Patty-Pat Kozlowski, a Republican candidate in the 177th Legislative District, suggests using pro and college sports betting for opioid treatment and enforcement.
Patty-Pat Kozlowski is proposing her version of the “Philly Special” — using a portion of pro and college sports betting for opioid treatment and enforcement.
The U.S. Supreme Court recently legalized sports betting nationwide, though Pennsylvania has yet to pass a bill detailing how it would be implemented in the state.
Kozlowski is the Republican candidate in the 177th Legislative District, which has had the most overdose deaths in the past 10 years in Philadelphia, according to a Philadelphia Inquirer report.
On June 9, Kozlowski wrote on Facebook that she chased a drug dealer off the corner of her Bridesburg home with a baseball bat. She used the slang word “junkie” to describe the addict who was part of the alleged drug transaction. The post generated more than 1,000 comments.
“I’m not going to apologize for calling him a junkie and I’m not going to apologize for chasing the dealer away with a bat,” Kozlowski said. “Our quality of life is being attacked and suffocated by the heroin users and dealers. The people living in this community have to put up with the break-ins, thefts, needles all over, homeless living in our parks and underpasses and everything else that seeps out of those heroin tunnels.”
Kozlowski, who faces Democrat Joe Hohenstein, is referring to Conrail train underpass tunnels near Lehigh Avenue and Somerset Street. About 150 heroin addicts are living in squalor conditions, using tents, mattresses and tarps. The city evicted and cleaned out two tunnels, but doesn’t have enough shelter beds for the addicts.
Kozlowski, former director of park stewardship at the city Department of Parks & Recreation, said, “Their addiction and their bad life choices are affecting the innocent people of my neighborhoods with their drug use and sales, crimes, public urination, defecation and filthy living conditions. My neighborhoods and people in the 177th do not deserve to be punished. We deserve better. Clean, safe neighborhoods to raise our kids and let our parents and grandparents retire in peace.”
As for sports betting, it would take place in Pennsylvania casinos once a bill is approved.
Kozlowski is not sure if her proposal will pass, but she pointed to hockey superstar Wayne Gretzky, who once said, “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.”
When sports betting is enacted, Kozlowski said she will place a bet on the Eagles repeating as Super Bowl champions.
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Scott Wagner, the Republican candidate for governor, announced he has accepted invitations to 11 debates to be held at venues across the state.
Wagner is challenging Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf.
“The Wolf campaign responded to our initial proposal by saying that we ‘ducked’ debates during the primary in spite of the fact that we participated in 12 debates — which is more than any endorsed gubernatorial candidate in recent history,” said campaign manager Jason High. “We hope Gov. Wolf applies that standard to himself, doesn’t ‘duck’ any debates and participates in at least 12 with Scott in the general election. We have accepted every debate request we have received so far and look forward to adding more to this schedule.”
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National Right to Life has endorsed Republican U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, who is challenging Democratic Sen. Bob Casey Jr.
“National Right to Life is pleased to endorse Lou Barletta, whose position on life reflects the true values of Pennsylvania’s voters,” said Carol Tobias, National Right to Life president. “There is a stark contrast between Lou Barletta, who supports legal protection for unborn children, and Bob Casey, who has repeatedly voted to give hundreds of millions of tax dollars to Planned Parenthood, which performs about one out of every three abortions in America. Bob Casey is not his father.”
Barletta co-sponsored and voted for the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act — legislation to protect unborn children by prohibiting abortion at 20 weeks, a point by which many believe the unborn child is capable of experiencing great pain when being killed by dismemberment or other late abortion methods.
National Right to Life said Casey has a 20 percent pro-life voting record in the 115th Congress. Barletta has a 100 percent pro-life voting record throughout his years in Congress.
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Daryl Boling, the Democratic candidate in the 152nd Legislative District, will be hosting a meet-and-greet event on Sunday, July 1 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Lord’s New Church, 1725 Huntingdon Road, Huntingdon Valley.
The event is open to the public. Guest speakers will include state Reps. Tim Briggs and Madeleine Dean, a congressional candidate.
“I look forward to the opportunity to gather together family and friends and share a moment of gratitude as we look back at the accomplishments and sacrifices made in service of this great nation, as well as a discussion of all that we can be doing as citizens to assure that generations to come can be assured that same promise of freedom.” Boling said.
Refreshments will be provided.
Boling is challenging Republican Rep. Tom Murt.
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City Council last week passed by a vote of 15–2 a resolution condemning the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy, which has resulted in thousands of children being separated from their parents after being detained at the United States border, and opposing the use of family detention as inhumane.
The resolution was co-sponsored by, among others, Maria Quinones-Sanchez, Bobby Henon and Cherelle Parker.
All Democrats joined Republican Councilman David Oh in voting for the resolution.
Republican Councilmen Brian O’Neill and Al Taubenberger voted against the resolution.
Quinones-Sanchez called Trump’s policies “un-American.” ••
