The Ambler Gazette (Pennsylvania), October 25, 2006, Wednesday

The Ambler Gazette (Pennsylvania)

The 151st Legislative District is heating up
By: Nick Norlen, Staff Writer
10/25/2006
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17376649&BRD=1306&PAG=461&dept_id=187829&rfi=6

Election profiles of Eugene McGill and Rick Taylor

Eugene McGill

Republican incumbent Eugene McGill is a candidate for the 151st Legislative District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.His opponent is Democratic candidate Rick Taylor. McGill, 50, is a Horsham resident, and has served six terms as state representative. He has a bachelor's degree from Penn State University. According to McGill, he wants to continue to represent the citizens that he said he has served well. "I have worked extremely hard for the voters of the 151st District for the past 12 years," he said. McGill cited his top priority as working to create equitable education funding within the state. "The problem that I see is that we under-fund students because we use an aid-ratio formula that is antiquated and unfair," he said. "We need to have legislation that would guarantee that each student is worth the same amount in the eyes of the commonwealth."McGill said that in some cases, school districts with lower student populations are given more funding. "Way more dollars go out from Montgomery County to the state than come back to Montgomery County," he said. If re-elected, McGill said his other two-year goals would include continuing to support transportation projects, like that of the Welsh Road corridor, and addressing issues brought to the forefront by the recent rash of gun-related homicides in Philadelphia. Citing road projects along Routes 202 and 309 and Horsham and Dresher roads, McGill said he believes he has brought "more transportation project dollars into the 151st District than any other representative in Pennsylvania." He said he will also focus on addressing the state of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). "The other one that's looming - the 500 pound gorilla that everyone has let the government get away with, is mass transit," he said, stating that reports show that SEPTA, which he said is "a few million in the red," has been run correctly but funded improperly."I think that the gun issue is going to be back on the front pages. So that will have to be addressed," he said. "I don't know which way they're going to go but it's out there as a legitimate concern. The Legislature will have to look at it closely."In terms of open space issues, McGill said his voting record shows his dedication to preserving county lands. "I voted and pushed for the Growing Greener II," he said, referring to legislation passed in 2005 earmarking more than $600 million for state open space initiatives. "We've been really good at giving municipalities - boroughs and townships - the tools to grab as much open space as they can." Responding to the recent controversy regarding a letter urging leniency that he wrote to a judge on behalf of convicted sexual predator Sheldon Granor - the son of Bernard Granor, a contributor to McGill's campaign - McGill said he would only change "one word.""'Leniency' should have been 'psychiatric help,'" he said, noting that he would rather see prisoners receive "intensive psychotherapy, rather than being held in a prison cell and released to strike again." When asked what sets him apart from his opponent, McGill cited his experience and what he said are the tangible results of his hard work. "I've been quite successful in how to work with several administrations and be effective," he said. "And I have a very open-door policy in my office and people recognize that and hopefully will continue to support me."

Rick Taylor

Democratic candidate Rick Taylor is the challenger for the 151st Legislative District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. His opponent is state Rep. Eugene McGill, R-151, a six-term incumbent. Taylor, 37, is an Ambler resident and was elected to Ambler Borough Council last November. He is the manager of Global Compensation for IMS Health and has a bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota and a master's degree in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University. According to Taylor, he decided to run for the representative seat because of the controversial legislative pay raise passed in 2005. "That's not serving the general interest," he said. "I decided to make that stand." Taylor listed education as his top priority. He said students' families are facing increasing costs for college tuition. "There's, right now, two options that they have: mortgage their house, or mortgage their future. That isn't right," he said. "We should find ways to make college more affordable for them." To do so, Taylor cited one proposal that would reduce college costs for students who perform 100 hours of community service. "It's good for society, its good for the kids, and, gosh darn it, it's great for the parents," he said. "If there were not educational opportunities for me to go to college, I would not be where I am today - running for office."If elected, Taylor said his other two-year goals would include tax relief for senior citizens and government reform. Taylor said his plan for "standing up for our seniors" includes working with the governor to pass property tax relief legislation. Taylor said his desire to bring reform to the House of Representatives is driven by one question: "How are their votes being affected by lobbyists?" "I'm not saying all legislators are like that, but we don't know," he said. "Right now, we're the only state in the union that doesn't have lobbyist disclosure. We need to hold our legislators accountable by making their votes more readily accessible to the citizens." In terms of open space issues, Taylor said his voting record in Ambler indicates his dedication to continuing such initiatives in the county. "On borough council, I voted for the comprehensive plan in Montgomery County," he said, noting that it "calls for more preservation of open space." Taylor said he wants to try to limit sprawl in the district. "I would like to see something that is more town-centric, and Ambler is a good example," he said. "I want places that are preserving the community, the social fabric, and at the same time will reduce the pressure of sprawl."When asked what sets him apart from his opponent, Taylor cited his belief that he would be more attentive to the needs of his constituents. "They're not asking for a lot. They're asking for dignity, respect and fairness," he said. "I think the simple question I'm going to ask myself is, 'Is this going to help my constituents? Is it for them or is it for me?'"