State Rep. Ronald Buxton has been dropping hints privately to close friends and family in recent months about his future in the House of Representatives, but now he is ready to go public.

Buxton, who has been the voice of Harrisburg in the state House for two decades, has decided to call it quits when his term expires next year.

“It has been a tremendous honor to serve the citizens of the 103rd legislative district for the past 20 years,” the Democratic lawmaker said. “Working together, we have accomplished much to improve the Harrisburg area for the better.”

His announcement comes on the heels of state Sen. Jeffrey Piccola’s announcement last month that he is stepping down next year. Piccola, R-Dauphin County, has represented the 15th Senatorial District since 1995. Buxton has been in the House since 1993.

Corky Goldstein, former Harrisburg city solicitor and a lifelong city resident, said Buxton, like Piccola, served the people of Harrisburg well.

But he added, “There are many good men and women who are thinking of running. I think fresh ideas and other people coming in is a positive. … Fresh blood, I believe can be very exciting.”

This change in Harrisburg’s representation in the Legislature comes as the city is entering the uncharted waters of having its financial management fall under the purview of a state-appointed receiver. But Buxton dismissed that as a reason to stick around.

“I really expect the state’s involvement with the city to be well under way and established by the time I officially leave office,” Buxton said.

It was dissatisfaction with Buxton’s representation as well as Piccola’s during the discussion of the state takeover law that prompted Harrisburg City Councilwoman Patty Kim to announce last month that she was going to run for the 103rd House seat regardless of whether Buxton was in the race.

“We had no leadership in the state Legislature,” Kim said at the time of her announcement. “What I saw under Rep. Buxton and his friends, including Sen. Piccola, was working against our interests. We need to have support in the state capital.”

Reached Wednesday, Kim wished Buxton well with his plans.

“My course was set when I announced my candidacy three weeks ago and it will not change. I’ve knocked on 846 doors to date and I will continue to connect with as many people in the district as possible to share my passion to serve them in the state Legislature,” Kim said in an email.

In the past decade, Buxton won re-election in his heavily Democratic district in the face of several controversial votes. They included a vote in favor of a 50 percent pension boost for lawmakers in 2001 and a “yes” vote on the double-digit, middle-of-the-night legislative pay raise in 2005.

He came under criticism in 2007 for going on all-expense-paid retreats to high-priced resorts through his former membership on the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency’s board of directors.

The following year, he faced scrutiny when a grand jury report shone a light on Buxton using his clout to get his son a lucrative contract for information technology services with the House Democrats that became part of the attorney general’s so-called “Bonusgate” investigation.

Those recent controversies nearly caught up with him in 2008, when Karl Singleton nearly upset him in the Democratic primary. Buxton won by 74 votes out of more than 11,000 votes cast, earning him the moniker “Landslide Ron” among some of his House colleagues.

In the House, Buxton said his proudest accomplishment was a short-lived law that blocked Internet service providers from allowing child pornographic content to be viewed in Pennsylvania. A federal court threw out the law, saying it could not be enforced without blocking protected speech.

“For the 18 months that law was in effect, we were told by the state attorney general at the time that they were able to block over 700 child pornography sites coming into people’s living rooms in Pennsylvania,” Buxton said.

Other legislative high points for him included his first bill signed into law that banned low-level alcoholic drinks from being sold at neighborhood grocery stores. Another was his effort last year to stop Piccola’s push to continue the Education Empowerment Act so Harrisburg School District could return the district oversight to the elected school board.

Buxton said his departure from the Legislature next year doesn’t mean he will go away quietly.

“I plan to remain active in my community and will continue to speak out on those issues that I think are important, including any progress that’s being made under the state’s receivership of Harrisburg’s finances,” he said.
 

Heather Long is deputy editorial page editor. 255-8104 or hlong@patriot-news.com.

Thank you for allowing me to provide some input on the proposed redistricting. It is my pleasure to appear before you this afternoon.

