12th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
(724) 772-3110
(717) 783-1707
RepMetcalfe.com
Contact: Samantha Clarke
(724) 772-3110
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 2, 2009
Metcalfe Enters House Speaker’s Race to Offer Choice
for ‘Voice of the People’
HARRISBURG—Massive budget deficits created by excessive state spending; out of touch
state government salary increases and bonuses; billions of dollars in increased taxation and debt, both past and currently looming over the 2009-2010 state budget process, have all motivated Representative Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) to announce his candidacy for Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives with the following statement:
“The recent history-making headlines of financial institution bailouts, automobile manufacturer bailouts to the governor’s Boscov’s department store bailout scheme have left Pennsylvania
taxpayers legitimately perplexed and dismayed at the reality disconnect of their government.
“The current budget-breaking economic tsunami has forced businesses and families to make difficult decisions to survive. Pennsylvanians deserve a representative government that is fiscally-responsible. Clearly, business as usual is not the answer that the people are looking for from their elected leaders in Harrisburg. The life changing sacrifices being made by men, women, and children across the Commonwealth demands that the 2009-2010 state Legislature puts Pennsylvania taxpayers first by enabling them to keep more of their hard-earned money.
“One of the very first public votes that members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives will cast on Jan. 6, 2009 will be to elect the next Speaker of the House. Up until this point, the current Speaker’s election has been proceeding like so many coronations of the past. Today, I end this fiscally-irresponsible coronation process by declaring my candidacy for Speaker of the House.
“It would be beyond naïve to expect any degree of fiscal responsibility from the Democrat candidate for Speaker who represents and continues to support all the most reprehensible elements of past legislatures, including his votes for the:
· Rendell administration’s welfare state expanding, deficit-creating budgets.
· Rendell administration’s 2003 Personal Income Tax increase.
· July 2005 unconstitutional state government pay raise.
“Collectively, his actions expose him as part of the problem, not the solution. In sharp, crystal clear contrast, I have consistently voted against the excessive spending, appropriated not only by the legislature during the Rendell administration, but also during the Ridge administration. During my ten years in office I have never voted for a tax increase and I voted against, and led the fight in the state House to repeal the 2005 state government pay raise in its entirety.
“The Democrat majority of last session chose between two Republicans for Speaker. For this session, the member’s choice will be between candidates with two dramatically different voting records that accurately forecast the actions of future leadership.
“Ultimately, the choice will be between a candidate who has been complicit in the fiscally-irresponsible actions of past legislatures and the candidate who has blazed a trail in the opposite direction toward the desperately needed, fiscally-responsible legislature of the future.
“I seek the support of a new majority for my candidacy as Speaker of the House. In return for the necessary bipartisan support, I pledge that I will fully execute my duties to maximize the Office of Speaker to its full potential as a voice for the people of Pennsylvania.
A voice that will be consistent in the battle to reform and revitalize this legislature into a respected public servant that represents our citizens with integrity; a voice that will accept nothing less than fiscally-responsible state government; and, most importantly a voice rallying against any and all proposed tax increases.”
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