‘It’s a very partisan place,’ departing area legislators say of Harrisburg

By SUSAN EVANS, KIRK SWAUGER and MIKE FAHER
The Tribune-Democrat

April 05, 2008 10:49 pm

— For the area’s three retiring state legislators, leaving office in Harrisburg stirs a mixed pot of emotions.
But their overriding reason is a common one – spending more time with their families.
At age 70, Somerset’s Bob Bastian says he wants to spend his retirement visiting his 16 grandchildren, working on the family farm and volunteering with the Boy Scouts and his church.
Tom Yewcic is in his 50s after 16 years of representing his Cambria County district from the Ebensburg region south to Windber.
He says he has seen his children’s youth fly by.
“Public service is at once humbling or rewarding or difficult, but overall it’s very rewarding,” Yewcic said.
“At the same time, I have a family and people I’m close to back home,” he said. “When I won the first election, I was holding my daughter in my arms. Now she is 20 years old, and my son is 23.”
Johnstown’s Ed Wojnaroski also cites personal reasons for his decision to not seek another term, adding that he will turn 69 this year.
“I want to do things with my family,” Wojnaroski said. “I want to do things with my grandchildren.”
All three expressed some frustration with the partisanship and slow pace of action in Harrisburg.
At the same time, none says he is disillusioned with the legislative process.
“I’m leaving partly because my priorities are changing,” Yewcic said. “I still very much enjoy what I do, and in Harrisburg you meet a lot of great people.
“I just don’t want to grow old in the Legislature,” he said. “It’s a wonderful thing to do, but it should not be a 25- or 30-year term. I’ve put my time in.”
Wojnaroski also said he is not disillusioned with Harrisburg.
“I have no regrets, no frustration,” he said.
He acknowledges, however, that state government moves at a slow pace.
“But that’s part of the system,” Wojnaroski said. “You have to learn how the system works.”
Bastian, the lone Republican of the three, said that after 12 years in the state House, he’s tired of the politics.
“I’ve gotten frustrated with trying to get through the partisanship,” Bastian said. “It’s a very partisan place.”
Now, Bastian says he will have some time for his family.
“I’ve spent a lot of weekends doing my job.”