'Stop the madness in Harrisburg'

This Letter to the Editor, originally published in The Pottstown Mercury, is from a Montgomery County resident who is fed up with the culture of corruption, mismanagement and pay-to-play in Harrisburg.

Stop the madness in Harrisburg

It is time for Pennsylvania citizens to unite. Both Republicans and Democrats have to stop the appointment of defeated state Rep. Dan Surra, D-Elk and Clearfield counties, to the newly created position of senior adviser to the Pennsylvania Wildness Tourism Program at $95,000 a year.

Surra lived off the public coffers for 17 years until he was found out. In an attempt to oust self serving politicos and incur "change," Surra was defeated for his re-election in 2008 for state representative by the citizens of Elk and Clearfield counties. With a Pennsylvania budget crisis and hiring freeze on, Rendell created this ghost position and appointed Surra without interviewing any other people. Surra accepted without reservation.

Rendell and Surra damage a political party and they are abetted by people who don't do anything about it. Every newspaper in the state should be on this. Every voter regardless of party membership should take the time to mail or email their state representative and senator to voice your opposition to this maneuver.

If you don't know your representative, call your township or borough. Google Pennsylvania representatives. If you've got time to e-mail jokes, you've got time to email your representatives.

Stop the madness.

BILL MADARA
Gilbertsville