R. Lee James has no intention of slowing down.

The Republican incumbent in the 64th District of the state House of Representatives is seeking his third 2-year term.

He says he has a lot left he wants to accomplish.

“The primary focus that I think that we have to have, both in the House and the Senate, is resolving the pension problem which now by most people’s measures is something along the lines of $60 billion in the red,” he said. “To put things in perspective, you could run the entire commonwealth of Pennsylvania for two years if we had it.”

James also is hoping to enact laws to benefit the working man.

One such law would allow unemployed people more time to file for an unemployment compensation claim. Currently, if someone is unemployed they have 15 days to file.

“For many people that’s not enough,” James said.

He noted the closing of Joy Global, a mining equipment manufacturer, in Franklin, Venango County, earlier this year, which put longtime employees out of work.

“I met with the union guys and we had a nice talk and they said, ‘We’re not asking for particularly special treatment.’”

James hopes to extend the time to appeal by 15-to-30 days. He’s still working on getting this passed for this term, but acknowledged he may have to wait until next term, should he be re-elected.

James also wants to provide support for the unemployed who are starting a small business. He pointed out that to receive unemployment benefits, one must be unemployed and looking for work. Someone trying to get a small business off the ground is out of luck.

James said he wants to provide state help for three or four months while a new small business has a chance to grow.

“Because he’s going to create revenue, he’s going to pay taxes, he’s going to hire people,” James said.

He said that such help also would require “reasonable controls.”

He addressed concerns from the education community that the Legislature will take away educators’ retirement benefits.

“That is just absolutely untrue,” he said.

Rather, he is in favor of making changes for future educators.

“What we’re trying to do is change the future to stop making it worse, and put new hires in a different retirement situation,” he said. “They call it defined contribution, like a 401(k).”

James spoke of his experience in financial matters, and how that helps him in office. He noted more than 20 years in the banking industry dealing with loans, trusts and retirement plans, as well as more than 20 years of experience as a financial consultant.

“I’m a business guy and I bring all that experience to the table,” he said. “My opponents do not.”

Not all of James’ focus will be financially oriented. He also is concerned with the state’s opioid problem.

He mentioned solutions including an opioid databank.

“That databank can be accessed by every physician and pharmacy in Pennsylvania to make sure if a person is filling multiple prescriptions either to take them himself or to sell them on the street, we’re going to find out about it and put a stop to it,” James said.

He also spoke of the need for treatment beyond methadone clinics.

“Now (people) understand that methadone by itself won’t do the trick,” he said. “Sometimes that treatment takes a year or even 15 months.”

In addition to stating his focus for the future, James talked about accomplishments from his first term.

He mentioned legislation he wrote that was passed, eliminating some of the taxes out-of-state rescue teams face when coming to Pennsylvania to help with a natural disaster.

“When they sent a team of 15 or so guys they’d also have to send an army of accountants to deal with our Byzantine tax structure,” he said. “(Now) they don’t have to do that. It won’t cost the commonwealth a significant amount of money.”

James also wrote a law that was passed which provides financial resources to 12 designated Heritage Areas in Pennsylvania. He said this helps because it had been a fight to get money for these areas.

“It’s a really good way to leverage dollars coming into the state,” he said.

He also noted renaming a bridge in Venango County after Jonathan Kephart, the first soldier from Venango County who died in 2004 in a battle during the Iraq War.

“Working with his parents was a true joy,” he said. “They’re great Christians and they miss their son desperately, but they know he’s in good hands.”

James noted further experience as being on the boards of the United Way, the Boy Scouts of America, and the Sugar Valley Lodge.

“I’ve just got a boat load of experience and it helps,” he said.