One day to go. Here’s what’s happening on the ground.

First, our grassroots volunteers have been working tirelessly in key, targeted precincts, dozens of new “End School Property Tax” signs are covering the district, and our mail and radio campaign is in the air! Thanks to everyone who is helping this campaign in the homestretch. I can’t thank you enough.

Second, we’ve seen a definite shift in momentum over the past few days. Evidence from email, phone, and street traffic points to the tightest possible race here in the 125th. Our message is getting through, and with your help, we’re heading toward a major upset on Tuesday.

Third, my speech at the McCain mega-rally in Pottsville, combined with my opponent’s widely circulated comments comparing the job of state representative to social work have given us an unprecedented opportunity to show the real differences between me and Tim Seip. Voters are now beginning to understand the real choice we’re offer on November 4.

With the momentum in our direction, I still need your help in the closing minutes of the campaign.

Would you work a poll for me tomorrow? Our organization has a few, key slots open for Election Day if you’re able to help. I’m convinced we’re on the road to winning. Executing our plan tomorrow is critical!

If you can help, please call us immediately at 556-7752 or by email at Action@GaryHornberger.com.

Thanks in advance for your prayers for me and my family as we enter the closing minutes of this campaign.

With deep gratitude,

“Good Evening, I’m Gary Hornberger. My wife Kathy I and raise our kids just down the road in Hegins – the place where I grew up. I’m running for State Representative because I’m convinced most politicians in Harrisburg have no idea about the values and goals of people like you and me.

Election year after election year, most of these guys have been treating our friends ‘Joe the Plumber’ and ‘Joe Six Pack’ and ‘Joe Lunch Bucket’ as great punchlines for blue-collar political speeches, but big punching bags at tax time.

That’s why Kathy and I work four jobs between us to keep food on the table and pay for the kid’s school clothes. And why in 2008, everyone in this room and around the state works from January 1st to April 21st just to pay federal, state and local taxes. April 22 is the first day we work for ourselves! Can you believe it?

But it’s not just taxes, friends.

Too many of the people we’ve sent to the State Capitol have abused the public trust with perks and pay four times greater than most household incomes – add to that free cars, free gas, free lifetime healthcare and pensions better than almost every ‘real world’ retirement plan.

My opponent Tim Seip campaigned two years ago against this lifestyle, but signed up for every one of the perks the day he was sworn into office.

This year, the Attorney General lifted the lid on a culture of corruption in the Democrat Caucus revealing a ‘cash for campaign work’ scheme that rewarded government employees hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal bonuses to help the Democrats win legislative seats like this one in 2006.

My opponent Tim Seip continues to stand up and support the Democratic leaders who presided over this gross abuse of the public trust. He will not take a stand, and the people of the district deserve better.

This year, Republicans in Harrisburg led the charge to repeal Ed Rendell’s 10% tax hike on workers – a rollback that experts say would create 27,000 new jobs.

My opponent Tim Seip opposed the repeal, the tax rollback never happened, and Governor Rendell rewarded him with a $10,000 campaign check – signed, sealed, delivered just in time for this election.

Friends, too many good Democrats in rural Pennsylvania campaign as ‘true-blue conservatives’ – ‘yellow dog Democrats’ – but when you look at the record on raising taxes on working families, shoveling out millions and millions in wasteful, unaccountable spending, or taking on the corrupt leaders of their own party, friends, these election-year conservatives like Tim Seip vote right along with Philadelphia’s blue-state liberals.

Don’t you think it’s time for someone in the State House who cares more about the bottom line for the waitress at Cracker Barrel than cutting another backroom deal for a pork-barrel project?

Don’t you think it’s time to have a state lawmaker who will stand up for the right-to-life and traditional marriage on the floor of the State House, not just when they’re standing in the front lawn at your house, asking for your vote?

Friends, I’m Gary Hornberger.

I’m in a David versus Goliath fight for the State House of Representatives.

Eliminating and replacing school property taxes is the biggest reason I’m in this fight – to get the Rohrer-Argall plan off the table and on the governor’s desk for a signature.

To accept nothing less than real tax reform.

No more $100 rebate checks. No more ’slots for tots’ gambling schemes. No more excuses.

That’s the biggest reason I’m in this fight – but I cannot do it without you.

Oh, and there are two more important differences between Mr. Seip and I. He’s campaigning and voting for Barack Obama and Joe Biden. I’m standing with you to win Pennsylvania for John McCain and Sarah Palin!

God Bless You!”

We are just 38 days away from November 4th and our most recent polling data confirms that we are with in striking distance to take back the 125th! After knocking on over 5,000 doors and talking directly to voters, it’s clear to me that we still need reform in Harrisburg.

Here’s what I mean. In 2006, Tim Seip went to Harrisburg on a mandate of reform. But just two years later we’ve seen little to no movement on the very issue he was elected to champion.

Here are the startling facts about my opponent’s disappointing record of no-reform:

• Tim Seip is one of the few, remaining lawmakers who accept a taxpayer-funded car lease and insurance plan.
• This year alone, Tim Seip spent over $100,000 in taxpayer-funded newsletters and TV commercials. The commercials only aired in legislative districts considered “competitive” by House Democrats.
• Tim Seip continues to endorse the re-election of Majority Leader Bill DeWeese, despite persistent calls by reform-Democrats to replace him following the Payraise and Bonusgate scandals.

