Checking Our Community Vital Signs

Symptoms – Anxiety and pulse rates climb over the inability to afford healthcare as 92,000 or 1 in 5 Pennsylvanians drop ACA (Obamacare) plans as subsidies expire.

Vitals – Too many PA residents must choose between going to the doctor and feeding their families. I know what it’s like to go without prescribed medication because the insurance company won’t cover it and I simply cannot afford it. When there are fewer people with insurance, rural regions tend to have less access to care facilities. This puts an increased burden on our already stressed emergency rooms.

Guidance - The current system is not working. Your ability to access quality healthcare should be the same as your neighbor’s. Every Pennsylvanian deserves dependable healthcare without having to choose between paying the mortgage and paying for chemo. Around 69% of the world's population has some form of universal healthcare. The United States does not. The United State does file 67% of the world’s medical bankruptcies.

What I Will Do - I will work with Healthcare for all Pa toward an equitable and affordable health insurance system that benefits all Pennsylvanians. Reliable healthcare is the bedrock of a healthy community.

Symptoms – Our community food pantries are experiencing high demand. Community networks are being stretched thin, and our paychecks don’t stretch far enough.

Vitals – The Pennsylvania Minimum Wage is $7.25 per hour. The take home pay for a 40-hour week is approximately $1160 per month. The average rent of a one-bedroom apartment in PA is $1200 per month. The cost of living has increased dramatically in the last fifteen years since the minimum wage was last adjusted in 2009. We know that $7.25 an hour is not a livable wage and working two full-time jobs is not sustainable. Edit**02/26 Virginia minimum wage increases to $15/hour

Guidance - Increasing the minimum wage provides basic income security to those that need it the most. Grocery prices are at pandemic highs with no end in sight. Increasing the minimum wage has been shown to boost consumer spending, reduce poverty, improve worker productivity and morality, and above all can decrease reliance on public assistance. 

What I will do - I will work toward increasing the minimum wage in PA. 

Symptoms – Services vital to the physical and emotional wellbeing of seniors have been cut across the Commonwealth. These cuts can add to feelings of isolation and depression. When senior services are cut the entire family is impacted.

Vitals - According to PA Area Agency on Aging (AAA) 13 Senior Centers across the state have already been closed with 23 additional centers at risk. A closed door and longer waiting lists for grab and go meals will lead to many experiencing food insecurities at the same time.

Guidance - The majority of my nursing career was spent caring for Senior Citizens, and I fully realize the importance of continued socialization. A lack of socialization can lead to an increase in health concerns including depression, decreased nutritional intake, and an increase in dementia related symptoms.  PA has one of the oldest citizen populations in the country. Approximately 25% of the state is aged 65 and older. It is essential that area seniors have a place to socialize, exercise and experience community.

What I will do - I will work with the local AAA to determine the needs of area seniors and work toward meeting these needs while ensuring our seniors receive the care, support, dignity and respect that they deserve.

Symptoms – The average PA teacher salary is $70,936. The average pay in Brockway, Brookville and Punxsy is $62,662, $59,265 and $61,296 respectively. Hiring talented educators and support staff who intend to stay long term is a struggle in rural areas.

Vitals – All three school districts in Jefferson County (Brockway, Brookville, and Punxsy) are Title I schools.  Title I is a 100% Federally funded supplemental education program that provides financial assistance to local educational agencies to improve educational opportunities for educationally deprived children. The US Department of Education is currently undergoing severe cuts to both funding and staffing, leaving doubt of it’s ability to function as it has in the past.

Guidance -A public education is to be provided to every child regardless. All students deserve the right to a high-quality education with teachers and support staff working towards the same goal. By focusing on the Public School System and exploring options to ensure funds are available to support the system we can ensure all students receive the highest quality education.

What I Will Do - I will work with the PA Department of Education to ensure that our rural public schools receive as much attention as the more populated districts. I will also work with the PA Education Association to discover ways to bolster our rural schoolteachers and support staff. 

Symptoms - Misinformation and suspicion are running rampant through our community. We watch as friends and neighbors are detained based on the color of their skin. Peaceful protesters have been targeted, maimed and even killed. An entire generation of children is being traumatized, and our politicians look straight into the camera every day and lie.

Vitals – It is disheartening that in the year 2026 we continue to deal with racism, wage inequality, disparity in education, misogyny, fair and affordable housing, LGTBQ + rights, food insecurity and many other issues Living in a rural district these issues can be isolating and disastrous to many of our residents. When our neighbors do not feel safe in our community the community itself is less safe. This puts stress and strain on the available resources present in rural areas. 

Guidance - The PA Declaration of Rights (Article I of the PA Constitution) lists many core rights granted to every citizen of Pennsylvania. Our civil liberties include but are not limited to freedom of speech, press, and assembly, as well as rights of the accused, including trial by jury and protection from unlawful searches and seizures. The first statute titled Inherent Rights of Mankind states: All men are born equally free and independent, with rights to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness.

What I will do -  I will follow the PA Constitutionwhich spells out all the rights we have living in the Commonwealth. I will support and work with agencies that protect our rights as well as vote accordingly in support of our PA Constitution if any challenges are brought up.