Corruption is rampant in Pennsylvania politics. Corporate lobbyists shower our state legislators with unlimited gifts and large campaign contributions, and our voting districts are among the most gerrymandered in the country.

State Representative Greg Vitali (D-Delaware County) gave a presentation Nov. 28 at Weavers Way Mt. Airy highlighting the influence of the Marcellus Shale Coalition on the Legislature. The fracking industry employs 203 full-time lobbyists in Harrisburg and spends $5 to $8 million a year on lobbying, advertising and gifts (bribes) for state legislators. In my time lobbying against corruption in the State Capitol, I see fracking lobbyists everywhere: In the hallways, in key committee hearings and in the offices of powerful legislators. As a result, the industry enjoys easy access to drilling and fracking our natural resources, polluting our environment and eroding the health of our communities. In addition, Pennsylvania contributes 1 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions each year.

March on Harrisburg is a volunteer-driven statewide organization working to restore our representative democracy by advocating for three bills:

HB39/SB132 would ban unlimited gifts to public officials.

HB722/SB22 would end gerrymandering by removing politicians from the redistricting process.

HB193/SB608 would provide for automatic voter registration.

This winter, we are barnstorming across Pennsylvania, holding events in every corner of the state, to educate and mobilize people to struggle for democracy. We will be in Philadelphia on:

• Feb. 24, 1-4 p.m., Unitarian Society of Germantown, 6511 Lincoln Drive.
• March 3, 1-4 p.m., First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, 2125 Chestnut St.

These three bills are just the start of reforming our government so that public policies reflect our interests rather than special interests. We need an engaged and active citizenry to create the democratic republic we deserve, and we need you to join the movement.

Rabbi Michael Pollack, Executive Director, March on Harrisburg