Township official seeks 130th House District seat

Richard L. Gokey believes he has the right combination of business and political experience to represent the people of the 130th House District in the Pennsylvania Legislature.

His 21 years of running his own general contracting business, R.L. Gokey in Douglassville, and six years of serving as an Amity Township supervisor gives him the right insight for working in Harrisburg, Gokey says.

"For too long, our Legislature has not listened to will of the citizens of Pennsylvania," Gokey said. "Overwhelmingly, our citizens have demanded property taxes be eliminated as the means to fund public education."

Gokey is one of three Republicans seeking their party's nomination in the April 22 primary election to run against state Rep. David Kessler, a Democrat who won the 130th District seat in 2006.

The seat had been held by Republican state Rep. Dennis Leh for 20 years.

Although he favors eliminating school property taxes, Gokey said the state must not shirk its responsibility "to give all our children a quality education regardless of which school district they reside."

The Legislature must find alternative funding sources, Gokey said.

"We must find a more equitable means of funding public education, possibly through a graduate income tax or a combination of taxes other than the property tax," Gokey said.

In addition to property tax reform, Gokey said the state must do more to promote economic growth.

"I'm an advocate of business growth and I have worked hard to transform Amity Township from a municipality known to be anti-growth to one that is business friendly," Gokey said. "Through economic development, we create more local employment, which will positively affect all of our residents."

Gokey was recently elected chairman of the five-member Amity Board of Supervisors. He previously served four years on the township planning commission. He is also a member of the Amity, Union and Birdsboro Economic Development Advisory Council.

A resident of the 130th House District for 22 years, Gokey has lived in Amity for the past 14 years.

Gokey said he can bring his experience as a municipal official to bear in Harrisburg.

"Amity Township has the lowest tax rate of any community with a full-time police force in the 130th District," Gokey said.

Gokey and his wife, Sherry, an elementary school teacher, have four daughters, two of whom are students in the Daniel Boone School District.

He attended two years of college, served a five-year plumbing apprenticeship, and has 35 years of experience in the construction industry.

The 130th House District includes the townships of Amity, Colebrookdale, Douglass, Earl, parts of Exeter, Oley, Pike, Rockland, Ruscombmanor and Union and the boroughs of Birdsboro, Boyertown and Fleetwood.

For more information, visit Gokey’s campaign Web site at http://www.gokeyforpa.com