Phyllis' focus is on the future

Senator Ray Musto joined Secretary of Environmental Protection Kathleen McGinty and Representative Phyllis Mundy

The Times-Leader is doing it's roundup of the the local races and it was Luzerne County's dean of legislators turn.

Just a note about the pic. Ray Musto is also on the ballot this year and the local Republican Party couldn't even find someone to run against him. Like most political junkies I absolutely hate unopposed elections. I think it's sad that in this year with all the outrage over the pay raise they couldn't find somebody to run for state senator. DEP Secretary Kathleen McGinty has worked in the White House and has been a player in the battles over the environment all over the world. Expect to hear her name again.

Back to Phyllis. She has a been a good legislator for our area and has the good fortune of representing a relatively prosperous area of the Wyoming Valley. She has been a leader on finding real solutions to health care problems not just mouthing nonsense about blaming lawyers for the all the problems in the system. She also has a solid record on the environment. The only black eye is the pay raise and her defense leaves something to be desired.

Some highlights from the TL interview:

Phyllis Mundy gives three reasons why voters in the 120th state legislative district should reelect her to a ninth two-year term in the state House of Representatives.
"Seniority, experience and knowledge," Mundy said....Mundy said her 16 years as a lawmaker has her in line to be a chairperson of a committee...."Seniority means a lot and I have many unfinished projects, like flood control and the 8th Street Bridge replacement, just to name two," Mundy said.

Mundy defended her support of Act 44, which passed in the middle-of-the-night on July 7 that gave lawmakers and judges a 16 to 34 percent pay raise.

She did admit, however, that she underestimated the emotions of people about the pay raise.

When the state Supreme Court ruled on Sept. 14 that the General Assembly violated the state constitution by allowing the midterm pay raises, Mundy said state lawmakers are now the lowest paid among four of the 50 states that have full-time lawmakers.

Underestimated the emotions and lowest paid? How about taking responsibility, apologize and move on.