In the 176th legislative district, incumbent Republican Jack Rader is being challenged by Democrat Hope Christman and Libertarian Candidate Autumn Pangia. We asked several questions and limited responses to 100 words for background and 75 words for the questions.

Their responses:

Hope Christman

Town: Effort

Election website/social media: www.hope4pa.com

Background: Master’s Degree in Social Work. Experience in hospice, skilled nursing and community social work. Thirty-plus years experience in local nonprofit and community organizations. Informed the community as the Editor of West End Happenings. Learned the needs of the community as the director of the PVEN Food Pantry, while also assisting to meet those needs. An advocate for those who feel they do not have a voice. Youth sports coach. Mother, Grandmother, friend, and rescuer of all types of animals in need.

Your three top priorities if elected to office: Bring much needed mental health resources to the district; property tax reduction through a fair funding formula for our schools; assistance to small businesses so they may prosper

Our senior population is being hit harder than most with the high inflation. Property taxes don’t help. What do you think can be done to alleviate the burden of property taxes?: A fair funding formula for our schools so the state pays their fair share, with less of a burden on taxpayers. Expansion of the Homestead Act. A tax reduction for our seniors with an end date.

Pennsylvania is one of only a handful of states where school districts fund outside cyber/charter schools. Do you think the current method of funding cyber/charter schools is fair and what, if any, changes would you make to the funding system for cyber/charter schools: I do not see this as fair. I see it as a way to dismantle our public education system. State funds should not go to schools that have the ability to pick and choose their students and that do not abide by state standards for educational outcomes.

How you would help improve access to mental health services: We are lacking in much needed mental health resources. Just as we have incentives for businesses to “set up shop,” incentives should be provided to mental health practitioners to help meet the mental health needs of our communities. People should not have to be on a waiting list to receive mental health services. This is health care and should be treated as such.

How you would attract new businesses while balancing the Poconos environment: I feel it is important to preserve the small businesses we already have in our communities, of which already compliment the Poconos environment. Too often it is the small to medium businesses shouldering the tax burden, while large corporations receive tax breaks. We need to incentivize the current small businesses and the creation of additional small businesses that already ascribe to the uniqueness of the Pocono landscape.

Autumn Pangia

Town: Saylorsburg

Election website/social media: APforPAHouse.com

Background: After working at Sanofi Pasteur for 10 years I joined the ranks of commuters when I began managing North American Customs for Mondelez International in 2016. My son had just graduated high school and this was a great launching pad for a lucrative career. I used the credibility I built as a leader there to defend my colleagues against the company’s vaccine mandate in 2021; that experience activated me to get seriously involved in the Libertarian political party.

Your three top priorities if elected to office: I would pass Defend the Guard legislation (www.DefendTheGuard.us) to restrict the federal government’s use of Pennsylvania’s National Guard troops in foreign combat. I want to restrict the ability of employers and schools to require COVID vaccination and update DUI laws which currently finds marijuana users guilty even if it’s been several days since they last consumed THC.

Our senior population is being hit harder than most with the high inflation. Property taxes don’t help. What do you think can be done to alleviate the burden of property taxes?: The budgeting priorities to alleviate the burden of property taxes aren’t just campaign talking points. I would push back every time my fellow legislators vote to allocate spending on something less important than stopping the state from stealing the homes of its citizens. By my lack of affiliation to a major party, I also lack organizational pressures that keep elected officials loyal to corporate interests and bloated government bureaucracies.

Pennsylvania is one of only a handful of states where school districts fund outside cyber/charter schools. Do you think the current method of funding cyber/charter schools is fair and what, if any, changes would you make to the funding system for cyber/charter schools: The primary driver behind the decline of public schools is the lack of actual competitive pressures placed on organization operating in free markets. No industry or company succeeds when its funding is guaranteed and it is given more money when it does poorly. For this reason I’m a full supporter of school choice, no family should be forced to send their children to a school that doesn’t meet their needs.

How you would help improve access to mental health services for residents: We should do whatever we can to make it easier for service providers to operate outside of insurance-paid service models. Insurance companies actually work to set prices and siphon proceeds, disincentivizing practitioners from entering the field in the first place. Service-providers who offer discounted rates to uninsured patients are punished when audited by insurance companies; we need to restrict their manipulation of our health care industry as much as possible.

How you would attract new businesses while balancing the Poconos environment: I don’t think bureaucrats should intervene to manipulate the natural order of a free market, this generally results in unintended consequences. I think that if we can make our area more attractive to residents by eliminating property taxes and nullifying bad laws, we would offer potential businesses the human resources necessary to launch in our area. We’ve already signed off on bringing businesses into our communities with the promise of eliminating taxes, that didn’t work.

Jack Rader

Town: Reeders

Election website/social media: www.jackrader.com / facebook.com/electjackrader

Background: I have proudly served my community as a State Representative since 2014; prior to my service in the House, I served on the Jackson Township Board of Supervisors. I am a small businessman, including three decades as the manager and Vice President of Mountain Springs Resort. I am a lifelong resident of our community, graduated from Pocono Mountain High School, and Susquehanna University. I am a proud father and grandfather. It is this background - personal, professional, and public service - that gives me the understanding of the issues the people I represent want addressed, and they are what I fight for.

Your three top priorities if elected to office: Fighting inflation to help all of us - by controlling government spending, helping small business spark economic growth, and safely harnessing PA’s energy resources; Supporting quality education - which I have done through record school funding and by working for more accountability and parents’ rights; Keeping our community safe from crime - I have supported law enforcement, passed new laws to combat drug crime and the opioid epidemic, and worked to ensure criminals get the punishment they’ve earned.

Our senior population is being hit harder than most with the high inflation. Property taxes don’t help. What do you think can be done to alleviate the burden of property taxes?: I have always been an advocate and supporter of property tax elimination, including voting for it in the House; this is a fight I will continue. I have supported increased funding for property tax relief. Just this year, I voted to expand the Property Tax Rent and Rebate Program by 70% to offer more help to seniors.

Pennsylvania is one of only a handful of states where school districts fund outside cyber/charter schools. Do you think the current method of funding cyber/charter schools is fair and what, if any, changes would you make to the funding system for cyber/charter schools: We do need change to improve the system while ensuring all children receive a quality education wherever they choose to receive it. While a comprehensive approach that brings all stakeholders together to develop a solution is best, there are things we can do in the meantime. For example, Rep. Rosemary Brown’s legislation to distribute special education funding to charters according to the recommendations of the bipartisan Special Education Funding Commission will improve accuracy and fairness.

How you would help improve access to mental health services for residents: As state representative, I have worked to improve access to mental health services - including voting for significant increases in county mental health services as part of this year’s state budget. Mental health services provided by counties are the backbone of the mental health system and must continue to be a focus - along with working with the greater health care community to find better ways to reduce barriers and costs to these vital services.

How you would attract new businesses while balancing the Poconos environment: As someone who has worked for decades in the tourism industry and, specifically, at a business centered around the Pocono’s natural assets, I understand the need to balance environmental preservation with economic growth. As a local Supervisor, I developed our township’s open space program that protecting over 1,000 acres. As representative, I have supported common sense programs that support environmental protection, open space preservation, clean water initiatives and more.