November election features Markosek-Doyle rematch

The race for the 25th District Pennsylvania House of Representatives seat pits two candidates who went head-to-head two years ago.

Democrat Joe Markosek, a 30-year incumbent, faces Mike Doyle, a Republican who serves as a borough council president. The election is Nov. 6.

The 2010 election results prompted Doyle — who should not be confused with 14th District Congressman Mike Doyle, a Democrat — to try again.

“We came way too close last time not to give it another try,” Doyle said.

In 2010, Doyle won a majority of votes in both Plum and Murrysville, but Markosek's support in Monroeville enabled him to beat Doyle by about 1,600 votes. Voters gave Markosek 53.7 percent of the vote; Doyle got 46.3 percent.

The 25th District covers municipalities in northeast Allegheny County and includes part of Murrysville in Westmoreland County.

The two candidates differ on a variety of issues, including the idea of term limits. Doyle supports term limits, while Markosek doesn't favor them.

Doyle said he would support a limit of four or five terms — a maximum of 10 years.

“I am tired of the politics-as-usual (mentality) that goes on in Harrisburg,” Doyle said. “Harrisburg is broken, and Joe Markosek is part of the problem. It's nothing personal, but it's time for new blood, new ideas and a new direction.”

However, Markosek said he earns his re-election every two years and that in every other profession, success is rewarded, not punished.

“I have to go through this every two years, to defend my record and everything else,” Markosek said. “It's not like I'm just getting fat and sassy up here … when I can't physically do it or don't want to do it anymore that's one thing …”

Doyle said he thinks Markosek, former chairman of the Transportation Committee, should be doing more to ensure that Pennsylvania's roads and bridges are repaired.

“Infrastructure is critical to job creation,” Doyle said.

Markosek said over the past five years, a number of bridges within his district — such as the Trafford Bridge, the bridge over Route 22 near the Monroeville municipal building and the Route 48 bridge connecting Wall Borough and Monroeville — have been repaired or are being repaired.

Markosek, though, agreed that regionally there is a problem.

He said elected officials at all levels have neglected maintenance for several years.

“We have no money at all for new infrastructure,” Markosek said.

Doyle also wants to see the Route 286 widening project — which was proposed decades ago — move forward and would make it a priority if elected.

Doyle questioned why Markosek hasn't pushed the project forward.

“It needs to happen,” Doyle said.

Markosek said there is no state funding for the project that has been in the planning stage for a decade.

Both candidates said they want a lower corporate income tax rate in the state.

Doyle said a lower tax rate would have a domino effect in attracting more businesses, creating jobs and helping the housing market and family businesses.

Markosek agreed with lowering the corporate income tax, but, he said, it would be fair only if corporate loopholes — including the “Delaware loophole” that enables Pennsylvania businesses that are incorporated in Delaware to avoid Pennsylvania taxes — are eliminated.

Doyle and Markosek also differ on the Port Authority of Allegheny County.

Doyle said the Port Authority doesn't need more state funding. He said he would look at the possibility of privatization.

“People rely on (the Port Authority) to get back and forth to work,” Doyle said. “It is funded enough. It is mismanaged.”

Markosek said that though management decisions and union contracts within the Port Authority could have been better in recent years, privatizing mass transit is not the answer.

Private companies will charge more and provide less service, Markosek said. And while it might be profitable for a company to serve the Monroeville area during morning and evening rush hour, the senior citizens in Pitcairn who need to get to the hospital during the day won't get service, he said.

The two also differ on their ideas regarding education in Pennsylvania.

Doyle supports vouchers and school choice. Markosek doesn't favor vouchers.

“They take money out of the public school and put it somewhere else,” Markosek said.

Both candidates support Marcellus shale drilling if done safely. They also said municipalities should have the right to designate areas for drilling.

Karen Zapf and Kyle Lawson are staff writers for Trib Total Media. Both can be reached at 412-856-7400 . Zapf can be reached at kzapf@tribweb.com; Lawson at klawson@tribweb.com.