My interest in this matter is not only based on my position as Vice-President of Harrisburg City Council – a role that has the responsibility to speak on behalf of the constituents of this community – but also as a citizen and registered voter in this area myself.

The preliminary reapportionment plan adopted on October 31st, proposes to change the boundaries for most – if not all – of the legislative districts across our Commonwealth, and many are questioning whether such a radical change – like what has been proposed – is required.

Many have tossed out the “G” word: Gerrymandering – a term that will soon be celebrating its 200th birthday next year. It is a word that was invented in Massachusetts, when their state legislature redrew the boundaries of districts to favor then-Governor Elbridge Gerry’s party. One of the new districts created was so long and miss-shapen that it looked like a salamander – hence the name Gerry – mander.

Governor Gerry’s strategy was to encompass most of the state’s Federalists, allowing them to win in that district while his party took control of all the other districts in the state. The point this term makes is that when gerrymandering takes place, decisions are not made by the electorate, but by politicians manipulating the electorate.

As a resident of Harrisburg, my interest is in the legislative districts that will overlay Harrisburg and Dauphin County.

• The 103rd House District was relatively unchanged with the exception of the Borough of Paxtang which was moved from the 104th into the 103rd district.

• However, as for the Senate district that our Capitol will fall under, it has been moved from Senator Piccola’s 15th district into Senator Folmer’s 48th District. I urge the commission to keep the 15th district intact as it currently stands with the city of Harrisburg included.

• The dramatic change to the 15th Senatorial District as a whole is quite perplexing and makes little sense. The district will wind its way through primarily rural portions of 5 counties and encompass:

o two mountain ranges,
o three state parks
o and measure about 170 miles from one end of the horseshoe to the other.

The decennial task of reapportionment is not about reconfiguring legislative districts in order to provide shelter to incumbents. Your duty as Commissioners is not to grant immunity idols. This feels more like the tv series Survivor, Redistricting Edition. This is about redrawing maps to achieve a fair, open, unbiased, non-partisan and apolitical outcome leading to fair elections. Partisan gerrymandering only serves to subvert our democratic system.

Some of the gross excesses contained in the Preliminary Map will do nothing else but fuel cynicism and skepticism about the democratic process, anger toward legislators who are perceived of placing their own interests above all else, voter apathy leading to low voter turnout, and rebellion against incumbent legislators who have been part of the decision making process:

Allow me to suggest a few improvements. While some of these suggestions may require Constitutional amendments to be implemented, it is a much fairer solution, and would in fact allow the PEOPLE to have a more significant role in this process:

1. More hearings prior to the issuance of Preliminary Maps – There were only two hearings in September, one in Allentown and another in Pittsburgh. Essentially, the voice of citizens in the “T” region of Pennsylvania was ignored. The General Assembly should require more regional hearings such that all areas of Pennsylvania can be heard.

2. The Preliminary Maps were released on October 31 and shortly after, the members casted their votes. This is grossly inadequate. This portion of the redistricting process should be more transparent and open to public participation. Perhaps a 7 – 9 day period before the maps are voted on.

3. Finally, it is worth questioning whether the time has come for a nonpartisan reform in the area of legislative reapportionment. A delegation of responsibility from elected officials to appointed commission members may ensure that political motivations and self-interest do not influence the redistricting process. Other states have independent redistricting commissions that completely exclude elected officials from the process. Perhaps something for Pennsylvania to consider.

As I leave you, in the context of your final deliberations, I would ask you to reflect upon the following words from the League of Women Voters:

Representative democracy depends on the voters freely choosing their representatives rather than politicians choosing their voters.

Thank you very much, Commission members, for the opportunity to provide input.

11/12/2011, 11am, Kunkel Plaza, Harrisburg

Patty announced her candidacy to the Pennsylvania State House of Representative’s 103rd District . Read the remarks below or watch it here:

Thank you all for coming! I am so grateful you could attend this morning.

The people in this audience – my family, neighbors, colleagues, constituents and friends – have been the people I trust the most, and I appreciate the encouragement you all have given me to the next step in my career in public service.

