Congress hopefuls discuss economic development
By Mike Joseph
- mjoseph@centredaily.com The Centre Daily Times asked each of the nine Republican and three Democratic candidates for the 5th Congressional District nominations to respond to an identical set of eight questions. Below are their responses to the first question. Their responses to the remaining questions will be published each Tuesday and in the Voters Guide published just before the April 22 primary election.
Thompson
What would you do as a congressman to help provide for job-creating economic development in the 5th Congressional District? What are the key elements of your manufacturing policy?
Republicans
Chris Exarchos,63, of Lemont, Centre County; former county commissioner
“First, an effective representative
would need to work cooperatively with various entities to create a ‘business
friendly’ environment by having lower taxes, reasonable regulations and a good infrastructure (roads, water, sewer, broadband, etc.).
“Second, I would help to make available the resources to have a well-trained work force.
“Our education policy should offer affordable academic and technical education to provide young citizens with the skills they can use in today’s economy.
“Third, manufacturing usually requires tremendous amounts of energy. I would take concrete steps to make energy more abundant and affordable. I would support increased exploration for natural gas and encourage the use of clean coal technology.”
John Krupa,56, of Avis, Clinton County; insurance agent and former Pine Creek Township supervisor
“As a business person I recognize the value of Pennsylvania’s geographic location to the manufacturing/ business
community. The major contributing factors hindering robust economic growth in Pennsylvania are the imposed regulatory and tax burdens associated with doing business in Pennsylvania. These burdens are recognized by the business community both inside and outside of Pennsylvania.
“As the 5th Congressional District’s representative I will facilitate a quarterly roundtable meeting in the district with the district’s business people, state and local government agencies and community advocates to build a consensus plan of action for job growth and retention. This plan must find a way to lower these associated costs and unite our talents and resources in order to attract, create and retain high-quality jobs across our region.”
Lou Radkowski,64, of St. Marys; Elk County coroner
“We are all stakeholders in the economic success of our district.
Chambers of Commerce and local economic
development groups greatly enhance the economic vitality of our region. Working collaboratively with these organizations, I will develop economic incentive programs that encourage and enable businesses to remain in our state.
“For example, we need to ensure that every corner of our district has access to the latest and best DSL and broadband Internet service in order to attract and retain new businesses. State college and university graduates need incentives to remain in Pennsylvania, working and building our economy. I will work with state legislators to develop a plan that provides a tax credit to graduates who remain in Pennsylvania. I will also seek revisions in our federal tax code to provide larger credits and deductions for school loans.”
Keith Richardson,46, of Clarion; pastor of the First Baptist Church of Clarion
“Jobs aren’t created by politicians in Washington, but by industrious and enterprising people in the district. Economic
development occurs when regulatory and tax policies allow businesses to begin and expand so that companies can pay for more employees instead of more bureaucracy. So I’d work hard for across-the-board reductions in personal and corporate tax rates.
“This can be accomplished by an across-the-board reduction in tax rates. And since we need to get the government off our backs as well as out of our pockets, I’d seek careful and reasonable rollbacks of the excessive governmental regulations that hamper industry and reduce productivity. Red tape in Washington is leading to red ink for too many businesses.”
Matt Shaner,28, of Patton Township, Centre County; real estate developer
“Creating an economically prosperous environment for all Pennsylvanians will be an important task for the
next congressman. Job retention and creation is a vital part of that goal. I will work to foster an environment that allows small businesses to grow and new business to be created. Sound, long-term economic planning is the best way to promote growth. Making the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 permanent, passing a balanced budget amendment and ending earmarks are all very important.
“Public-private partnerships are key to economic development. My company worked in Clinton County with the Lock Haven mayor and City Council, the Clinton County commissioners and the school board to bring a $15 million mixed-use development to the city of Lock Haven. We accomplished this by negotiating low-interest financing to support a project that will create many jobs and bring much needed economic development to Clinton County.”
Jeff Stroehmann,42, of Linden, Lycoming County; former Woodward Township supervisor
“The first thing that the United States needs to do is withdraw from job crushing trade agreements such as
NAFTA and GATT. I am not against trading with other nations, but I am opposed to entering into trade agreements that put the United States of America at a competitive disadvantage and hurt American workers.
“Equally important, Congress must provide for tax incentives and regulatory reform to encourage more investment by American corporations here as opposed to outsourcing overseas. I support tariffs on goods that are imported from nations that do not follow fair trade standards.”
