Chris Voccio for Pennsylvania

News Room - Voccio's Announcement Address

Delivered on January 3rd, 2007

The 2008 elections will be significant for Greater Johnstown.

Our two seats in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives are being vacated by their incumbents and we will be represented in Harrisburg by two freshman legislators.

Because of this, both of these elections will have regional importance extending far beyond their respective district boundaries. The outcome of both elections will have significant impact on the region for years, perhaps decades, to come.

We need strong and proven leaders in these positions. We cannot afford to be sentenced to twenty or thirty years of continued stagnation while good-natured politicians collect their salaries and wait for their taxpayer-funded pensions to kick in.

We need bold leaders who will stand up to the power-brokers and party bosses who want our legislators to sit quietly and follow instructions.

Our state taxes are much too high and we have too many meddlesome state agencies and commissions.

We have one of the highest corporate income taxes, ranking 49th out of the 50 states. We have one of the highest capital-stock taxes, ranking 49th out of 50. We have the fourth highest gasoline tax. We have the highest diesel fuel tax. We have the fourth highest tax rate on property.

Too many doctors can't afford to practice here, and we will continue to chase them away until we get control of our legal system, which is need of reform.

This is unbearable, and unacceptable.

We need representatives in Harrisburg who will fight for job-creating policies and government reform.

Both the gun control debate and the value of human life will be central to this election.

The Supreme Court will rule on a gun law this year that could have ramifications for every state, and they will take up the abortion issue at some point soon. We can't send the Governor more allies who will, even if unwittingly, help him in his anti-gun efforts and aid his hostility to the pro-life position.

For all of these reasons, and because I'm passionate about Greater Johnstown, I'm running for the 72nd district seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

My platform is simple. All of my positions are based on the values of "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" expressed in the Declaration of Independence. For me, these words are not just a cliché.

I believe that human life, from conception to the very end, is sacred. I believe that individual liberty is precious, and that government intervention, in the form of taxation or regulation, should be minimized. I believe that we do not have a right to happiness, we only have a right to pursue happiness, and we can only pursue happiness if the government respects our liberty.

I promise you this: You'll always know where I stand.

This campaign will not be about political parties. Frankly, the stakes are too high for partisan politics. This campaign is about bringing positive leadership and a new voice to Harrisburg.

I'm a proven and effective executive with private-sector experience and I know how to get things done in the real world.

Now I want to bring my passion for this region and my energetic optimism to Harrisburg.

As I said, the importance of this election extends beyond the boundaries of the 72nd district. I urge all of you to get involved. I have some brochures, and my Website address is www.ChrisVoccio.com. Get ready for a vigorous campaign and many important debates on the issues.

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