- 1
- 2
- next
- | single page
|
Rob Kauffman and Susan Spicka (October 28, 2012) |
He’s hoping for a repeat performance in 2012.
Democrat and political newcomer Susan Spicka is waging a campaign to make his fourth term his last.
Kauffman was first elected in November 2004.
The district covers portions of Cumberland County, including Shippensburg and Southampton townships and the borough of Shippensburg, as well as part of Franklin County consisting of the townships of Greene, part of Guilford Township, Letterkenny, Lurgan, Southampton and the boroughs of Chambersburg, Orrstown and Shippensburg.
Polls will open Nov. 6 at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
Kauffman, 38, of Scotland, Pa., said jobs and the economy will be his main focus because both are pivotal for everything else to fall into place.
“We have to have a laser focus on those issues — promoting Pennsylvania as a business-friendly location for businesses to locate and expand. We’ve already started that process, and I’m proud of the direction we’re moving,” Kauffman said.
But that history hasn’t always been friendly, he said.
Things have started to change. The tax and regulatory structure has changed, to a point, where organizations like Volvo, Olympic Steel and Ventura Food have chosen Pennsylvania, Kauffman said, referring to positive changes over the last few years.
“Policymakers in Pennsylvania want business to thrive and grow, so we need to just continue on that path. If we continue with that momentum, we’ll continue to see jobs created,” Kauffman said.
Franklin and Cumberland counties are great places to grow businesses, he said.
“We’re in a hub here. So, we have an improving business climate. The transportation infrastructure at (Interstate) 81 and the proximity to huge populations on the East Coast make us a great place to grow a business,” Kauffman said.
Jobs are No. 1, he said.
But he is a firm believer is doing more with less.
“We have significant challenges when you look at public pension obligations. Welfare spending is ballooning. There are challenges in front of us with transportation spending — all of those things will present challenges when it comes to balancing a budget and making sure that the tax burden doesn’t increase,” he said.
Kauffman said if jobs are growing in the economy, then the other issues aren’t as overwhelming.
“If jobs are growing, revenues to the state treasury will continue to grow as jobs grow and business grows and business taxes grow and the economy grows,” Kauffman said.
As a former English teacher and co-founder of Education Matters, Spicka, of Shippensburg, said her first priority would be to reform how the state funds charter schools.