John Stroup,50, mayor of Clarion and executive director of the Clarion Hospital Foundation
“The economic development role for a member of Congress is to provide leadership, having the focus to bring
folks to the table to make things happen. I believe that our region has all of the tools necessary for a strong economic future, but they need to have direction. We need to build upon the value within each community, developing opportunities to focus their energies on growing specific niches that will make them prosper.
“Building on this, whether it is high-tech in State College or powdered metals in Elk County will be key toward creating jobs here in the 5th. In Washington, helping provide economic growth for Pennsylvania communities means fighting for their priorities. Helping small businesses meet their health care needs by tearing down unnecessary barriers, ensuring continued support of technical education and fighting to ensure that taxes stay low are economic growth priorities for Pennsylvania communities, and they will be my priorities in Washington.”
Glenn Thompson,48, of Howard Township, Centre County, health care professional and county Republican Party chairman
“Job-creating economic development is a high priority in the 5th Congressional District. I will work to
secure funding
of those infrastructure projects that support manufacturing and service industries, including water, sewage, highways and broadband access. I support making the federal tax cuts permanent and will work for tax cuts on capital gains as a true economic stimulus. Additionally, tax incentives are needed for those manufacturers that invest in new technology to remain competitive globally.
“I support increasing work force investment in vocational/ technical training and community college programs. Our district’s best resource is a well-trained work force prepared to fill today’s manufacturing, technical and service positions. I support the development of a ‘fast-track’ business development process where federal, state and local barriers to business development are pro-actively streamlined. Pennsylvania manufacturing development should not suffer as a result of lengthy bureaucratic timelines. Finally, we should not allow tolling of Interstate 80.”
Derek Walker,32, of Bigler, Clearfield County, financial consultant
“I believe that community and business leaders must work closely together with our educational institutions to
develop a viable economic future. With thousands of square miles of forests, millions of tons of mineral reserves and potentially one of the largest untapped supplies of natural gas in the country, the region’s abundant amount of natural resources will allow us to reinvent our communities. I would also focus on making investments in our aging infrastructure.
“The 5th District’s geographic location relative to East Coast economic centers gives us a major advantage. Many of our communities located along Interstate 80 could serve as distribution and transportation hubs and the completion of Corridor O, Continental 1 and U.S. 322 would give us access to an incredible highway system. In order to boost our manufacturing industry, I support an increase in the investment tax credit for companies that are willing to invest in creating jobs. We should also make college tuition and work force development programs tax deductible for all individuals.”
Democrats
Bill Cahir,39, of Bellefonte, Centre County, former Washington correspondent for Pennsylvania newspapers
“Congress should offer tax incentives to manufacturers and offer no-interest loans to those businesses investing in
environmental upgrades. And I will work to attract high-wage employers — those in health care, alternative energy, high tech and nanotechnology, telecommunications, defense and rural tourism into the region.”
Mark B. McCracken,44, of Clearfield; Clearfield County commissioner
“I will do as congressman what I’ve had success with as a county commissioner, which is, work in cooperation with
elected officials at all levels, community leaders and private business interests to bring economic development to the region. Elected officials and economic development entities must use every available means to bring new business to the region and help existing businesses survive and expand. This would include offering incentives from the local, state and federal levels.
“On manufacturing policies, I believe we must get back to manufacturing more products here in the United States. Our economy worked best when products were ‘Made in the USA.’ Our existing jobs base is essentially service oriented at one end of the scale and high-paid executives at the other leaving nothing in the middle. We need to get back to a strong middle class making a decent living wage with adequate benefits.”
Rick Vilello,42, of Lock Haven, Clinton County; Lock Haven mayor
“Economic development and community development go hand in hand. The federal government must work with
state and local governments to identify needs and develop comprehensive packages that address those needs. This could mean installing the proper infrastructure or it could mean putting a financial package together with a private developer.
“Speed and cooperation are important. Industry moves quickly, and decisions have to be made the same way. I would work closely with state and local government to respond quickly when opportunity knocks.
“As mayor, I already have a track record of accomplishments on the local level and know the frustration that arises when an urgent request dies on a bureaucrat’s desk. My manufacturing policy is simple: In a global market, trade needs to be fair, not free. We can do better.”
Solomon's Words thanks Mike Joseph and the Centre Daily Times for allowing us to republish this article.
Anonymous said...
So, explain where all this extra grant money is coming from. Everyone wants a piece of it and it seems to be plentiful! Slowing economy so lets spend, spend, spend!
Friday, March 7, 2008 3:43:00 PM EST