To The Editor:
(2/16) Petitions have been circulated and signed, and I am pleased to announce that I will be seeking another term as state representative of Pennsylvania’s 91st Legislative District.
After seeing the governor’s 2016-17 budget proposal earlier this week, it is clear he is intent on substantially raising taxes to generate more than $3 billion of new revenue in order to grow government. His inability to work with the General Assembly and his lack of leadership account for there being only a partial budget this fiscal year. This is unacceptable. Strong leadership is needed to
protect the interests of taxpayers and to ensure a brighter future for our children and grandchildren.
In fact, a focus of my tenure in the state Legislature has been the protection of children. As vice chairman of the House Children and Youth Committee for the past eight years, and a member of the Pennsylvania Children’s Trust Fund Board, I have been very engaged in efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect. I supported tough new laws to protect children in the wake of the Sandusky child sex
abuse scandal, and I have been the prime sponsor of new laws to improve outcomes for foster children and to locate parents who fail to pay child support.
I also serve on the House Game and Fisheries Committee, Tourism and Recreational Development Committee, and the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, all of which are of particular importance to Adams County. The citizens of the 91st Legislative District, are foremost in my mind when I consider the impact of various pieces of legislation passing through my committees.
A lifelong resident of Adams County, I work for, and answer to, the people of Adams County. I do not accept campaign contributions from special interest groups, lobbyists or their organizations. Instead, I rely solely on the kindness and generosity of individual contributors who have placed their faith and trust in me.
Despite the challenges facing our Commonwealth, I have always said that as long as I have a fire in my belly and can make a worthwhile contribution, I want to serve. That fire is burning hot, and I feel more compelled than ever to remain in the fight for the citizens of Adams County.
