In what was retiring House Speaker Sam Smith's last appearance before the Pennsylvania Press Club on Monday, he used the opportunity to share some rants, convey some insights, and offer some advice to the incoming governor.
Smith is vacating his House seat representing Jefferson County on Sunday after a 28-year career including four years as House speaker. He succeeded his father, L. Eugene Smith, who held the seat for 23 years before him.
That drew an observation from Philadelphia Daily News columnist John Baer who hosted the press club luncheon at the Hilton Harrisburg: "Taken together, that's a half a century of Smith representation."
Smith said at this point, he has no regrets about his decision to retire but admits he may feel a few pangs when Jan. 6 rolls around and it is swearing-in day for the General Assembly - the official start of the new legislative session.
On what's next for him, Smith said he hasn't ruled out anything and says he never says never unless he means it.
House Speaker Sam Smith, R-Jefferson, will leave office on Sunday after a 28-year legislative career. Jan Murphy/Pennlive"I really have made no commitments in a long-term sense and I'm kinda basking in that uncertainty about what lies ahead for me in 2015," he said.
Other highlights of Smith's remarks:
Regarding a pre-Wolf legislative session: He anticipated being asked about his thoughts on the appropriateness of the GOP-controlled House and Senate trying to push through Republican-supported legislation before Republican Gov. Tom Corbett leaves office and Democratic Gov.-elect Tom Wolf takes the oath of office on Jan. 20.
"The Legislature gets sworn in the first Tuesday in January and if they can organize the House and the Senate and go through the normal process of bills being introduced, I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with that as a function of governing. It is totally allowable and within the realm of the constitutional construction," he said
Inglorious moments in the life of a legislator: Contrary to those who think lawmakers work only when the House is in session, he said the job really comes with no off hours. He said he had constituents approach him on a Saturday afternoon while he is out mowing the grass and at the grocery store.
When they came in his district office, those visits at times proved memorable. He shared a story about two constituents who came in to show off their scars from a knife wound and another from an operation. "Both were below the belt line," Smith said.
There was the constituent who got mad when Smith's aide wouldn't take the office screwdriver and remove her expired license plate from her car. Another time, a guy came into his office, sat on a chair and left a puddle under it when he left.
"I just took that that was his polite way of saying, 'p**s on you, Sam,'" Smith said with a laugh.
"It is truly nonstop and the demands go beyond what the average person might anticipate," he said. "Those are some of the things I'm not going to miss."
A House too big? Smith said the one reason he would like to hang around a little longer in the 203-member House would be totake another run at downsizing the House, which has passed the House in each of the past two sessions but never made it to a vote by the full Senate.
"It would make the House of Representatives a more productive and cohesive organization," he said. "I think a modestly smaller size of the House is something that really should be taken serious. It's not just a reform idea to distract people from what else is going on."
About the menacing media: He said he found dealing with the Right to Know requests for public information to be burdensome. He also questioned the media's news judgment when it comes to stories about an out-of-state fund-raiser he held, pay raises and staff salaries.
"Is that news or is that click bait?" he said.
Advice to Wolf on working with the Legislature: Smith said Wolf needs to put "good people" in positions around him who have the ability to communicate with legislative leaders.
"That is the most important thing that an incoming governor can do to give them a chance to be successful in governing and perhaps successful at their agenda," Smith said.
Source: http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/11/retiring_house_speaker_sam_smi.html
