Two Beaver County residents seeking Democratic nod in 15th District
Two Beaver County men with backgrounds in local politics are vying for the Democratic nomination in Tuesday’s primary for the chance to face incumbent Republican Rep. Jim Christiana for the 15th District legislative seat.
Both Dennis Nichols and Michael Rossi have served on local school boards and community advisory boards. In addition, Nichols is a former Beaver County commissioner and Brighton Township supervisor.
The gridlock in Harrisburg that was highlighted during the nine-month budget impasse is a main issue for both candidates. “I’ve seen this gridlock, and there’s no excuse for it,” Rossi said, explaining it spurred him to run. “They’re hurting people, and it’s frustrating.”
Nichols, too, is frustrated. “I think we need to change the culture in Harrisburg. It has to be more of an atmosphere of accountability and accomplishment,” Nichols said.
Both candidates said if elected they would work in a nonpartisan way to do what is best for residents of the district.
“In the 15th District and in Southwestern Pennsylvania, there are many issues that the average Republican and Democratic voter are not that far apart on. We need to find ways to stress what we have in common, and I think that is opposite of what is going on in Harrisburg and Washington, D.C.,” Nichols said.
Rossi said “you have to find people who are (in Harrisburg) because they want to work. I don’t believe every representative who is there is a party-line person. There are representatives there who are frustrated. It’s my job to find those people on both sides of the aisle and work with them.”
Rossi supports the imposition of a severance tax on Marcellus Shale gas drilling as a way to help address the state’s fiscal struggles. “You have to tax them, but don’t make it so high it will drive them out,” he said. He said a combination of a severance tax and continuation of the impact fee could be studied. A former union official, Rossi does not favor changing the public pension system, which is contributing to the state’s financial problems.
Nichols said a compromise needs to be reached between the two parties to find a solution to the budget issues. He said a severance tax “is something we need to take a closer look at,” but he also stressed that any tax on the gas industry should not put Pennsylvania at a disadvantage with other gas-rich states. “We need to look at the total tax package,” he said, including income, corporate and other taxes. He also does not favor changing the pension system, but rather finding a way to fully fund the state’s obligations.
Both men said they have differences with Christiana, who is unopposed for the Republican nomination.
“I don’t think he’s a proponent of public education in the sense that (the Republicans) just cut funding for it and don’t want to bring it back,” Rossi said.
“Christiana has been in office eight years, and frankly I don’t think he’s accomplished that much in that time,” Nichols said. “He has involved himself in local politics and wants to be a political boss instead of engaging with constituents.”
Nichols was a Republican Beaver County commissioner, but he lost in a close 2015 primary and blames that defeat on Christiana and the Republican Party’s support for his opponents and negative advertising directed at him. So in January, Nichols changed his registration to Democrat.
He said that Rossi is the uncle of one the newly elected Republican county commissioners, who has ties to Christiana, and accused him of being a “plant” by Christiana.
Rossi acknowledged that Christiana helped Dan Camp, his nephew through marriage, in the Republican primary against Nichols, but said he has no ties to Christiana.
Rossi said that even though Nichols changed his party affiliation, he still has a Republican philosophy. “There’s not much of a choice if he beats me in the primary.”