John George

Criminal Justice / Public Safety

Our local and state police forces are necessary for ensuring safe communities. I support investing in our police to make sure they are properly compensated, have access to training in de-escalation techniques, recognizing mental health and other disabilities, and bias-based policing. Advancing policies that promote trust between community and law enforcement is also vital. Learn more

Economy

Lititz, Manheim, and Ephrata are home to many small, independent businesses, and farms run by people – not by boards or stockholders. These businesses and farms make our neighborhoods healthy and they create the character of our communities. I support fewer government regulations and commonsense tax policies that will help small businesses and farms flourish and expand. I also support assistance for farms to promote farm production, conservation, and climate smart agricultural practices. Learn more

Education

An efficient and thorough public education system is the bedrock of a community; great communities like Lititz, Manheim, and Ephrata have great schools. Unfortunately, there are communities in our Commonwealth where that is not the case. The Commonwealth Court has declared that the manner in which state government funds our public schools is unconstitutional. I will work to ensure our public schools are adequately, appropriately, and equitably funded. Learn more

I will protect public education from those who seek to siphon public tax dollars away from public schools in order to redirect funds to for-profit and other private enterprises. It is imperative and fiscally responsible to change the current cyber charter formula which removes millions of tax payer dollars from our community, significantly driving up property taxes. I oppose taxpayer-funded vouchers, scholarships, and other vehicles for shifting public dollars to private organizations; they are simply gimmicks to use taxpayer dollars to finance special interest groups and political donors. Learn more

Private schools, charter schools, and home schools are part of a thorough system of education. I will work to ensure that these options continue to exist, adhere to quality standards, and those that receive public funding are proper stewards of public tax dollars and operate with transparency. I support parents’ right to choose the best educational path for their children. Learn more

Government Reform

Maintaining citizen’s trust in the government’s fiscal management practices is crucial to effective democracy. This can be achieved by ensuring that public funds are used judiciously. It is essential to advance policies that promote transparency, disclosure, and accessibility of information to the public. This principle should apply to the financing of political campaigns as well. It is vital to implement greater accountability measures to ensure that the public is fully aware of the source of funding for elected officials. Learn more

Guns

I will always support the right of law-abiding citizens to own guns, however, as a society built on individual liberties, we have long accepted reasonable restrictions on the 1st Amendment when such restrictions are designed to protect the general safety of the public. It would seem that we should have a public conversation about reasonable restrictions on the 2nd Amendment. Such restrictions, designed to protect the safety of the general public, may include expanding the use of background checks, and the banning of bump stocks, ghost guns, and 3D guns. Learn more

Healthcare

There is a crisis of inaction in our Commonwealth. Teen and adult suicide rates are at an all-time high. I support investing in preventative and treatment services to address mental health. It is the right thing to do; it leads to safer communities; it leads to better physical health outcomes; it creates stronger families; and it increases economic productivity. Healthy workforces are essential for maintaining economic competitiveness. Learn more

Taxes / Budget

Our community deserves great schools without the burden of high property taxes. The current system is unjust to many residents, particularly our senior citizens. The Pennsylvania Constitution mandates that the state is responsible for education, yet local communities are forced to bear the brunt of the costs. This is because the state legislature has failed to fulfill its obligation. By stopping the flow of local tax dollars from public schools to private enterprises, we can reduce property taxes without sacrificing the quality of our schools. As your legislator, I will fight to ensure that state government honor its constitutional mandate and prioritize education for all Pennsylvanians. Learn more

Wages / Job Benefits

I believe in empowering women to lead, to achieve, to thrive in every aspect of life. My goal is to create a future where no woman is held back by outdated norms or unfair practices. As your legislator, I will work to ensure that every woman is respected, valued, and can obtain the financial and employment opportunities she deserves. Learn more

I will work to remove burdensome and unnecessary state regulations from our schools and subsequently increase local decision-making. We need to return more education decisions to practitioners rather than elected officials. I will also protect the rights of local school boards and teachers to bargain wages and working conditions that satisfy all parties. Learn more