And so, today, I am here to announce my candidacy for election to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 103rd legislative district.

This is an exciting moment……but also an emotional one for me. About fifty years ago, my parents immigrated to the U.S. to leave behind the scars from the Korean War. Now, to be standing here as the Vice-President of Harrisburg City Council and a candidate for the Pennsylvania legislature, it is an honor for me beyond words.

The people here today know who I am, whether it be from community activities or one-on-one conversations, and so you know that my focus has always been dedicated to making our community a better place.

• Harrisburg is my home.
• I met my husband here and am raising my children here
• I have a vested interest in making this area a prouder place that can be excited about its future again.

Through the support of those here, your friends, and their friends, we will do this together.

But, the 103rd legislative district is much more than Harrisburg. This community and this district encompasses Steelton, Highspire, Enhaut, Oberlin, and Bressler and perhaps others in the coming redistricting, all of whom share trials and challenges that deserve to be confronted, in a responsible way by their leaders.

Over the past several months, I have been able to travel through these communities, talk and share stories, and learn about the direction you want your community to be going. I heard these ideas, and I want you to know they did not fall on deaf ears, and that I would be honored to carry YOUR voice to the Capitol building behind me as your State Representative.

Beyond this plaza is the Susquehanna River, something I drive along everyday. I purposely chose this location because it reminds me that despite wrestling with crisis after crisis for the past several years, this river – like the communities it connects – will continue to endure.

However, the question is not “Will we ENDURE?” the real question is “Will We PROSPER?” I am here to tell you that the answer is: YES – IF we have the right LEADERSHIP. If I have learned anything from my time in government it is that LEADERSHIP MATTERS.

Public education is under siege. Urban school districts – with the exclusive responsibility of educating Pennsylvania’s most disadvantaged students – are being forced to abandon everything that we know works:
• smaller class sizes,
• teacher’s aids,
• alternative schools.

This issue NEEDS LEADERSHIP.

Our Pennsylvania cities do not have the tools they need to grow and prosper. If Pennsylvanian’s believe Harrisburg is THE ONLY city in crisis, they are wrong. Our city is merely the latest addition to a list of more than 30 municipalities that are teetering on the financial brink.

This issue NEEDS LEADERSHIP

Our legislature is constantly in the grip of corporate interests that push narrow agendas funded by unlimited political contributions.

This issue NEEDS LEADERSHIP

My friends, I am here today to offer this district something it desperately needs: LEADERSHIP towards the future we want.

I am contesting this Legislative Seat because I believe its current occupant is NOT the leader we need to face today’s huge challenges.

The city of Harrisburg is facing its biggest crisis in more than a century and our representative has been ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE. He has not rolled up his sleeves or taken any position that could positively contribute to a solution. His seat is not a chair to hide behind. I am calling him out on this unacceptable lack of leadership and telling you all here today: If Representative Buxton will not use his legislative seat as a leadership position in our community, THEN I WILL.

We MUST move beyond the status quo. And I believe we must do so immediately.

• A representative needs to be engaged, not aloof.
• A representative needs to be in the trenches working with us, not against us.
• A representative’s first priority should be about the people, not the PAY and not the pension.

Let me talk a moment about Passion.

What do I mean when I say this? If you go to my website, PattyKim.com, you will see my theme for this campaign is “A Passion for Service”.

It means that I will bring to this job all the energy, persistence and enthusiasm today’s challenges require.

It means that the hundreds of people who have reached out to me over the last six years to help solve problems can now be joined by thousands more to ensure their state government is responsive to them.

It means that my work coordinating neighborhood clean-ups in South Allison Hill, spurring economic growth in Uptown, creating neighborhood crime watches throughout the city is just the tip of the iceberg as to how I want to help improve this district.

But my work towards the whole is never as rewarding as my work towards individuals and groups. My passion comes from seeing the results and smiling faces. I am ready to stand up and when necessary STAND OUT, and for that reason, I promise, you will never have to ask, “Where is Patty Kim?”

