FriendsofMikeTurzai

POBox721
Wexford,PA15090

FromtheDeskof
SpeakerTurzai

Dear

ThankyouforyourcommitmenttotheRepublicanPartyandtothecitizensofPennsylvania.It
wasahistoricyearforourpartyinPennsylvania.Wedeliveredinthecontestforpresident,we
reelectedU.S.SenatorPatToomey,andweincreasedourmajorityintheStateHousefrom119
to121Republicansa39seatmajorityovertheDemocrats.

Forthepast20years,IvehadthejoyofbeinginvolvedinRepublicanpolitics.Itsgivenmea
chancetoknowyouandothercommitteemembers,andtounderstandandappreciatethe
yeomansworkourRepublicanStateCommitteemembersprovide.

ImwritingtodaybecauseImseriouslyconsideringarunforGovernorofPennsylvania.Ihope
tomakemyformalannouncementinthesummerorearlyfall.Becauseofyourimportantservice
toourpartyandthevitalroleyouplayinshapingourstate,Iwantedtoletyouknow.

BeforeIlayoutalittlebitaboutwhyIamconsideringthisrace,Ithinkitisworthremembering
howweattainedthelargemajoritywenowenjoyinthePennsylvaniaHouse.

In2006,welostthemajorityafterthepayraise.ThoseweretoughtimestobeaRepublican.
Comingoutofthatelection,mycolleagueshonoredmewiththepostofMinorityPolicyChairof
theRepublicancaucus.Atthesametime,ItookoveraHouseRepublicanCampaignCommittee
thatwasmorethanamilliondollarsindebt.

Thepathbacktoamajorityin2010wasnoteasy.Weoutlinedavision,recruitedgreat
candidates,andamassedtheresourcesneededtowin.AsRepublicans,weranonanagendaof
fiscalresponsibility,reduceddebt,andcreatinganenvironmentinwhichprivatesectorjob
growthcouldflourish.

Republicanshaveheldthatmajoritysince2010,growingitfrom111membersto121.Evenas
thenGov.TomCorbettwaslosingby10percentagepoints,theRepublicanspickedupeight
seatsinthehousewithoutlosingasingleincumbentmember.

Butitisnotenoughtosimplyhaveamajority.Weneededtoputthatmajoritytoworktokeep
thepromiseswehadmadetoallPennsylvanians.AsMajorityLeader,ImadesuretheGOPhit
thegroundrunning,withaprogrowthandprojobsagendathatdeliveredbalanced,ontime
budgetsthatreflectedoursharedvalues.

Infact,thefirstbillsignedintolawwhenIbecamemajorityleaderwastoprotectprivate
propertyrightsfromanewmandateimposedbyunelectedbureaucratstorequirethatsprinklers
beinstalledinnewhomeconstruction.Werepealedit.Estimatesatthetimewerethatthe
mandatewouldadd$10,000tothecostofhomeconstruction.

Hereareafewhighlightsofourachievements:

Weenactedfourstraight,ontimebudgetswithouttaxincreases,andthatroseless
thantherateofinflation.Wemanagedthisfeatdespitea$4billiondeficitinheritedfrom
theDemocraticRendelladministration,whichbloatedspendingwithonetimeonly
federalstimulusdollarsthatleftagapingholeinseveralimportantareas;

Weenactedlegalliabilityreform,anagendaitemsoughtforyearsbyemployers
alloverPennsylvania,includingthePAChamberofBusinessandIndustry;

IntheHouse,wereducedthedebtlimitby$600million,afterRendellincreasedit
fivetimesineightyearsforatotalofmorethan$2billion;

Weenactedlegislationthatfostereddevelopmentofournaturalgassector,a
movethatturnedPennsylvaniaintoanenergyexportingstateforthefirsttimesincethe
19thcentury.Thesedividendsarestillpayingoffwiththeimminentconstructionofthe
ShellpetrochemicalplantinBeaverCounty.Shellwillbringthousandsoffamily
sustainingjobsinconstructingthefacility,tosaynothingoftheyetuncountedpermanent
jobsattheplantandattheothersboundtospringuparoundit;

Weincreasedfundingonpubliceducationwhilealsoenactingmeaningfulschool
choicebyexpandingtheEducationalImprovementTaxCreditprogram,creatingthe
OpportunityScholarshipTaxCreditProgramandrequiringPhiladelphiatocreatea
formalapplicationandappealprocessforcharterschools.Thisresultedinthirteennew
qualitycharterschoolsservicingmorethan7,500additionalstudents;

