Oct 27, 2014 3 min read

Thanks to the once-a-decade redrawing of legislative district borders, which can often be a source of confusion and frustration for voters, parts of Washington County will be getting a new state representative after Jan. 1. That’s because the 15th District now dips into the northern and western reaches of the county, while still encompassing a portion of Beaver County.

This is a case, though, where voters should welcome the change, for they will be gaining a talented and thoughtful representative in the form of Republican Jim Christiana. We enthusiastically endorse Christiana’s bid for a fourth term representing the 15th District.

The 31-year-old graduate of Washington & Jefferson College displays a maturity and political savvy beyond his years. Though he is conservative, he is not dogmatically so, and has worked with more liberal members of the Legislature to accomplish his goals.

Unlike some of his colleagues, both within the commonwealth and across the country, Christiana is not allergic to compromise, and is willing to score, as he puts it, “singles and doubles,” rather than home runs. We find this view of the political process refreshing.

An advocate for governmental openness, Christiana counts among his accomplishments the introduction of the site PENNWATCH, shorthand for the Pennsylvania Web Accountability, Transparency and Contract Hub, which tracks state budgets, spending and revenue.

He has also championed a similar database, SchoolWATCH, which would shine a light on how school districts around the commonwealth use taxpayer dollars. “My biggest responsibility is to restore the integrity of government,” Christiana said.

Believing the property tax is “the most un-American tax on the books,” Christiana believes Pennsylvania should fund its schools through some combination of a sales and personal income taxes.

Though we worry that such a plan would place a greater burden on the backs of taxpayers least able to afford it, the current system has created vast inequities in how our schools are funded, with more well-heeled districts enjoying the best facilities and instruction, while districts in struggling communities are left to scrape by on pocket change. We believe Christiana will remain committed to fairness if reform goes forward.

He also believes, correctly, that school districts should trim away some of the administrative fat that has burdened their budgets and that cyberschools, which have taken money from district budgets without the corresponding accountability, should be funded on the state level rather than the local level.

Though he is “100 percent opposed to legalization,” he is willing to explore the prospect of marijuana being used for medicinal purposes and, like this newspaper’s editorial board, believes it is long overdue for the state’s antediluvian system of wine and liquor stores to be privatized.

Christiana has, unfortunately, not had much competition in this election. His Democratic opponent, former Aliquippa police officer Paul Cain, has proven to be as elusive as Greta Garbo once was, not appearing at public events and not making his presence felt beyond a few random road signs. Efforts by this newspaper to contact him have been unsuccessful. Cain is clearly not a serious candidate and voters should, accordingly, dismiss him at the ballot box.

The 15th Legislative District includes Amwell, Blaine, Buffalo, Cross Creek, Donegal, East Finley, Hanover, Hopewell, Independence, Jefferson, Morris, South Franklin and West Finley townships in Washington County, along with the boroughs of Claysville, Green Hills and West Middletown.