My six years on Harrisburg City Council have been challenging but I believe they have been a necessary preparation for this effort. No matter how bad things got, I have remained disciplined. I have not engaged in personal attacks. Whether I supported an idea or not was always decided by the quality of the idea not the person proposing it. All I have ever done is take an issue, find and examine the facts the best way I know how and decide what to do based on what I thought was right for citizens.

As soon as I finish here today, I will be going to Steelton to start my door-to-door campaign that will take me throughout this whole district over the next year and share this story in person.

But let me finish with this thought:

Politics is a people business. And political leadership is really only successful when you have been able to build trust and credibility with others. The way I do that is to listen to people, to get to know people, and find a way to connect with people. In short, you need to like people!

I look around me sometimes and wonder why there are so many politicians who don’t seem to like people. It doesn’t make sense. People who think the louder you scream, the more right you are… or, that the way to build consensus is to belittle the intelligence of those who disagree with you. That is not who I am and not who I will be.

I like this people business because I care. I am ready to engage in vigorous debate when necessary as it has been this last year. But I am also ready to find common ground if it can move our communities forward. I think our politics at EVERY level needs more of this.

I have a passion for service.

Let me use that passion on behalf of this legislative district.

Let me show you what its like to have an energetic state representative.

I have been fighting for the City of Harrisburg for 6 years on City Council, and I can’t wait to continue that fight – on behalf of Highspire, Steelton and the other communities making up the 103rd – when I am representing you right there in the State Capitol.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

On behalf of the City of Harrisburg, I would like to welcome you all here on a day that represents a time in history that has come to define our country…..not just for what happened 10 years ago, but also for how we as citizens responded and persevered through it.

As this week progressed, I know I was concerned about this event not happening, which would have been a true shame. However, knowing and working with the organizers of this event as I do, I should have figured that when it comes to honoring the brave men and women that keep us safe, they were not going to be stopped.

Also, I would like to take a brief moment to thank all of those that have been working tirelessly over the past 100+ hours, preparing and protecting us from the most recent tumultuous event. It has been quite an August for this area, and I thank you all, both as a representative of Harrisburg residents and as a resident myself.

Ladies and gentlemen, there are times when we are individuals……..and there are times when we are a community,

…..and then there are days like today: When We Are A Nation….One Nation….Under God…..Indivisible.

We remember and share; reflect and ponder about questions that at one time, we never thought we would have to ask.

Recently, I was walking throughout Downtown, and despite having walked down those streets hundreds of times, I still find myself looking up at the buildings that make up the Harrisburg Skyline.

I noticed, among other things, the famous Fulton Bank sign – as we all know, a signature landmark.

Then I thought for a moment about what it would be like to not see that sign and to not see that building anymore…..and even worse, to not see it anymore because it was viciously and maliciously destroyed because of the rights we as Americans hold dear and the ideals we believe in.

10 years later, thoughts like this occur in all of us from time to time, and it is because we will never forget.

The tragedies that occurred in New York City, Washington and here in Pennsylvania 10 years ago are represented by the lives that were taken from us that day.

Brothers and sisters…..sons and daughters….. husbands and wives. These were individuals with thoughts and ideas and dreams and goals, many of which weren’t able to be fulfilled.

It was said in the aftermath that in order to make those lives that were lost meaningful, we as Americans should treat every day with the respect it deserves, and to continue to live and fight for what makes the United States special.

I, for one, can tell you that from the men and women I know in our nation’s military….to the police and firefighters that I work with….to the people in this audience today…10 Years Later….you have done that and more!

My children have never known a world in which our country hasn’t been on high alert as a repercussion of what happened on September 11^th, 2001. However, this also means that they have never – and will never – know a time where firefighters are seen as anything but the true heroes that you are.

I pray that your dedication and heroism is never tested to the capacity that it was 10 years ago, but take comfort in the knowledge that if it is, you will be there to help and protect.

On behalf of myself, my family and families throughout this area and beyond, Thank You All.