Lawton selects final Luzerne County division head nominee

Let’s revisit home rule

First Posted: 3/12/2014 Citing her ability to deliver legislative results and her deep involvement in issues crucial to the future of the region, state Senator Lisa Baker announced she is running for re-election.
&#8220;It is a privilege serving the hard-working people of a great area that has always been home for me. I strive every day to solve problems, protect local interests, and create opportunities for families and communities. I will present my record and my priorities for action and hope to earn the trust and support of the voters for another four years,&#8221; Baker stated.
&#8220;As I travel across the district, meeting with individuals and groups, people tell me that they appreciate my willingness to listen and take into account different points of view, and they appreciate that I work in a bipartisan manner to bring about reform. They want their elected officials to be reliable, reasonable, and responsible, and that is what I have tried to be,&#8221; she added.
&#8220;There has been substantial progress in recent years, but much remains to be done in controlling the growth of state government, especially on the spending side, and enacting reforms. We owe it to taxpayers to vote on measures they want to see, such as eliminating property taxes and cutting the size of the General Assembly,&#8221; Baker said.
Senator Baker has voted to hold the line on state taxes, control state spending, limit state borrowing, and provide tax relief for farmers and small businesses to help them stay in operation. She has also been successful in securing state funding for a wide range of local projects and priorities, including sewer and water systems, parks and recreation facilities, libraries, and senior housing.
As chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, Baker is noted for her determined efforts to connect veterans with the benefits they have earned and to enable communities to retain and attract volunteer responders on whom they depend. &#8220;Those who serve in the military and those who are involved in emergency services sacrifice a lot in protecting us. Pennsylvania must fulfill its obligations to these devoted individuals,&#8221; she said.
Baker&#8217;s legislative accomplishments include:
&#8226; Sponsoring three laws in response to the Kids for Cash scandal, assuring the right to counsel for juveniles, requiring judges to put on the record the reasons for their decisions, and prohibiting the routine shackling of juveniles
&#8226; Sponsoring a law that extends the definition of perpetrator, part of a far-reaching child protection package legislators approved in the wake of the Sandusky abuse scandal
&#8226; Sponsoring a measure expanding the Good Samaritan Law to encourage life-saving intervention
&#8226; Sponsoring a well-site safety law designed to protect workers, emergency responders, nearby residents, and the environment
&#8226; Pushing through a Veterans Trust Fund to provide emergency assistance in the form of food, clothing, and shelter
&#8226; Advancing a law to allow victims to offer in-person testimony before the Board of Probation and Parole
This will be the first election held in the redrawn 20th Senatorial District, which includes substantial parts of Luzerne and Susquehanna counties and all of Pike, Wayne, and Wyoming counties.

State Senator Lisa Baker seeks re-election