Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania Club for Growth political action arm, today released its final list of April 2008 endorsed primary candidates for the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

Pennsylvania voters spoke loud and clear during the 2006 election demanding change in Harrisburg. The PACFG endorsed candidates have the principles needed to make sure the voters voices are carried through this years election. "Pennsylvania Club for Growth is confident their endorsed candidates, when elected will cast votes based on what is best for the Commonwealth and not on what is best for their incumbency" stated Kathryn English, president of the PACFG.

Aaron Durso, H130- "Count on Aaron to be a strong voice against higher taxes" stated English. If elected, Durso said his main goals in Harrisburg would be to eliminate school property taxes and bring fiscal discipline to state government. "Pennsylvania is taxing its best resources, its hardworking residents out of the state," said Durso

Dave Huffman, H83– After announcing his candidacy, true to his philosophical roots, Dave immediately stated he will always say NO to higher taxes and has pledged to support the passage of the "Taxpayer Protection Act" which seeks to hold the line against runaway government spending. As a school board member Huffman has a proven track record of voting against all tax increases.

Lowell Gates, H88 - "A business man in Pennsylvania, Lowell has first hand knowledge of the need to reduce taxes and cumbersome regulations that prohibit businesses from locating in Pennsylvania" said English. "We need more legislators who realize the need to grow the economy and not the government."

Jim Taylor, S33 – "Jim is the kind of legislator we need in Harrisburg" stated English. Taylor has committed to vote against all tax increases, reform state government and stop expensive benefits that legislators vote themselves. Through out the campaign trail Taylor has stated, "I will never forget that I work for the people; the people don’t work for me".

Doug McLinko, S23- Doug McLinko calls his brand of politics, "Blue Collar Conservatism" – a phrase that defines a lean, low-spending government that stays out of the way of hardworking families and entrepreneurs. Kathryn English stated "McLinko believes like PACFG, government can’t grow any faster than the growth of our economy in general".

Pennsylvania Club for Growth for the first time is also endorsing the three incumbents; Daryl Metcalfe (H-12), Kathy Rapp (H-65), and Brad Roae (H-6). "These three incumbents have continually voted for a pro economic growth agenda for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. PACFG feels it is important for PA to have these house representatives continue to have a strong voice for the taxpayers of this Commonwealth. "It is crucial we help keep these elected officials in office as they continue to serve the people and not the special interest groups" stated English.

Pennsylvania Club for Growth on March 13th also endorsed candidate James May who is running as a challenger in the 117th house district. Mays opponent has a history of voting for bigger government and most recently voted with the Democrats for Ed Rendell’s $1.2 billion health care plan...called by GOP leaders "a tax increase waiting to happen". "If we are to see less government growth and more economic growth in Pennsylvania, we need leaders like James May who will vote against Governor Rendell’s big government agenda" stated English.

The Pennsylvania Club for Growth, which supports strong fiscal conservatives who run for the state legislature, will continue to work with lawmakers to move forward a pro-growth agenda that includes tax cuts and other smaller government issues.

By Susan Staub, President
Pennsylvanians for Right to Work, Inc.

"A 2002 study from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy…found that from 1970 to 2000, right to work states created 1.43 million manufacturing jobs. At the same time, non-right-to-work states lost 2.18 million jobs." Lawrence W. Reed, The Wall Street Journal, June 16-17, 2007

Even in heavily unionized states like Michigan, “the basic truth, that union officials are part of that state’s economic problem, [is] now coming to replace the notion that they are the state’s salvation." So writes Lawrence Reed, president of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, Michigan’s free-market think-tank.

It is equally true in Pennsylvania, where a hostile labor climate has contributed to chronic economic underperformance.

Pennsylvania and Michigan are among the 28 states where employees lack the protection of a Right to Work law. Without that protection, people can be forced to join a union or pay money to a union in order to keep their jobs, even when they didn’t vote for the union and don’t want to be union members. However, in the 22 states with a Right to Work law, employees have the right to decide for themselves whether or not to join a union or financially support its activities.