WerespondedtotheGosnelltragediesbypassingthefirstmeaningfulprolife
legislationsincetheAbortionControlAct,amovethatprotectsnotonlytheunborn,but
alsowomen.Today,anabortionfacilitymustbesubjecttothesameregulatoryoversight
governinghospitalsandbirthingcenters;numerouscentershaveclosed,andweoptedout
ofcoverageforabortionsunderObamacare;

WephasedoutthejobkillingCapitalStockandFranchiseTaxoneofthemost
complexandonerousbusinesstaxesofanystate.Wealsochangedhowweenforced

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 corporateincometaxes,sowewerenolongerpenalizingPennsylvaniaemployersfor
expandingpayrollorbuildingfacilitiesinourhomestate.Thesewereitemsthatwere
stronglysupportedbyemployersacrossPennsylvania,andourcontinuedlow
unemploymentprovesitsworth;

WeenactedWelfarereformthatrequireddrugtestingforcertainwelfare
recipientswithpriorconvictions.Wealsoeliminatedcashassistanceaspartofthe
Welfareprogram,andendedaprogramknownasspecialallowancesthatgavewelfare
recipientsmoneywithlittleaccountability.

WealsohavestrengthenedtheSecondAmendmentrightsofPennsylvania
familiesandhomeownersbypassingtheCastleDoctrinelegislationthatallowslawful
citizenstodefendthemselves.Asamajority,wehaveheldoffalllegislativeattackedon
theSecondAmendment.

WhenGovernorWolfcameintoofficeheproposedmassivetaxhikes.Infact,itwashardtofind
aWolfprogramthatdidnotincludesomeformofmassivetaxincrease.

IwasproudtoleadtheefforttodefeatthelargestsalesandincometaxhikeinPennsylvania
history.Itwasnoteasy.EvensomewithinourownpartywantedtogiveintotheGovernor.

Hisproposalwasa$13billionincreaseintaxesacrosstheboard.Somebodyhadtostophim.We
senthimbalancedbudgetsinJune,September,andDecember.Hevetoedtheminfullorinpart.

Butwestoodstrong.WeowedittoourcitizenstostandbyRepublicanvalues.

ThefinalbudgetthatWolfallowedtolapseintolawinMarchof2016spentlessthanthebudget
hevetoedinJuneof2015,andincludednotaxincreases.

WolfblinkedandIwasproudtoleadthecharge.

Someonoursidewerewillingtocave,butmanyofusstoodstrong.Wewon.Tothisday,
GovernorWolfhasbeensidelinedbyourinitialbudgetvictory.

Anditwasntjustbudgets.GovernorWolfvetoedfullliquorprivatizationandmajorpension
reformthatweputonhisdeskinJuneof2015.Weboxedhiminforwineintheprivatesector.
Wekeptspendingincheckdespitesignificantincreasesincontributionstopublicsector
pensions.Still,Gov.Wolfrefusestofacetheneedforoverallpensionreformandashifttoa
definedcontributionsystemfornewpublicemployees.

Iamcommittedtoourpartyanditscontinuedsuccess.Inthepastdecade,Ihaveraisedmore
than$5millionforourcandidates.Thisfundraisinghashelpedustofirsttakebackthemajority,
andthengrowitintothebulwarkthatnowstandsbetweenourcitizensandtheWolftax
increases.Ivehadtheopportunitytobeinall67countiestorecruitingoutstandingcandidatesto

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winseatslongheldbyDemocrats.

IvesupportedRepublicancandidatesfromPhiladelphiatoErieCounty.Wevetakenseatsin
countiesthathadnevertraditionallyelectedRepublicans,likeCarbon,Beaver,Lackawanna,
Luzerne,Westmoreland,Northampton,Fayette,andevenintheCityofPhiladelphia.Yetweve
maintainedoutstandingrepresentationinswingareasinthesuburbsofPhiladelphiaand
Pittsburgh.

Why?Becausewehavebeenunwaveringinholdingthelineonbroadbasedtaxesandspending,
andmakingsureweweredeliveringlegislationtogrowtheeconomyandtopromotelong
standingvalues.

Unlikeothers,IhavebeencarryingtheRepublicanagendaformorethanadecade.Idontneed
focusgroupstotellmewheremyprinciplesare.AndImnottryingtobuythiselectionwithmy
ownmoney.Ihaveahistoryofwinning,notjustelections,butimportantpolicybattles.
Ultimately,resultsarewhatmatterandweneedaGovernorfocusedonresults.

OverthenextfewmonthsasItravelacrossPennsylvania,Ilookforwardtocatchingupwith
you.IfthereisanythingIcandoforyoupleasecontactmeat.

IlookforwardtoworkingtogetherinthemonthstocometomovePennsylvaniainabetter
direction.

Sincerely,

MikeTurzai