AGRICULTURE

Pennsylvania is a state with a rich agricultural heritage, with many farms having stayed within the same family for generations. However, in many respects the traditional farming tradition is under siege. It is become increasingly difficult if not impossible for family farms to sustain themselves, with families many times having to work second and third jobs simply to continue their farming traditions. Additionally, many new agribusiness practices are destroying our soil and our environment, creating both short term and long term problems for our communities.
To sustain our rich agricultural heritage, Representative Conklin wants to:

  • Foster and nourish an environment in which the family farm is protected.
  • Establish and advance programs that put additional lands into Clean and Green so that we are not taxing family farms out of business
  • Push for low interest loans and grant opportunities to help keep farming affordable
  • Support new organic farming methods which help protect human health and don’t contaminate our environment
  • Support Penn State Agriculture Programs so that they can continue to do crucial research to protect our crops and increase yield.

BUSINESS

In the current economic climate with many industries shutting down business and sending jobs overseas, it is critically important to create an atmosphere to encourage job creation and job retention, particularly for small businesses. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy because they help build our local economy, keep jobs at home, and form an integral part of our communities.
What Representative Conklin will do to improve the business climate in PA:

  • Support and enhance a climate that provides smart incentives for responsible businesses to locate in Pennsylvania
  • Work to attract family sustaining jobs to the state
  • Support development and implementation of new green collar jobs in renewable energy, energy conservation, and alternative energy research
  • Support policies that will ensure responsible exploration of the Marcellus Shale to take advantage of our expansive natural gas reserves while at the same time protecting our communities
  • Encourage improvements to upgrade our roads and bridges in order to improve our transportation infrastructure

CLEAN UP GOVERNMENT

Representative Conklin has been a strong supporter of a government by the people and for the not, not one run by complacent, self-satisfied bureaucrats. He has helped pass over 30 Reform measures that promoted open/accessible government and prevented secretive 2 am votes. But there is still a great deal of work to do cleaning up our government. We cannot afford a elected officials in the pockets of special interests that doesn’t serve the people of Pennsylvania.
To help reform government, Representative Conklin wants to hold a Constitutional Convention so we can:

  • Downsize a bloated legislature
  • Make early voting available so that hard-working family members can have the opportunity to exercise their voice
  • Impose term limits so our elected officials don’t become complacent and out of touch with the people
  • Institute performance audits for all state agencies

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Domestic Violence is a major problem that Representative Conklin wants to address. It destroys our families, fractures our communities and harms our children. Our homes and our streets need to be safe for everyone.
To keep our streets, our homes and our communities safe Representative Conklin wants to:

  • Increase support for resource centers so that battered women have a place to turn to
  • Strengthen the laws protecting women from abuse
  • Create safe drop off centers for custody exchange
  • Continue to introduce and support legislation requiring college freshman to take a sexual assault awareness course

ECONOMY

With many families struggling to pay for basic things like food and energy, strengthening our economy is one of the most pressing issues for the Pennsylvania legislature to address. Increasingly people are harder for less, struggling with basic expenses while more and more jobs gets shipped overseas. Representative Conklin wants to push for an economic policy that takes us into the 21st century by improving our infrastructure and investing in renewable energy so we can attract high paying jobs that can’t be shipped overseas. We need to look towards a future where instead of pain trickling down, prosperity trickles up.
To strengthen our economy so we can face the challenges of the 21st century, Representative Conklin wants to:

  • Cut taxes for Small Businesses so they can create jobs that strengthen our communities
  • Support and enhance a climate that provides smart incentives for responsible businesses to locate in Pennsylvania
  • Work to attract family sustaining jobs to the state through incentive programs and tax breaks for small businesses
  • Support development and implementation of new green collar jobs in renewable energy, energy conservation, and alternative energy research
  • Support policies that will ensure responsible exploration of the Marcellus Shale to take advantage of our expansive natural gas reserves while at the same time protecting our communities
  • Encourage improvements to upgrade our roads and bridges in order to improve our transportation infrastructure so our goods and services are competitive in a globalized world

EDUCATION

Access to quality education and training is a concern for all Pennsylvanians. The economic health of the state relies on a well-trained, educated population. Parents must have access to high quality pre-Kindergarten options and affordable college tuition for their children. Pennsylvania’s public schools must meet the demands of the 21st century.

Conklin believes that educational opportunities must be available for all Pennsylvanians. He provides unwavering support for the Pre-K counts program, which has expanded access to quality care for more than 10,000 children ages 3-5 in Pennsylvania. Conklin has met with student organizations to express support for higher education funding and strategize ways to limit cost increases for Pennsylvania families.

