We surveyed Republican Rob Mercuri and Democrat Alison Duncan, the candidates for Pennsylvania's 28th State House District, on top issues for the 2022 election.
About the WESA Candidate Survey: WESA sent surveys to all candidates running in competitive races for federal and state offices in our listening area, including Allegheny, Armstrong, Cambria, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland counties. Our candidate survey was based upon input we solicited from voters.
We followed up with candidates multiple times via both phone and email. If a candidate did not respond, we have noted that below. (If you're a candidate and would like to complete the survey now, please email Patrick Doyle, pdoyle@wesa.fm).
We have fixed basic capitalization and punctuation issues, but have not otherwise edited candidates' answers.
In the wake of the Dobbs decision, some state lawmakers believe Pennsylvania should ban abortion after six weeks, with no exceptions. Would you support such a proposal — yes/no?
- Please explain your stance and identify other changes, if any, you would like to make to the state’s abortion laws.
Duncan: No. Lawmakers have no business making reproductive and healthcare decisions for others. Government interference in such private situations amounts to extreme overreach, a cruel invasion of privacy, and a denial of autonomy. I trust people and families to make these tough decisions for themselves, free from forced influence of legislators’ personal or religious beliefs. In other words, I respect people’s autonomy, their freedom of (and from) religion, and their right to privacy.
Mercuri: Did not respond.
Pennsylvania's minimum wage has been set at the federal rate of $7.25 an hour since 2009. Do you favor state action to change the minimum wage? Yes/no?
- Please explain our stance and, if you support a change, identify the minimum wage rate you believe is appropriate.
Duncan: Yes. A true living wage is needed to reflect the real value of workers and to support families in a way that promotes health and keeps them out of poverty. Employees working full-time at the current minimum wage cannot afford basic necessities. Even an increase to $15/hour is inadequate. A true living wage that supports a basic standard of living would be at least $20/hour, according to the Drexel Univ. Center for Hunger-Free Communities. And that rate would need to adjust regularly to keep pace with inflation and cost of living increases.
Mercuri: Did not respond.
Do you support no-excuse mail-in voting in Pennsylvania — yes/no?
- Please explain your stance and identify any other changes you believe should be made to state voting laws.
Duncan: Yes. Our freedom to vote safely, easily and securely must be protected. We need to increase participation through accessibility — with more early voting options, secure dropboxes, and paid leave to vote. Votes must be respected, regardless of outcome — no person/group should be able to overturn election results. Counties need adequate funding so every precinct has the trained staff, equipment, and supplies needed to run elections efficiently. To increase timeliness of results, counties should be permitted to begin preparing mail/absentee ballots for processing at least 24 hours before Election Day. I will work to codify these pro-democracy necessities into law.
Mercuri: Did not respond.
Do you support Pennsylvania’s involvement in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which sets pricing for carbon emissions — yes/no?
- Please explain your stance, and describe any changes you wish to see to state energy or climate policy.
Duncan: Yes. PA’s involvement in the RGGI is a no-brainer. We have the fifth dirtiest power sector in the nation, and we are a top-three leader in greenhouse gas production. It’s time for us to step up and be part of the solution instead being part of the problem. In addition to fighting climate change, RGGI participation is projected to reduce health-threatening air pollutants, create thousands of jobs, and build the state’s economy. In addition to participation in RGGI, we need to hold corporate polluters accountable and charge natural gas drillers by the volume of extractions rather than per well.
Mercuri: Did not respond.
Inflation is a concern for Pennsylvanians, and some legislators have called for either reducing or suspending the 58-cent-a-gallon gas tax. Would you support such a measure? Yes/no?
- If yes, how would you replace the revenue to pay for State Police and road spending — and are there other inflation-fighting policies you would pursue?
Duncan: Yes. Pennsylvania has some of the highest gas taxes and tolls in the country. This hits commuters and small businesses (like service-providers) especially hard, drives up distribution costs of needed goods, and discourages tourism in our state. Our tolls and gas prices do not need to be as high as they are. We can increase revenue elsewhere — by closing the Delaware loophole so that large corporations pay PA their fair share in taxes and by requiring natural gas drillers to reimburse the state for the volume of gas extracted (as other states do) instead of just per well.
Mercuri: Did not respond.
In the face of rising homicide and other crime rates, would you support requiring universal background checks for gun purchases? Yes/no?
- Please explain your stance, and describe other approaches to fighting crime that you would support.
Duncan: Yes. I fully respect the Second Amendment’s guarantee of the right to bear arms. However, we are clearly experiencing an ever-worsening gun violence epidemic, and while there is no perfect solution, changes must be made. I support stronger comprehensive background checks and red flag laws, and I would work to pass legislation requiring training on the safe handling and storage of firearms. Additionally, crime is often driven by financial desperation and/or by drug addiction. Requiring a true living minimum wage and offering free addiction treatment programs are reasonable first steps toward decreasing crime.
Mercuri: Did not respond.
School funding in Pennsylvania is heavily supported by property taxes. Would you support efforts to change that system — yes/no?
- Please explain your stance and describe the changes you would support to how public education is funded.
Duncan: Yes. The current funding structure is not equitable and leaves many of our state’s public schools behind. If we continue to use property taxes for public education, the funds need to be collected into one pot and distributed based on need and students served in each district. A better option is to use state income tax revenue, thereby reducing the reliance on fixed-income seniors and lower-income families. Regardless, taxpayers should not be footing the bill for or subsidizing unaccountable, nonstandardized private schools. Let’s make sure our public school students and educators have what they need to succeed before directing funds elsewhere.
Mercuri: Did not respond.
