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`Recently elected Pennsylvania Senator Lloyd Smucker, made a personable appearance on Monday, April 13 at the Club de’Ville.
Smucker was agreeably friendly as he greeted the small group of 15 or so students that gathered around tables set up for the luncheon.
Pizza, water and soda was presented to create a, “brown bag lunch, informal setting,” as Mark Fischer, junior and president of the Political Science Organization explained in his introduction of the senator.
This was the first of many anticipated lunches hosted by PSO.
“This is new this semester,” Fischer began. “PSO set this up, we plan on doing more, not just [with] legislators, any community leader, mayors, police chiefs, etc.”
Smucker began his discussion by stating that he had, “almost no prepared remarks.” His intention was to create a casual discussion with the students.
Smucker made a point to begin his speech by jokingly quoting Julius Henry “Groucho” Marx, an actor and comedian from the 1930s, sending smiles throughout the room, “Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies.”
The agreeable and comical way he presented himself was appreciated by students and encouraged interaction.
“I thought Senator Smucker was a really personable guy, just the type of senator I think most people would want representing them; someone you feel comfortable talking to about your issues,” Fischer said.
He shared with the students a little about his introduction into politics, stating that he, “never planned for this or anticipated this.”
He started off as a local business owner in Lancaster, where he has lived all of his life.
His enjoyment of working in politics was quite evident, “[It] is rewarding that the decisions you have really impact people’s quality of life,” Smucker said. “There hasn’t been a day yet where I haven’t woken up ready for work.”
Smucker was very encouraging of students entering the political system, and his belief that one person can make a difference.
“To have people of integrity willing to get in and clean up the system,” Smucker believed was important of those that chose to pursue a career in politics.
The senator then went on to briefly discuss the state budget.
Due to the economic conditions there is a $3 billion short fall in the budget that needs to be made up.
Senator Lloyd Smucker speaks to students at the PSO luncheon on Monday, April 3 in the Club de'Ville. Photo by: Christian Shuts.
Smucker explained that there were two ways to make up this loss: to reduce expenditures or to raise taxes. Smucker believes that it is wrong to raise taxes at this time. Instead he believes that jobs need to be created.
He also informed that serious cuts in spending will be made. “It will be very tough decision on how we are going to spend the state dollar,” Smucker said.
His discussion on the budget lead to many questions from the students, such as how Millersville, being a state school will be affected.
Smucker answered that a significant part of our funding does come from the state, and that this was one of the many times that needs to be looked at to see what dollars are available.
Gerald Eckert, Vice President for the Office of VP for academic affairs, further clarified the question stating that, 38 percent of Millersville’s revenue comes from the state revenue, which is about a half of a billion dollars. This year with all of the cuts, the state school systems were not. “Many private schools, who do get state funding, which many do not know did get cut,” Eckert explained.
Smucker continued on the topic of finances, “ten bills related to reform were all introduced and passed with broad bipartisan support last year by senate; the house never took them up so they were introduced again this year.”
These bills included ways to take the state budget and put it online so anyone can see where their tax dollars are being spent, more accountability on state vehicles, accountability for state planes, an increase in the penalty for the violation of the sunshine law; which requires all government operations and meetings be done in the open. The violation is currently $100; Smucker would like to see an increase to $1000.
Smucker briefly discussed the subject of gun control.
He would like to find ways to prevent guns from getting to the wrong people, but without restricting gun use. He would like to make sure that no one with a criminal record will own a gun, which is difficult because of straw buyers, or people that buy guns for other people.
Many students were willing to participate in the discussion with Senator Smucker.
The questions were well received by him and he tried his best to give them all of the information that he has gained in such a short period of time being in office.
Kagiso Lekoa, a sophomore, political science major, was impressed with Smucker’s appearance. “As a foreigner it is interesting to see this kind of thing happen because it is so informal, because in my country it is a big event, you do not see a senator come talk to university students.”
Smucker’s visit served as a successful way for students to gain insight on how the local government is helping the issues that matter to students.
Not only political science majors benefited from the event; Smucker was open to discussing a wide variety of topics from army veteran finances to homelessness in the area.