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To the editor:
I have spoken about why Doug Mastriano is a dangerous choice for Pennsylvania's governor. I would like to speak now on why Josh Shapiro is the better choice.
Under Mr. Shapiro's leadership, the office of PA attorney general arrested more than 6,500 drug dealers, seizing 2.5 million doses of heroin and over 1.5 million doses of fentanyl. His office, in cooperation with six other state AGs, reached an agreement with opioid manufacturer Endo International and its lenders, resulting in Pennsylvania receiving about $1.1 billion, over a million of which went to Mifflin County, as well as a million to Juniata County, for the treatment of opioid abuse.
AG Shapiro launched a Track and Trace Initiative to go after gun trafficking and illegal transfers, ensuring crime guns are tracked across Pennsylvania. He also led a multi-state coalition of attorneys general calling on federal lawmakers and the US Department of Justice to close dangerous loopholes in the Gun Control Act that do not require background checks for gun kit purchases. These efforts resulted in the "ghost gun" loophole being closed by a new rule from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives regulating these gun kits like any other gun; this rule took effect in August.
After an investigation revealed that the construction company Glenn O.Hawbaker Inc., based in State College, was keeping its workers' retirement, health, and welfare money, the AG prosecuted the largest prevailing wage criminal case on record -- in Pennsylvania and in the United States. He charged Hawbaker Inc. with four counts of wage theft. Hawbaker subsequently pleaded guilty to the four felony charges, and will pay back the more than $20 million taken from workers.
Shapiro's office initiated the Safe2Say Something program, a school safety program that teaches students, educators, and administrators how: (1) to recognize the signs and signals of individuals who may be at risk of hurting themselves or others, and (2) to anonymously report this information through the S2SS app, website, or 24/7 Crisis Center Hotline. S2SS was begun in January 2019. From the beginning of the program through 2021, 56,709 tips were received, including tips on mental health and self-harm concerns, bullying and cyber-bullying, and threats of hate crimes. One of AG Shapiro's goals if he is elected is to have a mental health professional in every Pennsylvania school.
Shapiro led a coalition of nine attorneys general in instituting a lawsuit against the Department of Labor's plans in 2019 to eliminate the "80/20" rule for tipped workers making $2.83 per hour due to their employers' utilizing the "tip credit." A proposal had been made to eliminate the "80/20" rule. Because of the AG's lawsuit, this proposal was withdrawn, resulting in tipped workers only being paid the tipped minimum wage when 80% of their work generates tips, protecting them from exploitation or wage theft.
Joan D. Loewen
Lewistown