The now-infamous pay raise approved, then repealed, by Pennsylvania's legislators after a public outcry last year is at the center of most state legislative races, and the 33rd House District contest is no different.

Republican challenger Eileen Watt says the middle-of-the-night pay raise was an example of how state legislators have "become disconnected from the people who are paying the bills."

"We have a legislative body that has become arrogant," Ms. Watt said.

Eight-term incumbent Frank Dermody, D-Oakmont, voted for the July 2005 pay raise for legislators, the state judiciary and the executive branch, then voted to set aside the raise four months later. Mr. Dermody now admits the pay raise, approved early in the morning without public debate, was "clearly a mistake."

"It was a dumb move to do it the way it was done," Mr. Dermody said. "There has to be public input."

Mr. Dermody said he was in favor of approving a measure that would have raised the salaries of the judges, but not the Legislature, but he voted for the entire package because the raises were tied together in one bill.

Ms. Watt, of Cheswick, said reform was the reason she is seeking a House seat, the same reason she ran for Allegheny County Council three years ago. She resigned from council in February to run against Mr. Dermody, as required by the county's home rule charter. She represented Cheswick, Harmar, Oakmont, Penn Hills, Plum, Springdale Borough, Verona and Wilkins.

Ms. Watt opposes a pay raise for legislators, the judiciary and the executive branch and said she would favor a law to prohibit legislative votes between midnight and 8 a.m., a measure also favored by Mr. Dermody. Ms. Watt favors the reporting of legislative votes electronically via the Internet so constituents can keep track of the records of their legislators.

Mr. Dermody supports term limits for legislators that are longer than six years. Ms. Watt opposes limits but said she would advocate them on the appointments of committee chairmen so legislation can move without being stifled by committee heads.

Property taxes is an oft-debated topic in state government and both candidates favor some type of property tax reform.

Ms. Watt would prefer to lower property taxes by shifting the burden to sales and wage taxes, but she offered no concrete plan on how such a shift of taxes would work. The elimination of property taxes is not a realistic goal, given the politics involved, she said.

The formula for funding schools from property taxes is "broken," as evidenced by funding disparities in districts such as Duquesne at the lower end and Fox Chapel at the upper end, Mr. Dermody said. He proposes the elimination of property taxes and increases in income taxes, sales taxes and taxes on such things as cigarettes and alcohol. He said he would continue to exclude food and clothing from the sales tax.

To accomplish the goal, Mr. Dermody would renew his proposal for a sunset of school funding through property taxes to force the Legislature to act.

The candidates agree the General Assembly should be smaller and that the state should have a dedicated funding source for public transportation.

Mr. Dermody, 55, a lawyer, is a former county prosecutor and district judge. He is married with two adult children. He attended Columbia University and Indiana University Law School.

Ms. Watt, 41, went back to school and received a bachelor's degree in legal studies from Point Park University. Besides two years on County Council, Ms. Watt was the political director for the county Republican Party. She is separated and has two teenage children.

The 33rd District covers East Deer, Fawn, Frazer, Harmar, Harrison, Indiana, Springdale, West Deer, Brackenridge, Cheswick, Oakmont, Springdale and Tarentum and part of Plum.