Chris Cratsley

==Background==
* R candidate for PA House in 2012
* http://chriscratsley.com/
* https://twitter.com/#!/ChrisCratsley
* http://www.facebook.com/chris.cratsley
==Issues==
Harvested on May 8, 2012 from campaign web site.
===Roads and Bridges===
Pennsylvania's infrastructure is simultaneously ranked as one of the worst and one of the most expensive of all 50 states in the nation. There are a few things that can be done to help change this. First, we need to prioritize the transportation funds towards repair and maintenance, as well as designing improvements focused on efficiency. Second, we should utilize a system of "users pay", where the state should establish toll roads/lanes as much as possible along interstate routes. These funds would only be used to maintain the road on which they were collected. This would free up much needed funds for local roads. Third, I would be willing to explore options that would establish public-private partnerships that would allow and encourage private investment into the infrastructure.
===Public Transportation===
I have used the buses for several years now to get to work and home. I can honestly say that I feel the pain of riders as routes are either reduced in number of runs or cut all together. The purpose of the public transit is to reduce traffic congestion and road wear as well as to provide a system of transportation for those persons without other means of transportation to get to and from their jobs, doctor visits, grocery stores, and other vital locations. With very few and extreme exceptions, no public transit system on the world makes a profit. To allow this system to collapse would cause far more severe economic harm than the option of continued financial support until the financial issues are resolved. There are tough choices that will need to be made to create a more stable Transit System, but by working together, the problems can be resolved and we can have a reliable transit system in our region. 
===Environment===
One of the fastest growing industries in Pennsylvania is the Marcellus Shale Natural Gas. During a time of great economic hardship in our country, Pennsylvania has been blessed with the opportunity to have an industry that provides many needed jobs, economic growth, and reduced energy prices. With this blessing follows the risks that all industries have, including environmental impacts which will last for hundreds of years. I will support individuals' rights to use their land as they wish, but also would support reasonable regulations set forth by the Department of Energy to protect the environment and the people who live here.
===Term Limits===
I am a supporter of term limits. A legislator's job is a full time job, but it is not a career position. I believe the longer a person stays in office, the more they lose touch with the daily lives of their constituents. I would support any efforts to limit the number of terms for a representative in the House to four and the number of terms for a Senator to two. I believe that a rotation of people in the representative seat will help to decrease political corruption and help to maintain a government that is more representative of the people.
===Right to Life===
As a father, I believe that life begins at the moment of conception, and every life is to be protected.
===Right to Bear Arms===
The Pennsylvania Constitution is very simple on this issue: Article 1, Section 21 of the Pennsylvania Constitution as it reads, "The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned."
===I Support a Part-time Legislature===
In the last few weeks, a report was released about the $184 million dollars the state has set aside in reserve to make sure our state legislature can continue to run in the event there is a budget crisis with the governor. Rep Gordon Denlinger is the chairman of the Legislative Audit Advisory Commission. “Denlinger and other lawmakers defend the reserve as necessary to defend state government's balance of power and keep the Legislature - which costs about $300 million a year - operating during a budget stalemate with the governor,” it said in the article. It continues, “Denlinger said that, counting the $50 million payout to public schools, the reserve can't go much lower if the Legislature is to have enough cash to keep it operating for four or five months if the executive branch chokes off the flow of money.”
If we do not include the $50 million in this figure, and assume this amount covers the costs for 5 months that are 30 days long, the math figures that our state legislature costs about $866,000 to operate daily. In my opinion, we spend way too much money on being governed and in return get inadequate representation.
To explain how we are inadequately represented we will start with how, in Pennsylvania, a state representative represents about 64,000 people. That does not sound like many people. In 1870 though, each house member represented only about 17,500 people. That is a growth of 350% of each representative district’s population, or we could say a citizens voice is only worth 27% of what is was 100 years ago.
As the population of a district represents grows, the representative’s position itself becomes more powerful and coveted and leading to more money being spent to win the seats by political persons and parties. This opens the position up to corruption as well and the situation gets even worse when you being to include special interest and lobbying groups putting their money into the pot.
There are two solutions to this problem. Many current representatives in office want to cut costs of the legislature by reducing the number of representatives. Though this may cut some costs is also reduces our representation and making those seats even more coveted and increases the problems mentioned earlier.
The second solution, which I strongly support, would be to create a larger, part-time legislature. First I would double the number of representatives. Secondly, I would like to see representatives reimbursed only for meeting 4- 6 weeks out of the year (1 week in each quarter plus an additional week in the 1st and 3rd quarters) and the position would pay little to nothing salary wise (i.e. pay $500 a week and include rules that would protect the regular jobs of representatives as they do with jury duty participants who are paid a small wage and their jobs are protected while in service to the courts). 
 
This would do three things:
1. It would create an environment where the person running for office will do so out of a desire to serve their constituents rather than for a source of income.
2. At 30,000 citizens each, it will be easier for candidates and current representative to get to know the people living in their districts and for the people to get to know them.
3. It will remove a lot of the cash spending by parties and it will reduce the amount of cash from lobbyists spending.
There are several additional steps that can also be taken to make the legislature more efficient, honest, and streamlined. The bottom line is that my objective would be to bring our state government out of the 1900’s and into the 2010’s by making it more representative and more cost effective with the current technology and population and this can be achieved by forming a part-time, larger legislature.
Cratsley,Chris
Category:Candidate 2012