State Rep Lisa Borowski: Patch Candidate Profile

DELAWARE COUNTY, PA — With the 2024 general election growing ever close, voters need to be informed of who will be on their ballots Tuesday, Nov. 5

Below is a candidate profile of State Rep. Lisa Borowski, who is seeking reelection against challenger Kathryn Buckley.

Name: Lisa A. Borowski
Age: 58
Party affiliation: Democrat
Office sought: State Representative PA House District 168
Municipality of residence: Radnor Township
Education: Radnor High School – ’84 Drexel University – BS Communications 1989

What are the most pressing issues your constituents face, and how do you plan to address them?

I have been working to understand the needs of the entire 168th since I first ran for this
position in 2022. I have talked with thousands of residents, met with our elected
officials, collaborated with our business associations, worked with our police, fire, and
EMS providers, talked with our school and township administrators, and met with
hundreds of non-profits and advocacy groups to best understand the issues we face
across the 168th. I’m happy to say we have already started to address many of these
issues.

First and foremost is addressing how we fund our schools and working to shift the
burden from property owners by increasing state funding. The 2024 budget saw a
significant increase in state funding for our schools and that will continue to ramp up
over the next several years. I hear from families who are concerned about accessing
affordable childcare. To help them, we initiated a childcare tax credit (could be as little
as $600 to as much at $2100). Everyone wants to see improved infrastructure - better
roads and enhancements to address traffic issues. We have seen many roads in the
district paved and a $2 million investment in the West Chester Pike improvement
project. I am a member of at transportation subcommittee which is looking into how we
can increase funding for District 6 – the most populous are of the commonwealth with
the second most road miles and bridges. I have also heard from our business
community, and we are looking for incentives for small business growth. We also have a
lot of seniors in the district (over 13,000) and there are concerns about how they can
stay in their homes, finding support as they may care for loved ones, and how they can
manage on fixed incomes. I also have many neighbors who are concerned about healthcare access, preserving reproductive rights, and addressing gun safety issues across the commonwealth.

How do you plan to address the needs of the region's diverse population while promoting efficient government program and spending?

Our commonwealth is diverse and as we govern, we need to make sure that we are
working to positively impact all areas of the state. The best way we do that is by
listening and learning from each other. What I might think works in my district, might not
work in another part of the state. Some of the most important conversations I have had
since being elected are with my colleagues from across the state to understand the
challenges they face and then working to find the intersection of these concerns so we
can affect change. Our commonwealth, with a Democratic majority House and a
Republican majority Senate (the only divided legislature in the country) is a textbook
example of how we must work together and look for common ground and compromise
in order to move forward any meaningful legislation.

What are three achievements you are proud of?

First and foremost, I am so proud of my district office and my staff, Marie, Peter, Kate
and Mary Ann who work tirelessly to meet the day to day needs of our neighbors. We
have created a place where people can get the services they need, and problems
addressed.

My work to support our first responders and veterans. I had legislation which ended up
being written into the 2023 fiscal code and increased the amount our EMS is
reimbursed for transport – this was an idea brought to me by one of the EMS providers
in the district and I love that we were able to get it done. For our veterans, I was recently
able to secure $40,000 to put Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in all the VFWs
and Legion facilities across Delaware County. This was in response to a veteran who
passed away in a local legion hall. This is a partnership with the Delaware County
Veterans Memorial and the Newtown Square Fire Company – a collaboration which will
save lives.

I am also proud of how I have been able to tell the story of the 168th district in Harrisburg
and bring back millions (close to $7 million!) in state funding to help our communities
accomplish work they might not have otherwise been able to do or put off until they
could build it into their budgets.

Which political leaders have inspired you the most throughout your career in politics?

I have been fortunate to have some tremendous role models throughout my career in public service. County Councilwoman Elaine Paul Schaefer preceded me as Commissioner in Radnor’s 4th Ward, and I learned so much from her about how to govern and how to collaborate with the community to affect positive change. I have also been inspired by Senator John McCain and how he voted his own mind when it came to the vote on the ACA – that is a leader who voted in the best interests of those he served not just voting his party. I am also inspired and have learned so much from my mentor in the state house, Representative Leanne Krueger – she is thoughtful and measured and her institutional knowledge has helped me as I navigate the legislative aspects of Harrisburg.

What are some of your favorite things to do in the Philadelphia area, such as dining out, attending sporting events, seeing live performances, etc.?

I am a HUGE Phillies phan! I started going to games when I was in middle school with my family – we even went to a 1980 World Series game – so I have been a fan for a long time and loved sharing that passion with my boys while they were growing up. My husband Mark and I love eating out and from one end of the 168th to the other we have some tremendous restaurants where you can get everything and anything…personally I’m a fan of a good cheeseburger and a beer! We also spend a lot of time outdoors hiking or walking on the trails. We have a very high energy rescue Labrabull (lab/pitbull mix) and he needs to walk!

In short, tell readers why they should support you in the general election.

It has been the privilege of a lifetime to expand on my public service and serve as the representative for the 168th. I believe my experience as a school board director and a township commissioner prepared me well for this role and I draw on that experience as I work with those I serve and as I look to move legislation forward. Working hard for the district is what I do every single day. I spend time listening and collaborating with stakeholders to identify and address issues. I hope over these past two years I have proven I will always show up for my neighbors and their needs and concerns will always be a priority.