Friends, I’m in this race to give working people like me a conscientious, conservative voice in the State Capitol. I think it is time we on the reforms they promised just two years ago. It’s for the political courage and will to end to school property taxes. It’s time we stand up to mayors in Philadelphia and Pottsville who wage repeated campaigns against 2nd Amendment Freedoms. It’s time to stand up to House and Senate leaders who give nothing more than lip service to real reform. We can win the race, but I need your help! With Election Day just days away, would you consider an emergency contribution to our campaign of $150, $100, 50, or even $25? This money will help get our message out.
The time is now – will you join me?

With gratitude,

Gary Hornberger
Citizen for State Representative

P.S. Thanks in advance for your timely, critical help. With Election Day just days away, will you stand up for reform and 2nd amendment rights with an emergency contribution to our campaign of $150, $100, 50, or even $25?

Front Porch Rally

Saturday, October 11th, 10:30am
Angie Onufer’s Porch
22 Jack & Jill Dr
Schuylkill Haven, PA
Light Refreshments will be served.

NO RSVP is required.

Think about it. Tim sent election year newsletters that cost us nearly $15,000 a piece to print and mail - Then spends another estimated $40-50,000 to produce and air months of commercials about green energy. Real money!

Look, I’ve won plenty of elections, and I’ve lost one too. But I believe elections should be fair. That means incumbents and challengers should ask before spending our money.

You see, instead of changing Harrisburg, Harrisburg is changing the values of too many politicians.

For more information listen to my capitol minute that aired on radio stations this week.

Hornberger is calling on Seip to fully disclose the cost of TV spots aired since the primary. “I think it’s reasonable for the public to know how much he’s authorized in taxpayer-funded mass media buys since the May primary,” said Hornberger.

Hornberger is basing his challenge on the following reasons:

• The TV commercials were produced and aired with 100% taxpayer funding, but no disclaimer was provided.
• The TV commercial messages mirror the candidate’s political messaging in campaign material. This clearly constitutes the use of tax dollars to supplement campaign spending.
• It was clearly noticeable the TV commercials airing after the May primary had a larger media footprint. Citizens of the 125th saw an increased rotation and more ads aired before the 60days deadline. The TV commercials are meant to reinforce political messages; they are not a legitimate, legislative communication tool.
• The commercials were not offered to every member of the Democratic Caucus, only members in seats “targeted” by the House Democratic Campaign Committee. The PSA strategy was devised by Republican and Democratic caucuses to bolster the name identification of vulnerable incumbents.
• Leading statewide newspapers and a growing number of state legislators have called for a total ban on taxpayer-funded commercials.

“The bottom line is that Tim Seip set the standard in his campaign in 2006. He stood with those of us in the reform movement who were calling for an end to the abuse of public money - specifically using tax dollars for campaign messaging,” said Hornberger. He continued, “A few years ago you might have been able to use the ‘everybody does it’ excuse, but ‘everyone’ is no longer abusing tax dollars to supplement campaign fundraising and spending. Mr. Seip and a shrinking band of Republicans and Democrats are the last ones standing.”

Well, I’m not bitter - but I am glad we’re grounded in our faith and committed to protecting constitutional freedoms like the right to keep and bear arms.

That’s why I’m announcing the return on the Hegins Pigeon Shoot (clay pigeons that is!) on Saturday, September 20 - as a fundraiser for my campaign.

Registration is at 11:30am followed by lunch and a great afternoon of shooting from 1-4pm. All the fun is at the Hegins Trap Club in Hegins. We’ve kept the prices low - $40 per person / $50 per family. RAIN-OR-SHINE

Reserve your space by calling me at 570.556.7753 or emailing me at gary@garyhornberger.com.

Tell Barack, Ed Rendell and the anti-gun crowd we’re not bitter, but we’re not ready to give up our freedom. Bring your gun or just come for lunch on Saturday, September 20 in Hegins. We’ll provide the ammo!

With Gratitude,

P.S. We need volunteers for the last 72 hours before November 4th. Would you please consider signing up today? Thanks so much!

The enthusiasm for Republican presidential campaign was running high, as requests for bumper stickers and yard signs came from Republicans and Democrats alike. We actually ran out of bumper stickers early in the evening.

As I talked with voters, most wanted to know when was the state going to stop talking about eliminating the school property tax and actually do it. I met only one individual who thought we should leave property taxes in place.

As I talk with voters, it’s clear that many are feeling the burden of heavy local and state taxes. Their expressions of concern were recently validated by the latest Tax Foundation study which said Pennsylvanians have the eleventh most burdensome tax climate in the U.S. In fact, our current tax burden is the worst its been in the last 30 years! Governor Rendell’s tax, borrow, and spend policies, supported wholeheartedly by my opponent, insure that this burden will only get heavier in the near future. And it is for that reason, I love to tell people of my support for measures that cap the growth on spending and taxes.

We had a great time at last night’s Republican Unity Picnic at the Second Mountain Rod and Gun Club. Over 70 supporters joined me, Representative Dave Argall, Commissioner Staudenmeier(R-Schuylkill), and Commissioner Leinbach(R-Berks) for good music and good—plenty of GOP unity!

One piece of information that leaked out during the speeches – The Chairwomen of the the State Government Committee, Rep Babette Josephs(D-Philadelphia), refuses to vote on at least 7 reform bills. Included in this list of bills – Senator Eichelberger’s bonus ban legislation. That’s why my race is so important. We need to gain the majority and make these necessary reforms the Democrats continue to sabotage.

Let me be honest, this event could not have happened sooner. With just under 90 days left till the November Election it’s going to take a combined, focused effort to win, but I know that we can do it. I hope you will take the time to tell 3 or 4 friends about my campaign. If they have questions you can’t answer, have them call me directly at 570-556-7752.

Onward to Victory,