The Mario Civera Watch is almost over.
It’s about time.
In fact, this whole thing has been entirely about time.
To review, last November Civera, R-164, was elected to Delaware County Council.
During that campaign, Civera made it quite clear he had no intention of holding both offices.
But when exactly he would give up his state rep’s post is open to debate.
It seemed clear to us that Civera had indicated that he would send a letter of resignation to the House Speaker shortly after winning election, or at least when he was sworn into his new county post.
That’s also the way it sounded to county Democrats.
But that’s not the way Civera remembered it. He said he never specified exactly when he would step down from Harrisburg. At first he indicated he would need some time to get things in order in the capital. For one, he wanted to smooth the road for fellow Republican Bill Adolph, R-165, of Springfield, to fill his seat as the minority boss on the House Appropriations Committee.
Then he said he had been approached by Democrats – including Gov. Ed Rendell – to start work on an early budget process, in the hopes of avoiding another debacle like the state endured last summer, when still another fiscal deadline came and went, and a 100-day standoff ensued.
Still, Civera seemed to still be indicating he really didn’t want to hold both seats, one in the state Legislature and one in Media.
That changed when it became apparent that Democrats were finagling to set up a special election to fill the 164th seat on Primary Day, May 18.
That happens to be the day when Democrats will be flocking to the poll to decide between Sen. Arlen Specter and U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak as their candidate in the U.S. Senate race.
Republican don’t have much in the way of a contest to get their faithful to the polls. They feared – probably correctly – that they could get swamped by the Dem turnout and lose Civera’s seat in the House.
So Civera changed course – and dug in his heels. He said he would not give up his House seat so long as Democrats were intent on holding the special election on Primary Day.
He’s giving up his seat now because state law mandates that a special election can’t be held until 60 days after the pol steps down.
Civera now says he will send a letter to the Speaker saying he is stepping down effective April 30, taking Primary Day out of the equation.
The Speaker can then call a special election or leave the seat vacant until the general election in November.
Costs of a special election vary, depending on whom you talk to, with it likely checking in at anywhere from $200,000 to $400,000.
In a state with the kind of budget issues Pennsylvania is battling, that seems like a foolhardy expense.
Then again, the people of the 164th District deserve representation in Harrisburg.
Civera has served this state well for three decades in Harrisburg. He has often been a voice of moderation, of common-sense negotiations, especially when it comes to the state budget.
Which is why it is that much more unfortunate that his career in Harrisburg is ending on this ugly note.
It is, in fact, what all too often passes for “common sense” in Harrisburg. Or, more like it, horse sense. It was politics, plain and simple.
“All I wanted was a level playing field,” Civera said in the fallout from his decision not to step down so long as the special election was going to be held on Primary Day.
He still doesn’t have one. What he does have is a political victory of sorts.
Civera says he believes the cost of a special election to be closer to $50,000. And he points out that will be peanuts compared to the tax hikes Gov. Rendell is likely to push through with another Democrat in the Legislature.
That might sound like common sense to some.
To me it sounds like politics as usual.
It’s about time.
In fact, this whole thing has been entirely about time.
To review, last November Civera, R-164, was elected to Delaware County Council.
During that campaign, Civera made it quite clear he had no intention of holding both offices.
But when exactly he would give up his state rep’s post is open to debate.
It seemed clear to us that Civera had indicated that he would send a letter of resignation to the House Speaker shortly after winning election, or at least when he was sworn into his new county post.
That’s also the way it sounded to county Democrats.
But that’s not the way Civera remembered it. He said he never specified exactly when he would step down from Harrisburg. At first he indicated he would need some time to get things in order in the capital. For one, he wanted to smooth the road for fellow Republican Bill Adolph, R-165, of Springfield, to fill his seat as the minority boss on the House Appropriations Committee.
Then he said he had been approached by Democrats – including Gov. Ed Rendell – to start work on an early budget process, in the hopes of avoiding another debacle like the state endured last summer, when still another fiscal deadline came and went, and a 100-day standoff ensued.
Still, Civera seemed to still be indicating he really didn’t want to hold both seats, one in the state Legislature and one in Media.
That changed when it became apparent that Democrats were finagling to set up a special election to fill the 164th seat on Primary Day, May 18.
That happens to be the day when Democrats will be flocking to the poll to decide between Sen. Arlen Specter and U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak as their candidate in the U.S. Senate race.
Republican don’t have much in the way of a contest to get their faithful to the polls. They feared – probably correctly – that they could get swamped by the Dem turnout and lose Civera’s seat in the House.
So Civera changed course – and dug in his heels. He said he would not give up his House seat so long as Democrats were intent on holding the special election on Primary Day.
He’s giving up his seat now because state law mandates that a special election can’t be held until 60 days after the pol steps down.
Civera now says he will send a letter to the Speaker saying he is stepping down effective April 30, taking Primary Day out of the equation.
The Speaker can then call a special election or leave the seat vacant until the general election in November.
Costs of a special election vary, depending on whom you talk to, with it likely checking in at anywhere from $200,000 to $400,000.
In a state with the kind of budget issues Pennsylvania is battling, that seems like a foolhardy expense.
Then again, the people of the 164th District deserve representation in Harrisburg.
Civera has served this state well for three decades in Harrisburg. He has often been a voice of moderation, of common-sense negotiations, especially when it comes to the state budget.
Which is why it is that much more unfortunate that his career in Harrisburg is ending on this ugly note.
It is, in fact, what all too often passes for “common sense” in Harrisburg. Or, more like it, horse sense. It was politics, plain and simple.
“All I wanted was a level playing field,” Civera said in the fallout from his decision not to step down so long as the special election was going to be held on Primary Day.
He still doesn’t have one. What he does have is a political victory of sorts.
Civera says he believes the cost of a special election to be closer to $50,000. And he points out that will be peanuts compared to the tax hikes Gov. Rendell is likely to push through with another Democrat in the Legislature.
That might sound like common sense to some.
To me it sounds like politics as usual.
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