  • Continues to support funding for public and higher education
  • Will work toward the legislative reforms called for by the Jobs of the Future report on the status of Career and Technical education
  • Will work for the expansion of the Pre-K counts program
  • Work with educators to develop sensible regulations for teacher training and certification

ENERGY

With the steadily increasing cost of oil, it becomes increasingly evident that we cannot continue to support an energy policy that strengthens our enemies and sends our hard earned dollars overseas. In addition, the threat of global warming is real and makes it imperative that we invest in a renewable energy future that creates millions of green collar jobs and reduces greenhouse gasses.

What Representative Conklin will do to improve and enhance our energy policies:

  • Encourage development of clean energy technologies by working with Penn State to research technologies create jobs and reduce use of Middle Eastern oil
  • Create lasting jobs through the responsible development of the Marcellus Shale
  • Help develop and implement Clean Coal technologies that help us reduce our dependence on foreign oil and allow us to make our expansive coal reserves part of a clean energy future
  • Work to implement and develop green and renewable energy technologies that reduce our energy needs, help secure our energy future and make sure we leave future generations a planet to inherit

ENVIRONMENT

Pennsylvania is a state of luscious forests, teeming wildlife, beautiful rivers, and a history of environmental stewardship. We have co-existed with nature for centuries as hunters, farmers and caretakers of our shared future. We need to continue that tradition by making sure our rivers aren’t unnecessarily contaminated, our forests remain healthy and our communities remain free from toxic chemicals.

To continue our traditions of environmental stewardship Representative Conklin wants to:

  • Protect our natural resources from unnecessary harm
  • Promote land conservation
  • Push for new measures to encourage business and communities to adopt more environmentally friendly technologies and practices (like the grants Rep. Conklin helped local business get to install solar water heaters and adopt better waste management programs)

HEALTH CARE

Increasing healthcare coverage for all Pennsylvanians

More than 800,000 Pennsylvanians are without health insurance. More workers in Pennsylvania lost their healthcare coverage between 2000 and 2006 than workers in any state other than California. Caring for the uninsured costs Pennsylvania hospitals an estimated $1.4 billion each year. The National Coalition on Health Care estimates that healthcare for the uninsured costs American taxpayers nearly 100 billion each year.

Conklin supports common sense, bi-partisan solutions to this health-care crisis that would expand the number of uninsured, support small businesses that provide healthcare for employees, and generate funds to pay for the expansion of coverage.

  • Conklin voted in favor of the Pennsylvania Access to Basic Care (ABC) program that would provide access to basic health care for more than 270,000 uninsured Pennsylvania workers. 80,000 Pennsylvanians currently on the waiting list for adult basic care would be insured immediately.
  • The ABC program provides $42 million in grants to help small business employers who have been providing health-care coverage for employees
  • The cost of ABC will be paid for by increasing the tax paid on cigarettes and other tobacco products.

Supporting access to health care in rural Pennsylvania

Access to affordable, quality health care in rural areas is a particular concern in Pennsylvania. Residents in rural areas comprised 23% of the population in 2005 yet these residents often have inadequate access to health care providers. Rural residents are also more likely to lack adequate health insurance and one-third of Pennsylvanians on the waitlist for adult basic coverage live in rural areas.

Conklin has worked to solve these problems. He voted in favor of the ABC insurance plan and worked to restore health care to the Mountain Top area. In 2008, the Pennsylvania Rural Health Care Association acknowledged Conklin as a strong supporter of health care reform in rural areas.

  • Conklin supports the removal of regulatory barriers that limit the use of non-physician providers such as Nurse Practioners and Physician’s Assistants, who could increase access to basic care for rural residents.

SENIOR CITIZENS

The percentage of Pennsylvania’s population that is aged 60 or over was 20% in 2006 and this number is expected to grow substantially in the next 10 years. This increase will raise the number eligible for programs such as PACE and PACE NET, which are already struggling to meet demand. 10% of Pennsylvania seniors have incomes below the poverty line and a growing percentage are eligible for food stamps. The state is also facing increasing demands for in-home health care as more and more seniors receive assistance from these community-based programs.

Conklin supports legislation to help Pennsylvania’s seniors. He voted in favor of property tax relief, which gave tax relief to over 400,000 Pennsylvania seniors. Conklin also co-sponsored legislation that recognized the importance of in-home care, which allows many seniors to stay in their homes. During his tenure as commissioner, Conklin served as chairman of the Retirement Board. Conklin will continue to pursue legislative avenues to improving the quality of life for Pennsylvania’s seniors.

