Marino takes aim at government spending

BY RYAN D. BEARDSLEY, Times-Shamrock Writer

In a town hall meeting in which U.S. Rep. Tom Marino, R-10, Lycoming Twp., addressed legislation to cut federal government spending, he faced strong opposition from citizens concerned about issues such as health care, Social Security and alternative energy studies.

Mr. Marino – who held the public meeting at Keystone College on Monday – said his main goal is to cut a $14.4 trillion government deficit that he says is “growing in leaps and bounds.”

Mr. Marino said a solution is to cut spending, downsize in Washington, D.C., and keep taxes lower, which will put money in pockets of middle-class individuals to spend.

“We cannot continue down this path,” Mr. Marino told a room of about 30. “If we continue with this spending, our debt is going to go out of sight.”

But Donna Miller of Hones­dale is concerned about Mr. Marino’s continued stance on not taxing the richest 2 percent of Americans.

Mr. Marino said that even if taxes were raised on the top 2 percent, it would have very little effect on the national debt.

“It’s not the fact that we’re not paying enough taxes, it’s the fact that government is too big and government spends too much,” Mr. Marino said.

Cynthia Stevens of Nicholson said that she doesn’t believe Republicans’ notion that Americans won’t have to worry about not receiving medicare and Social Security. She supports the Affordable Care Act and believes that everyone is entitled to health care.

“It’s very disingenuous of the Republicans to pull back on the Medicare part of the budget,” Mrs. Stevens said.

Mr. Marino said the current budget proposed by U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R.-Wis., is “at least a starting point.” He said the government has to establish responsible spending, more specifically, not spending more money than it has coming in each year.

Mr. Marino warned Social Security and medicare won’t exist in a couple decades if spending continues the way it has been.

“There will be just too many people taking out of it than paying into it,” Mr. Marino said.

Terri McCloskey of Tunkhannock asked Mr. Marino where his stances are on supporting energy alternatives, such as taking oil subsidies and putting it toward investing in making energy alternatives like solar panels more affordable.

Ms. McCloskey asked if he would introduce a bill supporting oil taxes and subsidies not going toward oil companies.

“I’m going to participate in at least helping drafting legislation that says we need more of a tax break,” Mr. Marino said.

Heritage Trail funds

In a separate local appearance on Monday, Mr. Marino joined Natalie Solfanelli, executive director of the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority, during an announcement that the authority will receive $831,825 in federal grants as part of a scenic byway project.

The funding will go toward a $1.4 million bike trail improvement in Archbald, adding a 1-mile section of bikeway to the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail along the Casey Highway, Ms. Solfanelli said. The 1-mile bikeway section is a component of a $2.7 million 3-mile trail construction project from Delaware Street in Jermyn to the Laurel Street trailhead in Archbald.

The 3-mile section links the on-street portion of the River Heritage Trail in Jermyn with the rail-trail section from Archbald to Blakely known as the Mid-Valley Trail. The 3-mile trail project will complete an 8-mile trail section that will connect Carbondale Twp., Mayfield, Jermyn, Archbald, Jessup, Blakely and Olyphant.