In a letter emailed to supporters earlier today former State Representative Tom Houghton declared he intends to seek the 9th District State Senate seat next year, a seat currently held by Senate President Dominic Pileggi.
Houghton, a Democrat, was elected in 2008 to fill the state house seat vacated by veteran legislator Art Hershey's retirement, a seat Houghton subsequently lost in 2010.
During his two years as a member of Pennsylvania's House, Houghton built a solid reputation for bipartisan efforts in Harrisburg and made many friends across the Octorara School District's 7 municipalities for his efforts to alleviate Octorara's ever escalating property tax burden.
By partnering real estate developers and business owners with local municipal and school district officials, Houghton laid the groundwork for Parkesburg's LERTA program and commercial development district wide.
Even uber-conservative and tireless champion of Octorara's tax payers, Octorara School Director Bob Hume, had a 'Reelect Houghton' sign in his front yard on First Avenue in the Fall of 2010 supporting Houghton's reelection, the only time in anyone's recent memory Hume had openly supported of a Democrat.
Houghton's entry into the 9th District Senate race signals an aggressive, spirited, yet hopefully gentlemanly contest pitting the most powerful man in Pennsylvania's Senate against a tireless campaigner and knowledgeable champion of the US and State Constitution in Houghton.
The letter Houghton sent this afternoon is below.
Dear Supporter,
I wanted to send you this email so you are one of the first to know my plans for the future. After taking the last few months to think it over, discussing it with my family, friends, and campaign team, I have begun planning my campaign for State Senate in the 9th District for the 2012 Election.
During my 9 years as an elected official, starting in 2002 as a township supervisor in London Grove and then as a State Representative, I did my best to improve the quality of life for Southeastern Pennsylvanians. I worked with members of both parties to reduce school property taxes, to make college more affordable for our children, and to preserve our farmland and open space while revitalizing our urban centers. These are the issues I’ve fought for my entire career, and with Republican leadership prepared to cut 1.5 billion in education funding, forcing school property taxes to skyrocket, they are what I plan on fighting for in the PA Senate.
The reason I’ve already started working towards 2012 now is because I know to be a credible candidate for this seat I will have to raise a significant amount of money in 2011 to be able to enter 2012 with enough funds to run a strong campaign.
The residents of the 9th Senatorial District are well aware that we need a State Senator to be focused on jobs, smart growth policies and property tax reform - the three biggest issues facing the district. Our current leadership in the State Senate has neglected those issues. I promise to be a fighter every day and give the people of the 9th district the leadership we need for the future of our great commonwealth!
I have no doubts that this will be a challenging campaign, but I know with your support, we will win in 2012.
Thank you,
Tom
Here is the formal press release
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