In a nation founded on individual liberty, compulsory unionism tramples on fundamental American rights: freedom of conscience, freedom of speech, and freedom of association. Forced union dues take away an individual’s freedom and distort the employee/employer relationship.

Now, with U.S. private-sector union membership below eight percent and falling, Big Labor wants to eliminate the secret ballot in union elections. The union bosses’ handpicked allies in Congress are pushing legislation that would unionize private workplaces whenever a majority of employees sign a request card – the so-called “card check" legislation. Without the protection of a secret ballot, workers would be vulnerable to union coercion to sign those cards – both in the workplace and after hours.

This audacious attack on employee rights handily passed the U.S. House, but stalled in the U.S. Senate on a procedural vote. Both U.S. Senators Arlen Specter (R-Philadelphia) and Bob Casey Jr. (D-Lackawanna) voted to bring the “card check" bill to final passage. In fact, Sen. Casey co-sponsored the bill.

One obvious result of Pennsylvania’s failure to pass a Right to Work Law is the nation-leading number of teacher strikes here. Every year, thousands of our students and dedicated teachers are affected, while parents, taxpayers, and local economies are held hostage. One of only 13 states to permit teacher strikes, Pennsylvania led all states with 82 of 137 strikes in America since 2000 – 60 percent of the U.S. total. Tellingly, in the school year ending June 2007, 13 of the 14 teacher strikes were in districts that had negotiated forced dues into their contracts.

As we reflect this Labor Day on the efforts and accomplishments of the past year, we should consider the plight of Pennsylvanians who are trapped by forced unionism, both in public employment and the private sector. To be true to the Founders’ promise of individual freedom, to restore the relationship between employees and employers, and to defend taxpayers from union predation, Pennsylvania needs – and deserves – a Right to Work law.

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Pennsylvanians for Right to Work is a non-profit citizens’ organization dedicated to the single issue of providing freedom of choice with respect to labor union membership for all Pennsylvania’s working citizens. Their website address is www.PARightToWork.org. To schedule an interview, debate, or radio program with Mrs. Staub, please contact Jada Baker at 717-233-1227.

Harrisburg -Once again Governor Rendell and the General Assembly claim a false victory for the Taxpayers. Based on what we have seen, the budget deal struck late last night is well above the combined rate of inflation and population growth.

"The new budget is like a blind date, it is what we expected - not what we hoped for," stated Kathryn English, president of PA Club for Growth. "I am disappointed Republican leaders who publicly stated they would reduce Governor Rendell’s proposed budget, are supporting a budget even greater than Rendell’s proposal."

To add insult to injury, Senators Mike Folmer and Bob Regola have introduced a Taxpayer Protection Act (TPA) that would limit yearly spending increases to the combined rate of inflation and population growth. This legislation is co-sponsored by 28 republicans and 2 democrats. For this budget to pass, at least five of the co-sponsors are preparing to violate the spirit of the taxpayer protection act.

Pennsylvania has a $640 million surplus which should have been returned to the people. Under the TPA, 75 percent of the surplus would have been instantly returned, not generated into new spending. Borrowing money as a way to avoid tax increases is just a tax increase delayed. This is a backend tax increase.

Although not all the details have been made public, transportation seems to be one of the main components of the high spending. Not only will it be an immediate spending increase, now, but it will also take future competition away from the turnpike authority. This leaves the transportation budget susceptible to a huge increase year after year.

There are some elements of the budget where Governor Rendell did not prevail. He did not receive any of his 7 new tax proposals. The phase-out of the Capital Stock and Franchise tax will continue.

"Despite these losses for the Governor, all taxpayers and hardworking families lose any time there is an increase in spending of more than the combined rates of inflation and population growth," said English. "Hard working families live within their means, so should the government."