State Rep. Kotik Faces Primary Challenger

wants to continue pushing back against Gov. Tom Corbett and the Republican-controlled legislature on Marcellus Shale drilling and infrastructure spending.

Maribeth Taylor, his primary election opponent in the 45th House district, says the incumbent isn’t doing enough for the area and she wants to restore state funding to schools and area towns.

“I just feel personally that the local communities have been ignored by our state level government,” said Taylor, who has been a McKees Rocks councilwoman for the past five years.

She said the state should funnel more money to local school districts to improve education. Taylor, 53, also thinks that the state should deploy a housing program now being used in McKees Rock to reduce blight.

The program would allow relatives of deceased property owners to donate the homes with the municipalities and school districts forgiving unpaid taxes. They would then put the home out for bid, allowing young families to purchase them and put them back on the tax rolls.

“I’m hoping to get through the gridlock,” Taylor said. “Anything I need, I’m researching. There’s a lot of things on council that have come up and I’ve found that if you have something to back up what you say and if it’s presented with the right info, they’ll do the right.”

Meanwhile, Kotik, who is 61 and has represented the district since 2003, thinks transportation and education should be priorities over the next few years. He pointed to the potentially disastrous cuts to public transit and the need for the state to find a dedicated revenue source.

He acknowledged the idea of new fees or higher gasoline taxes are undesirable, but said the alternatives are transit cuts or weakening roads and bridges.

“There’s no magic pot of gold that will take care of our transportation issues,” Kotik said. “Should we wait for a tragedy? The longer you don’t address it, the more expensive it’s going to get. These are tough decisions. But they elect you to make the tough decisions.”

He also said the recently passed Marcellus Shale drilling law, which he opposed, needs to be changed to give local communities control of zoning again.

Kotik, who lives in Robinson Township, said his governing approach over the past decade has been to find common ground between both parties to move forward.

“I think I’m a pragmatic guy,” he said. “I have an open mind and I’m willing to reach across the aisle to find solutions. We have to do that.”

The district includes Bridgeville, Heidelberg and parts of Collier and Scott townships. The winner of the Democratic primary is expected to face Republican challenger Aaron Kime of South Fayette in the November general election.

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