News

March 31st, 2008
Congressional Candidate Walker Feels Country's Tax and Energy Policy Must be Reformed if Americans Hope to See Better Days
By KYLE MILLIRON Era Reporter

Walker, a financial advisor from Clearfield, seeks to represent the district in the U.S. House of Representatives, a task he feels he is well suited for.

"I think the people of Bradford can relate to a Clearfield guy," Walker said. "All of our towns are in the same boat. The only thing that separates us is the natural resources each town has been blessed with. Clearfield was blessed with coal, Kane with timber and Bradford with oil."

Walker believes these natural gifts will make the district a future energy hub in the U.S, but first we must stop squandering our tie and resources, Walker said.

"The government is throwing billions of dollars at an alternative fuel like corn-based ethanol," Walker said of government alternative energy programs. "If we used every available corn crop in the entire U.S. and used it to produce ethanol, we would only displace 3.5 percent of our gasoline usage. That's not effective energy policy."

Walker believes the free market will take care of our energy needs. Right now what we need to do, Walker said, is utilize current reserves, many of which can be found in Pennsylvania.

"We have a 300-year supply of coal right underneath the Fifth District," Walker said. "In the Allegheny National Forest, we produce three times more board feet of timber than we harvest each year. We must start taking advantage of the resources we do have, so we can take care of Americans first."

Walker feels taking care of Americans includes not only energy reformation but a revision to U.S. tax policy in order to create a business-friendly environment within the country.

"The U.S. is one of the most expensive places to start a business," Walker said of current U.S. tax policy. "We need to create some incentive to invest in plant, property, and equipment here in the U.S. I will propose an investment tax credit that will do exactly that, give tax credit to anyone that invests in U.S.-based business."

But that's not the only part of the tax code Walker wants to reform. He also proposes an educational tax credit to anyone pursuing employment in a field where there is a shortage.

"For example, if there is a shortage in a certain field then anyone being educated in that field will receive a tax credit based on the cost of their education," Walker explained. "If people know they can defer some of the cost of education through taxes then they would more likely go into those fields. We need to make workforce development tax deductible"

In addition to domestic reform, Walker also mentioned his Iraq foreign policy.

"The cost of losing is far greater than the cost of winning," Walker said of the war in Iraq. "This is different from previous wars in which enemies were easily identifiable. Now enemies can be any shape or size. We must begin to listen to the ground commanders. I also think it should be required that all representatives go over to Iraq to get a true feel for what is happening over there."

"The cost of losing is far greater than the cost of winning," Walker said of the war in Iraq. "This is different from previous wars in which enemies were easily identifiable. Now enemies can be any shape or size. We must begin to listen to the ground commanders. I also think it should be required that all representatives go over to Iraq to get a true feel for what is happening over there."