Darwin Swope, Legislative Outreach Specialist for State Representative Fred Keller, is announcing his intention to seek the Republican nomination for the 85th District seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives recently held by Fred Keller.
“Working with Rep. Fred Keller for the past 9 years in charge of Constituent & Municipal Services, I am uniquely qualified for this position. During this time I have assisted numerous businesses, local governments, and citizens in successfully resolving issues,” Swope said. “In addition, I have served in various capacities at the Local Municipal level since the 1990’s which demonstrates my track record of endlessly protecting the interests of the constituents of the 85th District. I will take this same work ethic and problem-solving experience to Harrisburg.”
During his Public Service tenure, Swope has served on the boards of various community organizations. He has served on the Eastern Snyder County Regional Authority (ESCRA) and the Penn Township Municipal Authority. In these positions he advocated for efficient use of public funds which kept user rates low; among the lowest in the area while maintaining high quality service. As an example of his leadership he advocated for the repair of existing equipment versus purchasing new, thus saving the rate payers thousands of dollars in user fees and taxes.
Swope said that “as a member of the General Assembly, my legislative priorities will be:
• Property tax elimination for owner/occupied homes
• Term limits of 12 years for both House and Senate
• Increased support for Lyme Disease and Cancer
• Economic Development that is fair to both established and new business
These priorities have been developed from my public service over the past 25yrs.”
Swope is a lifelong resident of the 85th District; his family descendants date to the founding of this area. He is a graduate of the Selinsgrove Area School District in the Vo-Ag/FFA program, SUN-Area Vo-Tech, and Bloomsburg University as a Dean’s List student in Finance. While as an employee of Pennsylvania House Furniture in Lewisburg, he was a member of the United Steelworkers of America (USWA). He is a lifelong member of Christ Lutheran Church, Middleburg PA, serving on the council. Moreover, Swope is president of the Valley View Cemetery Association. Also, he served as coach/manager of the Middleswarth Chips ice hockey team.
“A Government of Career Politicians that cuts back room deals with Special Interest(s) deep inside the bowels of Harrisburg, raises serious issues of fairness. These closed door sessions often lead to the picking of winners, and losers, to the detriment of the tax payers. Picking winners and losers should be left to the casinos, not politicians. This very culture is why Property Tax Elimination has been so elusive for many decades. My focus will be on the constituents of the 85th District, not the Special Interest(s). As a strong advocate for fair, open, and transparent government, I pledge to serve a maximum of 8 full years. I will pay 50% of my own Health Insurance. Lastly, I will serve in Harrisburg as your Public Servant and NOT as your Master.
Additionally, I am Pro-Life, Pro-Second Amendment, and the son of a World War II Veteran of the US Navy. During my service, my work ethic will be second to none in order to protect our values and tax dollars from Government overreach.”
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