Jobs, Taxes, and Health Care

By Stephen M Smerbeck

Stephen Smerbeck's positions and plans for job creation, tax reform, and health care solutions.

A representative must provide the leadership necessary to secure jobs for our district. I propose the creation of enterprise zones for rural areas (EZRA) to establish new businesses, and attract new jobs, jobs that can support a family, and keep our families here. Why should enterprise zones be reserved only for urban areas only?
Technology is the great leveler in today's economy and access to technology is insufficient to meet our area's needs. As your representative, I will work tirelessly to make high-speed internet access and cellular phone service available for all homes and businesses in our district. Access to technology will stimulate entrepreneurs to start new companies providing jobs for local residents. Access to technology will also allow existing industries, from agriculture to mining, to compete, world-wide, for markets previously unavailable to them.

Taxes

Property taxes are an onerous burden for all residents. Some in Harrisburg would like you to believe that raising income taxes and extending a higher sales tax to all purchases will solve this problem. It won't, and it will leave those most vulnerable, seniors and low income working families, in severe financial hardship. With any tax proposal I would insist that safeguards be put in place that would protect the economic well being of all Pennsylvanians. A comprehensive tax revision for all residents of Pennsylvania must be enacted, and soon.

Health Care

How can the health care industry justify, year after year, rate increases that far outpace the cost of living? It's unconscionable. Millions and millions of dollars are squandered in the administration of health care plans. One way to lower costs and provide health care to all Pennsylvanians is to pool our resources. By reducing costs and combining buying power, we can make affordable and effective health care a reality.