  • Work to keep the lottery system solid for continued support of programs such as PACE and PACE NET
  • Work for improvements in long term-care options
  • Strengthen guidelines for long term care

Support implementation of the 2008-2012 State Plan on Aging

STRENGHTENING OUR COMMUNITIES

Representative Conklin has been a strong believer in strengthening our commonwealth by strengthening our communities. In a constantly fluctuating world, our communities are the foundations that keep us grounded.

Representative wants to continue strengthening our communities by:

  • Supporting Community Firemen through grants, tax breaks and by allowing them to hold legal Texas Hold’Em tournaments as fundraisers
  • Allowing College communities to impose an additional $200 Fine for Alcohol related offenses
  • Improving our schools by fully funding them, expanding Pre-K counts, and working with educators to improve the quality of our schools
  • Fostering the creation of family sustaining Jobs
  • Continuing to support responsible legislation like the Puppy Mill bill he recently helped pass which stopped abusive treatment of puppies
  • Create an Arson Registry since Arson has a high recidivism rate and this would help our law enforcement officials reduce crime rates

TRANSPORTATION

One of the key components to strengthening our economy is improving our transportation infrastructure. To help attract new enterprises and keep old enterprises here we need to make sure Pennsylvania is a state with easy accessibility and an infrastructure ready to handle the transportation needs of the 21st century.

To improve our transportation infrastructure Representative Conklin wants to:

  • Repair and improve our roads and bridges so that they are safe and capable of handling Pennsylvania’s business needs
  • Continue to keep I-80 toll free
  • Improve Route 322
  • Invest in forms of mass transit that reduce our dependence on foreign oil and make transportation in Pennsylvania cheaper

WORKING FAMILIES

Pennsylvania’s labor force faces a number of challenges in 2009. The state’s unemployment rate increased from 4.5 to 6.5% between 2006 and 2008. Retail, construction, and manufacturing industries have been particularly hard hit across the state. Average wages in Pennsylvania lag behind the national average. There was a significant decline in the number of Pennsylvanians who receive employer-based health insurance between 2001 and 2007. Currently, 62% of the state’s uninsured are employed.

Conklin believes that a strong economy requires a strong labor force. He supports organized labor and the expansion of Career and Technical Education for Pennsylvania residents. Conklin voted in support of the Pennsylvania Access to Basic Care (ABC) program, which would provide access to basic health care for more than 270,000 uninsured Pennsylvania workers. As a county commissioner, Conklin served as chairman for both the Salary and the Employee Benefits Trust boards where he worked on behalf of the county labor force. His experience as a small business owner has given Scott direct experience with the issues facing small business.

  • Increase advocacy for jobs that provide family-sustaining wages
  • Work with organized labor to protect retirements and expand collective bargaining.
  • Support infrastructure projects for jobs that cannot be sent overseas
  • Work toward the implementation of new energy technologies to build a green jobs industry in Pennsylvania
  • Expand support for the Pre-K Counts program to give Pennsylvania’s working families access to quality preschool
  • Continue to fight for the ABC programs to provide health insurance to thousands of Pennsylvania workers and provide relief for small businesses who supply health insurance.

Scott Conklin Strongly Supports Working Families

In 2005, more than half of Pennsylvania’s working families earned less than $27,000 per year. Real wages have dropped for all workers in the past decade and Pennsylvania families at the lowest income levels have seen the most significant drop. More and more working Pennsylvanians are losing employer-based health insurance and, in 2008, one of every 1400 Pennsylvania homeowners faced foreclosure.

Conklin believes that the strength of Pennsylvania depends on the strength of working families. He is a strong advocate of organized labor and affordable healthcare for working Pennsylvanians. As a State Representative, Conklin voted in favor of the Earned Income Tax Credit, which would decrease the state taxes paid by working families across Pennsylvania. Conklin will work toward legislative solutions to support the working families of Pennsylvania.

  • Work toward full implementation of the recommendations made by the Governor’s Task Force for Working Families.
  • Work toward implmentation of the ABC and CHIP insurance programs to provide health insurance for low income working families.
  • Support spending on education and technical training to make college and re-training accessible to working families
  • Expand support for Pre-K counts to provide quality preschool programs for children in working families.
  • Advocate spending on the development of green jobs and infrastructure construction for jobs that provide family-sustaining wages.