Do you favor amending the Pennsylvania constitution to ban same-sex marriages in the Commonwealth?

Ebert Beeman (D) No.

Ebert Beeman (D) Yes.

3. Should gays and lesbians, either as couples or individually, be allowed to adopt children in Pennsylvania and serve as foster parents?

Ebert Beeman (D) Yes.

Ebert Beeman (D) Public services? Absolutely; contracts between gays and lesbians and PRIVATE individuals are none of the government's business. .

5. As an elected legislator, would you be willing to hire qualified, gays or lesbians to work on your staff?

Ebert Beeman (D)Yes, but not because they're gay or lesbian, but because they are capable of doing the job well. .

Not responding from District 3:

John Hornaman (D); Matthew Good (R); Dallas J Rearic Jr (R); Dave Dows (R)

Dallas Rearic when called said that he didn't know when he would get it out and the caller felt Dallas was possibly hostile and seemed anxious to get off the phone.

PA House District 4

Not responding:

Curt Sonney (R)

Curt Sonney has signed on as a co-sponsor on the PA Marriage Protection Amendment. Although he has met and talked with GLBT people and their supporters, he has still signed on to this antigay legislation. In 2 subsequent meetings after signing on as a co-sponsor, he indicated that he was reconsidering being a sponsor. Sonney told one person that he met with that he had been unaware that allowing civil unions after passing the PA Marriage Protection Amendment would require a separate constitutional amendment. Sonney was not pushing for civil unions, but seemed to feel that he didn't want to oppose them via a constitutional amendment.

PA House District 5

1. Do you favor amending the Pennsylvania constitution to ban same-sex marriages in the Commonwealth?

Jason White (D) I do not favor amending the Pennsylvania Constitution to ban same sex marriage.

Jason White (D) I do support the concept of civil unions would support such legislation.

3. Should gays and lesbians, either as couples or individually, be allowed to adopt children in Pennsylvania and serve as foster parents?

Jason White (D) They should be allowed to adopt and serve as foster parents.

Jason White (D) I do and will support any action that prevents discrimination in any form.

5. As an elected legislator, would you be willing to hire qualified, gays or lesbians to work on your staff?

Jason White (D) I will hire any person they feel is qualified to fill the position when a person's gay, straight, black, white, man or woman.

Not responding: Clayton Schulze (R); Carol Loll (R); John R Evans (R)

When Clayton Schulze was called about returning the questionnaire, said that he didn't receive the questionnaire. When asked if we would be receiving his questionnaire, he said no. According to the person who called to follow up on the questionnaire: "Clayton Schulze explained to me the way he felt towards the gay community and he said he didn't have a problem with it, but he doesn't see it as a big deal. He said as long as it doesn't interfere with him, then he's fine with it."

PA House District 6

Not responding:

Keith Abott (D)

Brad Roae (R)

Teresa Forcier (R)

Special Note about Teresa Forcier:

Although incumbent state representative Teresa Forcier did not respond, her record deserves mention because of her energetic efforts to defeat GLBT rights. Forcier's website, for example, notes the representative's apparent glee at voting against same sex marriage rights. "As one of five original cosponsors, Representative Teresa Forcier (R-Crawford) said today that she is greatly looking forward to the state House's forthcoming vote on the Pennsylvania Marriage Protection Amendment." Her website provides numerous links for taking action on the antigay Marriage Protection Amendment. Browse to http://www.teresaforcier.com/