The Ambler Gazette, October 22, 2008, Wednesday

The Ambler Gazette

October 22, 2008, Wednesday

The Ambler Gazette

Taylor fights for his seat in Harrisburg

By Terri Alderfer, Staff Writer

Democratic incumbent Rick Taylor believes that his track record of fighting for his constituents in Harrisburg is what will get him re-elected to the 151st District Nov. 4.

Taylor is running against Republican candidate Todd Stephens, a Montgomery County assistant district attorney and former federal prosecutor from Horsham Township, in the 151st District, which includes parts of Abington, Horsham, Lower Gwynedd, Montgomery and Upper Dublin townships, as well as Ambler Borough.
Since he took office in 2006, Taylor said he has offered the most constituent service hours of any legislator in Pennsylvania, including making house calls to those who are not able to leave their homes.
"Constituent services has been a strong suit," he said of his first term in a phone interview Oct. 20.
Originally from Minnesota, where he once interned for Sen. Paul Wellstone, Taylor has lived in Ambler Borough for more than eight years with his wife, Jeanne, and his two children, Amelija, 15, and Freddie, 8. He attended the University of Minnesota, where he studied political science and American government, and later went on to receive his master's degree in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University.
Taylor, who said that he stands toward the right of center fiscally and describes himself as socially moderate, got into politics because of a natural inclination he had.
After working in the private sector for a number of years, he said it was at the conclusion of the last presidential election that he felt "frustration with the direction that the country was going in," and decided to do something about it. Taylor said that his position in global compensation for IMS Health required him to travel and apply diplomacy with clients, and that prepared him for his role in government.
Taylor said he recognizes that the issue of most concern to his constituents in this election is the slumping economy, and he proposes a number of strategies to help families and individuals who are suffering.
"I've been one of the leaders championing PA ABC, which is health care insurance for those who do not have insurance," he said.
Taylor added that he would fight for an energy policy that continues to focus on renewable and sustainable options, and create "green collar jobs here in Pennsylvania."
As a representative on the state level for Ambler Borough, where he once served on borough council, Taylor said that he would like to see the BoRit asbestos site placed on the Environmental Protection Agency's National Priorities List and remediated properly and "make that space available for open space." Taylor said he is against building on the site, and added that he was one of several residents who helped prevent the construction of a 17-story high-rise being built on the site in 2004.
In his first term, Taylor supported legislation preventing the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove from becoming a civilian or commercial airport, implementing the statewide smoking ban, making college more affordable for students and families by increasing funding for the Dual Enrollment Program and allocating funding for The Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act.
Taylor is a member of the House Finance, Children and Youth, Insurance and Aging and Adult Services committees.

©Montgomery Newspapers 2008