As a freshman legislator in Harrisburg representing the 11th District in Butler County, Republican Brian Ellis, who will succeed five-term Democratic Rep. Guy Travaglio, will be limited in what he will be able to accomplish over the next two years. Ellis understands that first-term legislators, even if their party controls the General Assembly - and Ellis' does - don't change the course of state government.

For Ellis and others in the "Class of 2004," their first terms will be a learning and growing experience - the time for planting their feet and developing an intimate understanding of how business is conducted under the state capital dome. They will become focused on specific areas of work, based on their committee assignments, but will be required to keep abreast of what's happening regarding issues outside their committee work - issues they might someday be required to vote upon.

Ellis is capable of handling the challenges that his new responsibility will entail. He has commitment and energy and a business background on how to budget his time.

In addition to his work in Harrisburg, he must strive to provide quality one-on-one service to his constituents back home.

Travaglio prided himself on such constituent service - helping men and women of his district in their individual dealings with the commonwealth - and so should Ellis, while otherwise representing the best interests of Butler County on statewide matters.

Ellis can have a positive impact in working to make Pennsylvania "a better place to do business in" - one of his immediate goals - but his goal of elminating the property tax might be more difficult to achieve.

Pennsylvania has had several big pushes to greatly reduce or eliminate that tax, but none - even the latest, which still is evolving - has produced the kind of result state residents had sought, or were led to believe was possible or inevitable.

Again, Ellis can have an impact by keeping the issue on the front burner, but any improvement that might be forthcoming to the latest tax-reform initiative, which hinged on approval of slot machine gambling, won't be possible by Ellis working alone.

Early-on in his state legislative service, Ellis will need to develop strong working relationships with other state House members, including other members of the Butler County delegation. The quality of his cooperation regarding others' goals will impact his ability to bring back benefits to this county via others' cooperation with his objectives.

While it must be understood from Day One that Ellis will have to be loyal to the Republican leadership, it is to be hoped that such loyalty doesn't blind him to the importance of local needs, even if it occasionally requires him to vote against what that leadership might be promoting.

Ellis' first loyalty then must be to his district.

In regard to that, Ellis should strive to keep in touch with the opinions of his constituents by way of visibility within the communities that he serves. The late Blair County state Rep. Denny J. Bixler - a Democrat elected in a Republican-dominated district - achieved such ongoing contact and dialogue by way of his well-advertised request, "May I have coffee with you?"

Many groups took him up on that offer during his nearly six years of legislative service.

Fortunately, most of the state legislative races this year weren't afflicted by the vitriol that dominated the U.S. presidential race.

It is to be hoped that Ellis, as a proponent of efficient, effective government, will recognize the value of bipartisan cooperation in striving for what's good for the state and his district. Not every Republican proposal is good, and not every Democratic proposal is bad.

Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell has demonstrated a willingness to help Butler County by way of significant funding directed this way. Ellis should remember that when he takes the oath of office to become the newest occupant of the 11th District seat.

- J.R.K.