Vote no and no

Editor, Gettysburg Times,

Are you planning to vote in the Primary Election on May 18? If the answer is “no” or “maybe”—and especially if the answer is “yes” — please read on. Many people don’t vote when there are no major positions or people they know on the ballot. This year is different. Even if you don’t know the names of the judicial candidates, there is a big reason why you must vote. It’s the two proposed Constitutional Amendments that are on the ballot!

Whether you are Democrat or Republican, you should care about our Pennsylvania Constitution because it will affect us all now and for the future. This time the issue is emergency declarations, but it can be confusing. The Pennsylvania government needs to have the ability to react to whatever new disaster may happen. Those in the PA General Assembly who don’t like our governor, are trying to take away the governor’s privilege and responsibility to declare an emergency response, even when it is needed. No matter who we elect to be our governor, we need to trust whoever it is to protect us in an emergency. The first proposed amendment allows the General Assembly to terminate a governor’s emergency declaration they don’t like. Unfortunately, the General Assembly is known for partisan gridlock, and cannot be trusted with this responsibility.

The second amendment further limits the governor’s power and would automatically terminate emergency declarations after just three weeks. Think about it. Setting an automatic expiration date for a disaster emergency ruling regardless of the severity is sheer folly. Remember the extent of damage from Hurricane Katrina or the length of the current pandemic. There are 253 legislators in the General Assembly that seldom agree on any policy or action, and we want to trust them when there is an emergency? No matter which political party is in power, a governor has a staff of experts to guide him/her on key emergency actions needed whenever disaster may strike. This is not something to hand over to the General Assembly.

So please! Don’t forget to vote and when you do, vote no on both amendments! Don’t give in to partisan politicians who simply hate Governor Wolf.

Elaine L. Jones,

Arendtsville