Denise Maris

LOCK HAVEN — Clinton County resident Denise Maris is looking to secure the state house seat in the 76th District, which encompasses Clinton and a portion of Union counties during the General Election on Nov. 5.

This will be Maris’s second attempt to clinch the seat, after she lost to incumbent-State Representative Stephanie Borowicz.

The Express asked Maris 10 questions regarding various issues the Commonwealth, and those in the 76th District, face. Her answers are printed below verbatim:

Q:What are the key policy initiatives you plan to prioritize?

Maris: One of the key policy initiatives that I plan to prioritize would be to help combat the housing crisis in our area by partnering with local universities to create 3D homes and create community land trusts (CLT). CLTs are non-profit organizations that own the land that can be rented, owner-occupied or cooperatively owned. This allows the monies obtained from these lands to be reinvested in our communities and helps create more affordable homes in our area.

Another one of the key policy initiatives I plan to prioritize is making childcare more affordable for families by advocating to increase subsidy payments through the Child Care and Development Fund to help cover some of these costs. Additionally, I plan to work with the universities in our area to foster and grow relationships with their educational departments to help fill their staffing needs.

Another policy initiative I plan to prioritize is the access to mental health services and increased access to therapists in our community. This would be accomplished by partnering with current mental health providers in our area to expand their services and establish full time counselors in schools. Additionally, we need to provide a hybrid environment whereby individuals who cannot come to the office have the ability for virtual visits.

Q: In what ways will you advocate for the needs of your constituents in Harrisburg?

Maris: Ensuring that true representation happens and getting a seat at every possible table. From advocating for assistance for our first responders, veterans and teachers, to making sure that our rural areas aren’t forgotten. Additionally, I plan to hold town hall meetings in our district and attend local government meetings to keep up-to-date with the everyday struggles facing our communities. Issues are ever changing and the only way to ensure being current is to be accessible to the members in our community.

Q: How do you intend to make healthcare more affordable and accessible for Pa. residents?

Maris: I intend to make healthcare more affordable by working with local healthcare providers to provide free to low-cost preventive care and creating a mobile medical van to service our rural areas. As for accessibility to healthcare, we can build on advancements made during COVID such as tele-health and drive through screenings. My plans also include the previously mentioned medical van, which I envision coming to our community, which would do free check ups, provide basic services and make connections with other healthcare providers.

Q: What strategies will you implement to create jobs and foster economic growth in the state?

Maris: The strategies that I would implement to create jobs in our area would be to work with area employers to determine their employment needs, work with our educational system to develop programs to help fill needs, as well as create a workforce “incubator” to create new opportunities in our community. Additionally, I would promote the expansion of our trade’s skills education, obtain additional skilled teachers and increase the variety of classes offered to individuals and expand the age threshold to help our displaced workers.

Q: How will you work to address the issue of mass shootings and gun violence?

Maris: I would evaluate what is the common gun of choice and why? Once that has been determined, then we can work on how to combat that. Whether that is to restrict the sale, increase the waiting period, increase the age requirement to obtain the gun, introduce a mental health stability evaluation and/or require individuals to complete safety trainings. Moreover, we need to require individuals to watch videos regarding the effects of mass shootings and the psychological effects of mass shootings.

Q: Where do you stand on reproductive rights and abortion?

Maris: A woman’s reproductive rights and abortion should be a conversation between her and her healthcare provider and NOT the government. When elected, I will work to protect those rights and stand against any policy that tries to take those rights away from women.

Q: How would you bridge the divide between the state’s rural and urban communities?

Maris: I would bridge the divide between the state rural and urban communities by helping to advocate for both because we have similar issues that plague us. Such issues as the working poor, in that members in our community are one paycheck away from losing everything, to the lack of an assortment of job opportunities. Moreover, disability is another common issue shared by both communities and more needs to be done to help our members in our community. Additionally, I would advocate to have monthly meetings from both communities to discuss their issues and collectively come together to fix said issues.

Q: LGBTQ+ rights have become a major topic within the state, and even nation, within recent years. What is your stance on this topic and the legislation that has been considered in various levels of government?

Maris: As an LGBTQ+ ally, more needs to be done to protect our LGBTQ+ community and not treat them as second-class citizens. There should be no legislation that harms or discriminates against members within the LGBTQ+ community. Moreover, I will stand against laws that promote such discriminatory practices.

Q: What specific changes do you propose to the state’s tax system?

Maris: The specific changes that I would propose to the state’s tax system would be to help our seniors with their property taxes. We should work to either reduce or eliminate said tax burden because many of them are on a fixed income. Another proposal would be to increase the tax burden on the wealthy in our state and increase the earned income tax credit.

Q: Do you feel climate change action is a priority? If so, how would you work to combat it while also balancing economic interests?

Maris: Yes, I do feel that climate change action is a priority, and we need to do more to protect our bountiful environment which provides us an opportunity to hunt, fish and enjoy its riches. We can combat climate change and balance economic interests by working with the government’s organization called the Civilian Climate Corps. This organization provides the opportunity to engage our youth to help manage and conserve our public lands by providing training in natural conservation, professional development and scientific studies. By joining forces with the federal government, it would provide the opportunity to help provide employment to our youth and our veterans without doing damage to our environment.