Senator John Eichelberger held a town all that the Martinsburg Volunteer Fire Department Thursday evening. 

Topics ranged from pension reform to budget discussions but the two topics that had the most crowd response were teachers’ benefits and the senator’s bill that could withhold funding from planned parenthood.

Senator Eichelberger’s Senate Bill 300 would prioritize funding for heath care clinics that provide the most services…He says planned parenthood isn’t among them.

Some in the audience believe it should be up to the patient as to who provides the best care. Planned Parenthood supporter Beth Seymour said of the senator, “He himself said that he thinks the reason he’s doing it is to prioritize the best choice, he would say, the best health care for women. But that means he’s deciding what the best healthcare is for all circumstances and I don’t think he probably should.”

 The senator explained that this bill wouldn’t necessarily stop funding planned parenthood. He explained, “There is a priority for funding and if that’s the only clinic available then they would be funded. If there’s other clinics available then people would be asked to go to the clinic where they would get the most care.” 

When it comes to teachers’ benefits, Liz Barr is a Blair County teacher that is concerned that teachers are being targeted without reason. Barr explained,“I‘m just not sure what the problem is and why it’s a priority for him. Teachers kind of feel like they are coming after them, he’s targeting teachers, because there doesn’t seem to be any rationale behind this bill.”

The bill she’s referring to is one that Eichelberger said was requested by the school board association. It would change some teacher benefits like sick pay from being guaranteed to negotiable.

He says it’s a way to make this fair between all public sector employees. He detailed, “Everybody negotiates for their benefits, except for teachers, they get that in law. It goes back to a time when the system was different. It’s changed now. That should be changed along with the rest of the system.”

Whether those in the audience agreed with the senator or not, they did say they appreciated him for having this town hall and facing their questions. It’s something they’ve been pushing other lawmakers in the area to do.

The Senator’s office announced that he will hold another town hall Thursday, May 25th at the Huntingdon Fire and Rescue, McConnellstown Fire Hall from 6:30pm to 7:30pm. Proof of residency in the 30th district is required for entry.