Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Oct 21, 2010.

12th district hopeful has uphill fight.

Rick Wills

Democrat Zack Byrnes has spent weeks knocking on doors in the state’s sprawling 12th House District, which has been represented by Republican Daryl Metcalfe since 1998.

Byrnes, who is 25, a graduate of Butler High School and attended Cornell University, has an uphill fight. Metcalfe, who is Republican chairman of the House Intergovernmental Affairs committee, has never won an election with less than 62 percent of the vote.

There is little agreement between the candidates on issues and problems the state faces.

Both express concerns about potential taxpayer bailouts of public employee pensions. Metcalfe favors eliminating pensions for public employees.

“Government pensions are breaking governments. This is putting taxpayers on the hook for bad returns. It’s good to incentivize people to save their own money,” Metcalfe said.

Byrnes said the potential crisis is a result of increasing benefits in 2001 and not requiring increased contributions by employers.

Byrnes favors term limits; Metcalfe opposes them.

Byrnes says Metcalfe devotes nearly all of his attention to explosive national issues at the expense of the district.

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