And we’re back with Broad + Liberty’s Candidate Spotlight Series! Each week, we reach out to candidates all across the Commonwealth up for election to public office — an equal number of Democrats and Republicans; incumbents and challengers. We ask one question per week about public policy pressing to you. Those who choose to respond will have their answers shared on our website every Wednesday through Sunday.

Earlier this week, we featured responses from our nominees for U.S. Senator, U.S. Congress, General Assembly and Governor. Today, Pennsylvania’s nominees for Lieutenant Governor weigh in to discuss inflation.

If you are a candidate for public office in Pennsylvania and would like to participate, please reach out to lsattler@broadandliberty.com.

This week’s question: The cost of gas and groceries have risen significantly for PA families. What are your specific plans to lower these prices? Will you encourage our state’s energy production to lower the cost of shipment for products on which our economy depends?

Austin Davis (D), Running with Josh Shapiro

Josh and I have been crisscrossing this Commonwealth, from Scranton and Wilkes-Barre to Lewisburg and Altoona, listening to Pennsylvanians talk about how rising costs are impacting their lives. As the proud son of a union bus driver and a hairdresser, I know these struggles all too well — they’re real, and we’ve experienced them within my own family.

Josh and I have a plan to boost our economy, support our main streets and attract new businesses, and help Pennsylvania’s working families by lowering costs and putting money back in their pockets. We will send every Pennsylvanian a $250 gas tax refund, eliminate the state cell phone tax, and expand the Property Tax and Rent Rebate Program, providing direct relief to families across the Commonwealth. 

Josh and I have a clear record of delivering results for working-class Pennsylvanians and improving the lives of everyday folks here in Pennsylvania, and that’s exactly what we’ll do as a governing team in Harrisburg. 

Carrie Lewis DelRosso (R), Running with Doug Mastriano

The Mastriano Plan is to absolutely encourage our state’s energy production. Pennsylvania has the potential to be an energy-producing powerhouse that will not only lower costs for Pennsylvanians but also allow us to lead the way in energy independence. Unfortunately, Gov. Wolf has targeted the energy industry from day one, and Democrat Josh Shapiro has gone so far as to criminalize energy producers. 

Now, Gov. Wolf’s new carbon tax — the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), which Josh Shapiro approved — adds insult to injury and will crush families even more through higher utility bills. Enough is enough. First, Doug Mastriano will immediately exit us out of RGGI. Second, we must encourage and support Pennsylvania’s vast energy potential, which will lower energy costs, create jobs, and lessen the burden on Pennsylvania families. A Mastriano-DelRosso administration will support, not criminalize, our energy producers, as Josh Shapiro has done.

Broad + Liberty is a nonprofit media endeavor dedicated to sharing voices and stories that are shut out of other media outlets. @BroadAndLiberty