Economy at forefront in 9th Congressional District race

By KATHY MELLOTT
The Tribune-Democrat

April 12, 2008 10:49 pm

— Seeking his fourth full term to Congress, U. S. Rep Bill Shuster is running unopposed in the primary election for the Republican nod on the November ballot.
Unopposed for the Democratic nod is Tony Barr, who ran unsuccessfully against Shuster in the general election two years ago.
The two 9th Congressional candidates think the economy is foremost in the minds of most Americans. The differences are in the best way to remedy the problem.
Shuster, 47, of Hollidaysburg, says as the former owner and operator of a small business before his 2001 election filling the seat vacated by his father Bud Shuster, he has a perspective may others do not.
Keeping the federal tax cuts in place is essential to getting the economy back on track but it must be coupled with roadblocks to what he thinks will be a democratic push to eliminate the cuts and levy further tax increases.
“What’s foremost on everybody’s mind is the state of the economy,” he said. “The economy has been good for the past five or six years and now we’re seeing the economy is fragile and maybe headed for a recession. Now is not the time to raise taxes.”
If all of the existing tax breaks in place are allowed to expire, the result could mean an additional $3,000 annually out of the pockets of the average Pennsylvania family, he said.
Shuster, a Bedford County native, is married and the father of two children.
Barr, 39, of Blue Knob, is a native of Chicago who has lived in the region for 11 years.
He is a learning support teacher in the Everett Area School District working with special needs children.
Barr thinks more should be done to stem the tide of job loss in the region.
“We’re losing so many jobs and we’re losing so many people because there are no jobs,” Barr said. “As a region we’re dying.”
Efforts are needed to improve the infrastructure in the region and tax breaks should end for companies who send jobs overseas, he said.
Barr said his chances of beating Shuster in November are good especially in light of his showing two years ago when he captured 40 percent of the vote.
“We did a lot better than anyone thought we would, we just need to attract another 10 percent,”
The 9th District covers much of northern Cambria County and all parts of Somerset County south of Route 30, along with all or parts of a dozen other counties.