LA PLUME TWP. — Other than party, the major difference between 117th House district candidates Rep. Karen Boback and Laura Dickson is how they say they will get the job done.

Ms. Dickson, the Democratic nominee from Tunkhannock, served as vice president for a pharmaceutical company before becoming Wyoming County auditor. She criticized the state Legislature for not solving persistent problems with unemployment, sluggish job growth, tax benefits for large corporations and high school property taxes.

Ms. Boback, the Republican four-term incumbent from Harveys Lake, pledged to work to lower school property taxes, create a fair severance tax on the natural gas industry and reduce state employee pension debt. She said she wants to understand all consequences before signing onto an issue.

“‘Do no harm’ is always in the back of my head,” Ms. Boback said.

The two faced off in a League of Women Voters of Lackawanna County debate at Keystone College. Their district stretches from Hunlock Creek and Sweet Valley, south of Nanticoke, north through the Back Mountain to Dalton, Factoryville and La Plume.

Among other issues, moderator Andrea Mulrine asked the candidates about property tax reform, a severance tax on the natural gas industry, increasing the minimum wage and privatizing the liquor industry.

Both said they worry about high school property taxes forcing seniors in their district out of their homes.

Ms. Boback said that’s why she co-sponsored House Bill 76, which would have eliminated school property taxes by bringing in more personal income and sales taxes. That bill didn’t make it past the House Finance committee; the Senate never voted on its version.

Ms. Dickson said this reform should have been done 10 years ago.

“I will be sure that bill gets voted on,” she said.

Both support a 5 percent extraction tax on the natural gas industry, though Ms. Boback said she wants to see local governments continue to receive impact fee money, along with a “hold harmless” component to stop gas companies from passing the tax on to landowners.

Both said the state needs to raise the minimum wage. Ms. Dickson said Pennsylvania’s minimum wage forces some workers out of state to seek higher pay. Ms. Boback said the legislature must be careful not to force businesses to lay off employees because of higher labor costs.

“How do you raise it, when do you raise it and how do you raise it again?” she said.

Ms. Boback framed the debate over the state’s liquor monopoly as “modernization” versus “privatization” but did not strongly declare a position. Ms. Dickson said she would not privatize because the state makes money on wine and spirit sales.

 

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bgibbons@timesshamrock.com, @bgibbonsTT on Twitter