Taylor, a lifelong McKees Rocks Borough resident, has been a change agent on Borough Council since first taking her Council Seat in 2007. “Since earning the honor to serve as an elected municipal representative, I have learned first hand that many of the needs of local government are not being adequately fulfilled at the State level,” said Taylor. “Obviously, the protracted State Budget Battle proves that Harrisburg, as we know it, is a bloated and broken bureaucracy that is in desperate need of change.”

Taylor hopes next year to join a cohort of potential new freshmen legislators that may be elected with a commitment to reduce the size of the PA Legislature (Which is America’s largest at 253 officials) while increasing the services the State provides to local governments. She notes that there is a precedent for change in Pennsylvania given the previous “anti-pay raise” legislators that swept through the State Capitol four years ago. Taylor noted: “Obviously a precedent was established with the anti-pay raise collation of freshmen legislators who were elected by the good people of the Commonwealth who demanded better from their elected officials. I hope to become part of a new wave of meaningful change that will make Harrisburg work for Pennsylvanians again.”

Candidate Taylor is also deeply concerned about urban blight, as many vacant properties in the 45th Legislative District remain abandoned and dilapidated. “Its time for Harrisburg to re-energize the economic vitality of our communities by clearing out these vacant and neglected homesteads so that our communities can turn these properties back on the tax rolls, said Taylor. She further pledged that, if elected, she is committed to work with all local governments in the 45th Legislative District to identify, prioritize, and most importantly, fulfill their needs. “As a locally elected municipal councilwoman, I know first hand about the challenges and burden of meeting payroll and fulfilling local government needs in the face of diminishing state recourses,” said Taylor. “Its time to trim the size of the state legislature to create enough cost savings that can be devoted and re-invested into our local communities.”

Our Home, Our Government, Our Voice!

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Challenger for Democrat bid says change needed in 45th district

By Tory N. Parrish, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, April 12, 2012

A closer look at the candidates

McKees Rocks resident Maribeth L. Taylor is running for a state House seat in the 45th District because it's time for a change, she said. "Since 2003, we've been dealing with the same problems ... with the same results. It's time to start getting new people in there with new ideas, new solutions and new results," the Democrat said.

Democratic Rep. Nick Kotik, however, said he's been working hard since taking office to listen and respond to his constituents. "I run a very productive office in answering the needs of the people," he said.
Taylor will challenge Kotik in an April 24 primary that will determine who faces Republican Aaron Kime in the general election Nov. 6. Kime is running unopposed in the primary. Kotik defeated Kime for the seat in 2010. Kime did not return calls for comment.

The 45th district includes Kennedy, Robinson, Bridgeville, Carnegie, Coraopolis and parts of Collier, South Fayette, Stowe and McKees Rocks. Of the district's 41,661 registered voters, 63 percent are Democrats, according to the Allegheny County Democratic Committee, which endorsed Kotik.
Formerly manager of Robinson and aide to then-Rep. Fred Trello, Kotik cited several economic development projects in which he has been involved as evidence of his record.
He said he has helped redevelop a 104-acre site in Stowe and McKees Rocks that was formerly the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad yard. He said he has worked with two other legislators to secure a state grant and loan totaling $3 million for the project, which is being led by the McKees Rocks Community Development Corp.

Issues in the 45th district are the same as those statewide, with education and transportation cuts topping the list, said Kotik, a supporter of smaller government. He voted with the majority in the House last week to reduce the size of the state Legislature by about 25 percent, he said.

Taylor said the reduction is a step in the right direction in reforming top-heavy government. A McKees Rocks councilwoman, Taylor said that her local experience prepared her for state office.
"I negotiated police contracts, street department contracts ... brought in a lot of programs with the support of the council," said Taylor, 53, a consultant for the McKees Rocks Community Development Corp.
McKees Rocks is contending with unemployment and blight, like many other communities across the state, she said.

Taylor proposed a program that would offer a "forgiveness week" for tax-delinquent owners of property on which the borough has placed liens. Under certain criteria, the owners would be able to give the properties to the borough, which would forgive the taxes and sell the properties to new owners. Taylor said the borough is working with the school district and county to implement the initiative.