I announce today my candidacy for Governor of Pennsylvania and will be doing press conferences in Philadelphia and Harrisburg. Tomorrow, I will be in Pittsburgh for a press conference there.
Pennsylvania is an energy powerhouse and soon will produce the third most energy among the states. Pennsylvania will trail only Texas and Wyoming--two states with no state income tax--in total energy production.
Despite the Marcellus gas boom and falling national unemployment, Pennsylvania's economy is struggling. For the first time in years, Pennsylvania's unemployment rate was higher than the national unemployment rate in both September and October. Pennsylvania's rate of job creation that was among the highest in the nation in 2010 has fallen to among the lowest.
Our struggles are rooted in a mismanagement of Pennsylvania's tremendous energy resources, failed economic development policies that rely almost exclusively on the natural gas industry, and disastrous education policies. Pennsylvania's schools since 2011 have lost 19,000 jobs, and school taxes have increased in many communities, after a $1 billion cut in state funding in the 2011-2012 budget.
Those budget cuts to public schools, universities, and colleges were choices made and not unavoidable. For example, the 2011-12 state budget included hundreds of millions of dollars for the Rainy Day Fund, hundreds of millions of dollars for corporate tax cuts, and about $250 million to 14 cyber charter schools, even though 13 have reading and math scores below the average of a traditional public school.
Not surprisingly, with fewer teachers, higher class sizes, lost tutoring programs and courses, Pennsylvania's school test scores declined. Those Pennsylvanians who are also paying higher school taxes, as a result of the 2011-12 budget cuts, are paying more for education and getting less value.
In the coming campaign, I look forward to listening to Pennsylvanians and proposing solutions to our problems. I also invite you to visit www.hangerforgovernor.com and to support my campaign.
Good luck John! I'll be rooting for you. I'd like to make a campaign contribution as well so be sure to tell us how to do that.
ReplyDeleteBravo and best wishes for success!
ReplyDeleteI made my contribution - I'll work on my friends and family to do the same!
ReplyDeletethank you fur the contribution i must raise lots of money to be competitive. Thank you for helping. I greatly appreciate it.
DeleteMr. Hanger, this is a promising development! Good luck with your campaign!
ReplyDeleteMr.Hanger, you sound exactly what Pennsylvania needs. I am so sick of Mr. Corbitt taking much needed funds from the intellectually delayed. They are the last to receive and the first to be removed from. We must take care of the families who care for their loved one with a mental disability. It is heartbreaking to know that loved ones are put into nursing homes due to lack of funds within the family or the caregiver dies and there is nowhere else to place them. I can go on, but I am hoping when you are elected, you do not forget the mentally disabled. If you are earnest in helping those that can not help themselves, then count me in! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAfter I graduated from law school, I worked at Community Legal Services, representing people who struggled to pay the bills and to get good paying jobs. Some worked hard at low wage jobs and did not have enough to pay rent, utilities, food, medicine--the basics. Some were senior citizens. Some had disabilities and illnesses. I have worked with the vulnerable and care about how All Pennsylvanians are treated. I understand your powerful point.
DeleteJohn,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! This is very good news for Pennsylvania. I look forward to actively supporting your campaign.
All my best - Fred Baldassare
Fred:
DeleteThank you very much. I am going to need lots of help. I appreciate it.
Good luck John . I look forward to hearing more of your ideas to help our state get back on track.
ReplyDeleteYou have an enlightened view of how to govern our state ; are you going for the democratic spot or independent ?
ReplyDeleteI am seeking the nomination of the Democratic Party. The primary is May 2014. Thank you for the encouragement.
DeleteJohn, I like what you have written. Question I have is Will you be able to stand up to gas industry?
ReplyDeleteSo excited to see this! You have taught me so much about renewable energy and fracking.
ReplyDelete- an aspiring environmental lawyer
Thank you for the supportive feedback. Please visit www.hangerforgovernor.com. And please make a donation of any size.
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