We asked Valley candidates for the state and U.S. House: “What specific expenses that your predecessor allowed and that you would have the personal authority to control if elected — staff size, travel, salary, per diem or other perks — would you decline to accept and what would that save the taxpayers over your term in office?”

Their responses:



107th Legislative District

Kurt Masser, R: “Since I am committed to balancing our budget without raising taxes, as I have every budget as a county commissioner, we are going to have to attack the state’s spending problem. Too many in Harrisburg seem to think the state has a revenue problem, but the truth is state government spends too much. We need to make fundamental changes to the way we approach government by making it smarter and more efficient.

“I have always believed in leading by example, and cutting spending is no different. That’s why I plan to take three steps that I think will show the taxpayers I am serious about cutting wasteful spending. First of all, I will not take a state car as a state representative. Also I support reforming the per diem system so that actual expenses are reimbursed and representatives are treated like other state workers. Thirdly, I will follow the example of Sen. John Gordner and return every penny of unspent money from my office budget to the General Fund.”



George Zalar, D: “I’m not going to Harrisburg for the perks. I’m going to serve the people of the 107th District and the state of Pennsylvania. Being in municipal government, I know the importance of using taxpayer funds wisely. Those in government sometimes forget who pays the bills for perks. I will bring the same rules that we all run our own budget by to my legislative budget.

“Now while perks are a hot button topic, they only account for a small percentage of the budget as a whole. We need to rein in wasteful spending like double services in legislative and executive offices and House and Senate committee expenses. I also intend to fight hard to get a balanced budget every year.

“I have always believed that the best way to serve my constituents is to remember that they fund my budget, so I may serve them.”



108th Legislative District

Lynda Schlegel-Culver, R: “If I have the honor of being elected to serve the citizens of the 108th District as their next state representative, I will continually look for ways to cut costs in my office and in the overall operation of the House of Representatives. I am in favor of a policy that requires the submission of actual receipts for the reimbursement of reasonable expenses instead of per diems.

“As a freshman legislator, I will be allocated an adequate level of staffing to meet the needs of the citizens of the district and will strive to provide the services they deserve and expect in the most efficient manner possible. In terms of the operation of the House, I believe we can reduce expenditures through the combination of duplicative offices within the Democratic and Republican caucuses, such as computer services, print shops and communication production studios. While it is important to look internally for cost savings, the larger problem is the overall growth in the state budget over the last eight years.

“Families throughout the Susquehanna Valley have had to make tough choices to balance their budgets during these tough economic times, and I will take that common-sense message to Harrisburg and apply it to our state budget and caucus operations.”



Tony Michetti, D: “If elected, I would decline per diems and a vehicle allowance. Rather than receiving the $163 per diem, I would submit receipts for daily expenses instead. This is the best way for me to be accountable to the citizens, as people can then view what the expenses were. Under the current system, the legislators get per diems paid automatically without having to verify expenses.

“Presently, per diems are paid for all days the Legislature is in session, the day after a session, overnight stays and committee meetings. By declining the per diems, I would be saving the taxpayers at least $20,000 annually. Democracy Rising, a reform-based organization, found in 2009 that 180 legislators collected a total of $3 million in per diems.

“By declining the vehicle allowance, I would save the taxpayers up to $7,800 per year. Currently, legislators can use a car from the state fleet or claim mileage. Everyone I know drives their own car to work, so why should an elected official be any different?

“While I would not have the personal authority to control all wasteful spending, I believe in calling for a constitutional convention to address reducing the size of the Legislature, as Pennsylvania currently has one of the most expensive legislatures in the nation.”



85th Legislative District

Fred Keller, R: “Government does spend too much money. At a time when most families are struggling to put food on the table, lawmakers shouldn’t be using our tax dollars for frivolous projects.

“That said, concerning expenses I would have the personal authority to control, I have already committed to: not taking per diems, refusing the cost-of-living adjustment and vehicle allowance.

“Additionally, I think back to my many conversations with our current representative, Russ Fairchild. >From these conversations, another means to cutting personal expenses is making each representative’s staff budget uniform. This would make sure that all representatives do what we do, live within a defined budget. Due to turnaround time to respond to this question, I haven’t been able to determine a specific estimate of what can be saved, but this would significantly reduce costs across the state — not just in the 85th District.

“I have demonstrated through my 20-plus years of business experience at Conestoga Wood Specialties that I am responsible managing and maximizing the company’s resources.

“When voting on legislation and operating the expenses I can directly control, I pledge to the families and businesses of the 85th District that I will be responsible with your tax dollars.”



Trey Casimir, D: The main expense I would limit would be to have only one office in the district, probably in Mifflinburg, since it’s centrally located. I haven’t been able to find out how much Russ (Fairchild) currently spends on his district offices and staff, but figuring $750 to $1,000 a month for rent and expenses and two or three staff members at $50,000 or so per year, this could save as much as $325,000 over two years. As a freshman representative, I’m unlikely to be offered many other perks, but I will say that I will accept mileage payments for official travel.

“My car is old and I am poor — if I am paying for gas and putting wear and tear on my vehicle, I feel fine about being reimbursed for it. Pledging not to accept mileage or reasonable per diem payments seems to me to be like pledging not to drive the Ferrari or eat cake more than three times a week — largely meaningless to most people, and somewhat insulting to those of us having a hard time putting gas in the tank and meat on the table.”



Erik Viker, Libertarian: “As a state representative, I will always approach budget decisions, both statewide and individually, by voting to fund only the true responsibilities of government, not bloated bureaucracies or expensive traditions. Unfortunately, a state representative is only one voice among many, but as a steward of taxpayer resources, every dollar saved by my decisions will be good for the taxpayers.

“I would personally reject per diem payments and travel reimbursement for routine legislative activity. I would hire only those few staff members necessary to operate a conservative Harrisburg office and a local office to serve constituents’ needs, and I will not waste taxpayer dollars on the sort of unnecessary staff members and office luxuries condemned by the recent grand jury investigation into legislative misconduct.

“As a state representative, I will support a minimum two-year pay freeze for all state legislators and will always vote against any pay raise for legislators above the increased cost of living. I would support legislation that forbids automatic pay increases and would expect any legislative salary changes to be approved by voice vote so taxpayers know exactly how their representatives are compensated. As a third-party representative, I don’t have to be loyal to party leadership and can do much more than just pare down individual expenses: I will immediately introduce legislation that eliminates taxpayer-funded staff and budget privileges for so-called “majority leader” and “minority leader” positions based on political club membership, and forbids promoting or publicizing political parties with taxpayer-dollars in any way: not on ballots, not on government websites and not in any publications paid for by the taxpayers.”



10th Congressional District

U.S. Rep. Chris Carney, D: I have voted against a pay raise for members of Congress every year. When a pay raise has passed, I have donated mine to charity. I’m proud that every year my office returns money to the treasury, saving taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars, and I will continue to make that a priority. I don’t receive a per diem for food or lodging. Indeed, congressional rules prevent payment or reimbursement for costs for my active-duty service as a commander in the Navy Reserve. That includes no reimbursement for travel, lodging and food when I am called to active duty. My service in the Navy Reserve is a responsibility that I take very seriously and one that — as a member of Congress — costs me roughly $2,500 every year.”



Tom Marino, R: Did not respond.