Tim Brennan

Tim Brennan was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Brennan graduated from Nativity B.V.M. High School. He earned an associate degree from Ursinus College in 2000 and a law degree from the Widener University 2003.[1][2]

Brennan's career experience includes working as an attorney. Brennan has served as the state president of the Pennsylvania Young Democrats, on the boards of Doylestown Pride Taskforce and the Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center, on the panel of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, on the Pennsylvania Bar Association Civility in the Profession Committee, and on the president's circle of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. He has been affiliated with the Bradbury Sullivan LGBT Community Center, Friends of the Bethlehem Mounted Police, Friends of St. Kieran’s, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the New Jersey Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Association for Justice Operation Doylestown, the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, Thoreau Sauntering Society, and the Ancient Order of Hibernians.[1][2]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I grew up waiting tables in my parents’ mom-and-pop restaurant and am a first-generation college graduate. As a young person, I looked up to my older sister and volunteered for the Women in Crisis Center she directed. I was also selected for and served two Congressional internships.

In law school, I was certified in law and government and drafted and lobbied for an amendment to the PA Constitution to stop partisan Gerrymandering. I also studied international law focusing on the European Convention on Human Rights and the return of the rule of law to Eastern Europe.

In my law practice, I represent injured workers as one of only about two hundred attorneys certified as specialists in workers’ compensation law. For nearly two decades, I have represented municipal governments. I worked for the Governor’s Office of General Counsel, representing the Department of Transportation. I provided pro bono representation to the LGBTQ community, struggling homeowners, first responders, and historical groups. In 2020, I helped beat Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani in court, helping to protect the right to vote and have that vote counted.

I have also served as community college professor and an instructor on animal law and the right-to-know law. I also served on Doylestown Borough Council since 2015.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I would prioritize supporting middle class families, by providing better education opportunities and healthcare, by protecting the right for women to make decisions about starting a family, by fighting for a fair economy that supports main street priorities and by creating more supports for working people.I would prioritize protecting our democracy by creating more access to voting, by ensuring each vote is counted and by making it easier for local election boards to do their work. We also need to take steps to protect and improve our democracy, by supporting the arts and non-profit news sources, investing in school civics and fight for government reform.I would prioritize improving the quality of Justice for all residents because a truly Just society requires the fair and equal participation of all people. I would do it by fighting to level the playing field for all of our residents regardless of their nation of original, gender, disability, sexual orientation, race or religion.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am interested in improving education opportunities, investing in infrastructure and improving the dialogue in Harrisburg.

Our legislature has failed to fund public education or address structural deficits, while subsidizing shale and big business at the expense of our kids, targeted tax relief and early childhood education. These are not Main Street priorities. As a former community college professor, I know futures are at stake due to the priorities in Harrisburg. Sound policies there will also mean less dependence on property taxes at home.

Also, our roads, bridges and infrastructure have not been a priority for years. We must invest in our infrastructure and green energy; it will create good paying jobs now and reduce dependence on foreign oil. We rank near last nationally in many infrastructure categories. However, after receiving billions in federal COVID aid, our legislature placed funds in a rainy-day fund. We need to invest now in job creating infrastructure, smart-energy and a 21st century economy.

Finally, we need to improve the dialogue in Harrisburg. For Democrats and Republicans to work together, we need more patience and understanding. Government is about process, not expediency. The process matters; I told my 13 year-old many times that– “I don’t care what you do, it’s how you do it.” Interacting with each other with character and understanding is rare these days in politics, but is absolutely necessary for a strong and functioning democracy.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I always looked up to my dad, who taught by example. He had a few catch phrases, like "treat the little person like a king and the big person like anyone else" and "people, are people, are people, are people." I always appreciated Henry David Thoreau on principle, simplicity and self determination.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

N/A

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

There is a quote that I often references for what it takes to be a good leader, I think this appropriately sums up my feelings on this topic - “[s]marts are a dime a dozen . . . [i]t’s wisdom, coupled with humanity that counts.” I think the empathy, discretion and thoughtful problem solving are some of the most important characteristics.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Constituent services is always the central responsibility of a legislative office, followed by communications and policy design.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember the Challenger Explosion. I was 9 years old.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I grew up working in my parents mom and pop restaurant as a server. I worked that job most of my life, even at time in law school.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

I have always considered the legislature as a check on and oversight body for the executive branch.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Dealing with our crumbling infrastructure, our lack of investment in education and providing good quality jobs for more people. We also need to do more to restore confidence in the democratic process and encourage civics in our next generation of citizens.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of a unicameral state legislature, in your opinion?

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Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I believe it can help reduce the learning curve and make legislators more effective earlier. In my case, I was certified in law and government, focusing on legislation drafting and the state constitution. I also spent over a decade representing local government, that led to exposure to numerous issues. Additionally, my time on Borough Council also helped see areas that needed improvement by the legislature.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Absolutely, this is the best way to get things done. It is important that these relationships be on both sides of the isle as well.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

As noted, I previously worked on redistricting reform and drafted a proposed amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution and lobbied it. Partisan Gerrymandering is a flaw in our democratic process and needs to be addressed. I would favor an independent commission, with neutral criteria.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Local Government, Transportation, Finance

If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?

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Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

N/A

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

I do not have any plans for that.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

It is strange, but I remember conversations knocking on doors for sometimes years later. I think about the people in the houses when I drive in the neighborhood. When I was a young person, I interned with a Congressional office and I remember a family who lost their daughter during a rafting accident. I remember speaking with them and the emotion while they were trying to recover her trapped body. I also remember the lengths the Congressperson went and the bipartisan manner that he acted to get the family results and some closure.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

No, they should not administer emergency powers, they should be oversight after the fact. Emergency powers should be left to the executive.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

As I said in my priorities section, I think the process matters. We should work within democratic norms, engage each other and make our fundamental positions know. To many elected official have been willing to harm the process, democratic norms and people's faith in democratic systems to get short term political benefits. I do believe that we have to work harder to see and respect each other and that compromise is often the more healthy avenue to move policy forward together.