The further GOP Gov. Tom Corbett slips behind Democratic challenger Tom Wolf in the polls, the better, thinks at least one local candidate, who is hoping to get a bounce from the gubernatorial race.

“I’ve gotten a lot of good feedback,” said Lisa Stout-Bashioum, 53, of Somerset Township, the Democratic challenger in the race for the 39th Legislative District seat.  “The talk of the ticket is Tom Wolf and that’s nothing but good for me.  I think that my issues are very similar to his.”

Polling data has had Mr. Wolf enjoying double-digit leads over Gov. Tom Corbett for months and the election on Nov. 4 doesn’t seem to be tightening in any significant way at this point.

When Mr. Corbett was running four years ago, Ms. Stout-Bashioum believes his success rubbed off on the candidacy of her opponent, state Rep. Rick Saccone, who unseated longtime legislator David Levdansky.  That could swing in her favor now, Ms. Stout-Bashioum believes, especially in a district where Democrats outnumber Republicans by about 20 percent.

“The momentum of 2010 I think benefitted him,” she said of Mr. Saccone, a Republican who barely held onto the seat when Mr. Levdansky challenged him two years ago, with just 36 votes separating them.  “I think that’s peaked and valleyed at this point.”

But Mr. Saccone, 56, of Elizabeth Township, said he still has plenty he wants to accomplish.

“I definitely want to see pension reform and property taxes are always very, very high on my list,” said Mr. Saccone, a professor at Saint Vincent College in Unity.

He supports a bill that would replace property tax with a one percent increase in sales tax for purchases over $50 and a four percent hike in payroll taxes.

“It’s wonderful because it protects people’s property and spreads the burden out on everyone,” he said.  “ And it protects people’s homes, which is the number one issue facing seniors and those on fixed incomes.’’

Mr. Saccone favors pension reform that would replace the current defined benefit provision with a defined contribution.

Ms. Stout-Bashioum has something few other candidates can boast — a father who served in the state Senate for 33 years.

“His advice always has been to do the best you can, make the best decisions for the people in the district and don’t get distracted,” she said of her father, J. Barry Stout, who retired at the end of 2010.  “He knows it’s tough, and not an easy road.”

With six children ages 13 to 28 who have attended public schools, Ms. Stout-Bashioum said her number one issue is education funding.

“These education cuts are very real; these challenges are very real,” said Ms. Stout-Bashioum, a school director in Bentworth, the second poorest school district in Washington County.  “We need an education funding formula that’s fair, equitable and predicable.”

She favors an extraction tax on Marcellus Shale gas well drilling companies which could be used to offset state cuts in funding.  The decrease in funds has trickled down in the past three years, resulting in higher property taxes, along with cuts in programs and furloughs statewide.

“I know a lot of people who have benefited from the gas industry and I totally support them, but I think having an extraction tax can really benefit our education system and provide a break for taxpayers in the form of lower property taxes,” said Ms. Stout-Bashioum, who said she can see neighboring gas wells from her front door.

Mr. Saccone said he does not favor additional taxes on the drilling industry, saying that the current impact fee is high enough. 

“We have a fair system; it’s reaping billions of dollars in taxes for us,” he said.  “It’s spurring good paying jobs and auxiliary jobs.  It’s a real boon for our part of the state.”

Mr. Saccone objects to the claim that the state has cut education funding, pointing out that it was the elimination of short-term federal stimulus funds that resulted in less funding for schools, not state cuts.

“It’s a flat out lie,” he said.  “We’ve spent more money on education in recent years than we ever have in the history of the union.”

Mr. Saccone said he’s proud of what he accomplished in his first two terms, including his support of the expansion of the Castle Doctrine; drug testing requirements for welfare recipients; a move to shrink the size of the Legislature; a bill to toughen laws against child sex predators; his support of a privatized liquor control system; and four state budgets completed on time and with no tax increases.

Ms. Stout-Bashioum served on the Bentworth School Board from 2005 to 2009 and is in the middle of another term in office.  She previously ran for county prothonotary in 2011.

She cited infrastructure as another important component in her platform.  With 6,000 bridges deemed “deficient” in Pennsylvania, something needs to be done, she said.

“If you ignore it now you’re leaving it for your kids to deal with down the road,” she said.

RICK SACCONE, REPUBLICAN

HOMETOWN:  Elizabeth Township

AGE: 56

FAMILY: Wife Yong, married 35 years; sons Nick, 30, and Matt, 29; daughter-in-law Shannon, 28.

EDUCATION: Doctorate from University of Pittsburgh in international relations/international policy economy in 2002; master’s degree in public administration from University of Oklahoma in 1984; master’s degree in national security affairs from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1987; bachelor’s degree in psychology/criminal justice from Weber State College in 1981.

JOB: State Representative R-39th.; professor Saint Vincent College

LISA STOUT-BASHIOUM, DEMOCRAT

HOMETOWN:  Somerset Township

AGE: 53

FAMILY: Husband Bob; and children Jonathan, Joshua, Brynne, Samuel, William, and Benjamin.

EDUCATION: University of Pittsburgh, bachelor’s degree in communications, 1984

JOB: Tourism Professional, Rivers of Steel Heritage Tours

Janice Crompton:  jcrompton@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1159. 

First Published: October 9, 2014, 4:00 a.m.