On April 28, Pennsylvania Democrats will go to the polls and elect a candidate to represent them in the general election against Auditor General Barbara Hafer. There are no less than four men vying for that challenge.
One of these men stands out above the others. State Senator Roy C. Afflerbach (D-Allentown) currently represents the people in the Lehigh Valley. The strength of Senator Afflerbach's organization was clearly demonstrated when he filed his petitions containing over 9,000 signatures from 57 counties. That was nearly as many signatures as the other three candidates combined, and from far more counties than the other candidates combined.
Senator Afflerbach is minority chairman of the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee. He also serves on the Education and Public Health and Welfare Committees, the Pennsylvania Public Television Network Commission and the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee.
In a recent campaign report, Afflerbach reported contributions of more than $10,000 since the beginning of the year. He does not feel that there is a need to raise large sums of money for a primary election. Afflerbach does not plan to buy this election. He says, "I plan to earn it with hard work and grassroots organization. It's far more important to meet people and give them a chance to question me about my candidacy than to spend money on costly television advertising." Afflerbach has launched an intensive county-by-county campaign. Afflerbach has been in each of the 67 counties in Pennsylvania during the last year, either on the campaign trail or on official senatorial duties. Afflerbach is committed to the auditor general campaign to serve the people of Pennsylvania.
As Armstrong County Democratic Chairman, I recently received a letter from Craig Lewis who is also running for the Democratic spot on the November ballot. Lewis was giving self-praise to his ability to raise money. He reported that he has over $200,000 in his war chest, much of the money contributed by Philadelphia lawyers, suburban Philadelphia developers, Philadelphia political action committees, and some out-of-state corporate political action committees. He also noted that the money came from small and large contributors. According to the campaign expense reports filed recently in Harrisburg, Lewis received two $5,000 contributions from other members of his law firm. The two Philadelphia based political committees, the Buchanan Ingersoll Committee for Effective Government and the Wheat First Butcher and Singer PAC contributed $3,000 and $2,000, respectively. Lewis also gave a $25,000 loan to his campaign. In his letter, Lewis says that he plans to use television advertisements so that the voters of Pennsylvania can "see a TV campaign unequaled by any other candidate for auditor general." He claims that television ads are the single most important thing that can be done in a political campaign.
Afflerbach believes that the auditor general has the authority and the responsibility to perform both the traditional post-audit financial watchdog function and the more difficult and challenging public advocacy function of performance auditing.
He believes that the auditor general has sufficient authority to institute a unified auditing system in cooperation with local auditors. Initiation of such a system will eventually lead to the elimination of substantial duplication in financial auditing, will conserve existing resources for more important functions, and will enable the auditor generals office to do more, with less dollars.
Afflerbach feels that it is no longer sufficient to simply talk about the economic beating which our working men and women of the middle class have taken during the past eleven years. He feels that every program for which tax dollars are expended must be challenged to determine if it is working efficiently and effectively -- and if it is not, we must either correct it or end it.
He has prided himself on being not just a supporter, but a leader and outspoken advocate on issues of concern to working families. He is well known for his work on behalf of Pennsylvania's citizens with handicaps or disabilities. He will continue that advocacy as Pennsylvania's next auditor general. Afflerbach has the knowledge, the know-how, and a vision to define the office and redefine the job.
Please take note that this is not a popularity contest. It is the business of electing Democrats in November. Afflerbach is by far the best candidate for the position of auditor general. Together we can bring about a grassroots Democratic victory and a victory for the working people of Pennsylvania.
