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McCracken believes track record as Clearfield County Commissioner would serve him well if elected to Congress
By KYLE MILLIRON
Era Reporter
kylem@bradfordera.com
Mark McCracken’s campaign for Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District seat is based on fiscal responsibility, and he says his track record as a Clearfield County Commissioner will help him curb wasteful spending in Washington.
The Democratic candidate from Clearfield County stepped into the commissioner role in 2004, with only a fund balance, money in the bank, of $600,000, he said. Over the four years, he spent as commissioner, he increased that fund balance to $6.5 million, McCracken said.
“The county just needed to tighten its belt,” he said. “We evaluated some of the programs and procedures and found where we could save some money.”
By changing the county’s health care coverage, McCracken was able to recoup some of the premiums, any unclaimed premiums were paid back to the county rather than be profit for insurance companies.
In addition to his plans to reign in federal overspending, McCracken also said that as the 5th District’s representative he will make sure this area doesn’t miss the alternative energy boom as a way to combat the faltering economy.
“In Clearfield County, we’ve done some very unique things in terms of economic development, taking advantage of the alternative fuel industry,” McCracken said of his experience.
Clearfield County recently broke ground on a $279 million ethanol plant that McCracken said can bring as many as 150 jobs to the county. The Democratic candidate said that kind of economic development should be embraced by all the counties in the 5th District.
McCracken attributes the improvement in economic development and decrease in wasteful spending in Clearfield County during his time as commissioner to an overall change in attitude in how the county operates. A trait he said he would also bring to Washington if elected as the district’s representative.
McCracken said the Iraq war plays a large role in the America’s sputtering economy, and he supports a swift withdrawal of American troops.
“Look at the cost of the Iraq war; it’s 10 to 12 billion dollars a month,” he said. “If we pull out of the region, that frees money up for infrastructure upgrades to our roads and bridges.”
But getting money for rural areas has been a battle for many years. McCracken said his ability to work in a bipartisan manner will give him an advantage when it comes to procuring funds.
“When I get to Congress I will develop relationships with congressman from other rural areas, those with similar concerns,” he said. “It will be a strength in numbers type thing.”
And, to McCracken it doesn’t matter what affiliation, Democrat or Republican, other congressman may be. To him making progress is the only goal.
“As a member of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, I had to work with many other commissioners and there we didn’t see Republican or Democrat, we only saw commissioners,” he said of his bipartisan experience.
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