Patrick Buchnowski
pbuchnowski@tribdem.com
WINDBER —
Health care, education and troublesome campaign phone calls were some of the broad issues raised Saturday at a town hall meeting in Windber hosted by U.S. Rep. Mark Critz, D-Johnstown.
Critz received a warm greeting from the two dozen people who showed up at the Windber Research Institute, 607 Seventh St.
The first-time congressman is touring the 12th district to hear from constituents.
He fielded questions submitted to him on index cards but said it’s not always easy to give simple answers to complex questions.
“Some of the issues are so complex you just can’t give a sound bite,” he said.
Critz said he was looking for ways to improve Medicare reimbursements to hospitals.
He has met with hospital officials across the region to carve out a plan.
“This is too important an issue,” he said.
Asked if he would vote to repeal the landmark health-care bill passed by Congress this year, Critz said no.
“We did vote to repeal the individual mandates,” he said.
“My goal is to take the framework that we have and tweak it to make it better.”
Making college more affordable is also a key issue.
“We have an issue and I don’t know what the answer is,” Critz said. “The cost of a college education has really gone through the roof.
“For many years Pell (federal education) Grants didn’t keep up with inflation,” he said. “We just passed legislation to increase Pell Grant limits.”
Critz was asked if he would support having political campaigns adhere to the do not call list.
“I don’t think that’s a bad idea,” he said. “I was hearing from people who were getting 15 to 20 calls a day, and that’s just crazy.”
He also said that the cost of running a political campaign was “astronomical” and that telephone calls are a low-cost way to reach the voters.
Critz also fielded questions ranging from helping the disabled to coal mining and the strength of the U.S. military.
Critz acknowledged he is no military expert but said that during his recent trip to Afghanistan, he was impressed with the high moral of the troops.
Critz won a special election in May to complete the term of the late Rep. John Murtha.
He has been on the job three months.
He will face Republican challenger Tim Burns in the November election for a full term.
Those who showed up for the town hall meeting said they liked what Critz had to say.
“I was happy with what I heard,” said Cindy Plocharski of Johnstown. “I feel he’ll work hard for Johnstown.”
George Newman of Thomas Mills said the congressman is a straight talker.
“I really appreciate Congressman’s Critz’s candor in stating that he doesn’t know everything,” he said. “So far I think he’s doing a good job. He hit the ground running.”
Critz will be in Allegheny County today, where he will participate in a parade honoring Vietnam War veterans of southwestern Pennsylvania at the South Park Fairgrounds.
The event is sponsored by VFW Post 1940, South Park Township and Vietnam Veterans Inc. of Pittsburgh.
