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April 20, 2012

Welch Challenges Smith to Prove What’s False in Attacks

Steve Welch issues a challenge to Tom Smith: ‘Your new ad states the attacks on you are false, prove it’

PAOLI, PA — Today, Steve Welch issues a challenge to Tom Smith: What specifically is false about the attacks against you?

In Smith’s newest attack ad that specifically targets Welch, at the ad’s opening it blatantly states that the attacks against Tom Smith are false.

Ironically, Tom Smith is plain wrong and he is just trying to hide his liberal record. All of the questions raised about Tom Smith’s past are factual and grounded in public records — from meeting minutes, to voter registration information to votes cast in past Democratic primaries, to maximum contributions given to liberal candidates — each major point in Tom Smith’s Democratic past is completely accurate.

• 42-year registration as a Democrat (Pennsylvania Department of State Voter Records)
• Voted in 19 Democratic Primaries (Pennsylvania Department of State Voting Records)
• Raised or maintained taxes 9 times as Plumcreek Township Supervisor (Plumcreek Township Minutes)
• Donated $2,400 to Congressman Jason Altmire (Federal Elections Commission Donation Records)
• Elected as Armstrong County Democratic Committeeman in 2010 (Indiana Gazette 9/29/11)

Tom’s newest attacks against Steve are just further proof that he is hiding from his tax increasing liberal past.

To ensure voters know the truth about Smith’s 42-year allegiance to the Democratic Party, Steve Welch challenges Tom to specifically state what exactly about his Democratic past is false.

“I am challenging Tom Smith to explain how these revelations about his long Democratic past are false,” Welch said. “Public records prove that Tom Smith has been a lifelong Democrat who’s raised taxes and given maximum donations to liberals like Jason Altmire. What’s false about that record Tom?”

About Steve

The son of an engineer and teacher, Steve Welch grew up in Chester County, Pennsylvania and attended Penn State University where he earned a Mechanical Engineering degree.  Steve, his wife Nicole, and their three young children live in Chester County.  Steve started his first major business enterprise, Mitos, in 2001 with hardly a cent to his name.  Under Steve’s guidance Mitos developed several critical patents which transformed the biological drug and vaccine industries.  The company still resides in Phoenixville, PA under Parker Hannifin guidance.  Following the sale of Mitos, Steve co-founded DreamIt Ventures, a new business accelerator model that has been featured in Forbes, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal as a new model for launching technology companies.  In just four years, DreamIt Ventures has helped launch 64 new companies.  From this experience, Steve has worked with hundreds of early stage entrepreneurs to turn their dreams into reality.  As an Eisenhower Fellow, Steve spent time in Asia and Europe studying all aspects of economic development, examining how government policy, technology, and culture impact job creation.  In 2010, Steve published We are all Born Entrepreneurs, in which he uses his story and those of over a dozen other entrepreneurs to explain what drives invention, innovation, and job creation.  In 2011, he founded the education technology company KinderTown, a business designed to help parents engage in their children’s education at an early age.

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Welch earns 27 county commissioner endorsements

County commissioner endorsements come on the heels of 35 state legislator endorsements

PAOLI, PA —Today, Republican Endorsed U.S. Senate Candidate Steve Welch announced 27 county commissioner endorsements. These endorsements come soon after 35 State Legislators endorsed Steve in his race for the U.S. Senate.

These commissioners truly know their counties best. Each commissioner works at the grassroots level, allowing them to truly understand which Senate candidate would best represent the people in their county.

Today’s endorsement of commissioners from Allegheny County to Bucks County truly demonstrates that Steve Welch has a strong network of local, grassroots supporters who know that the key to beating Sen. Bob Casey in November is selecting the right candidate who can unite and grow the party.

“I am honored to receive the endorsements of these 27 county commissioners today,” Welch said. “These commissioners know their counties best and their support represents the overwhelming grassroots support I have received in this campaign. I’m grateful for their endorsements and look forward to their help and continued support.”

A full list of commissioners is below:

County Commissioners (27)
Allegheny Councilman Vince Gasteb
Bedford County Commissioner Steven Howsare
Bedford County Commissioner Kirt Morris
Bradford County Commissioner Doug McLlinko
Bradford County Commissioner Daryl Miller
Bucks County Commissioner Rob Loughery
Bucks County Commissioner Charley Martin
Carbon County Commissioner Tom Gerhard
Cambria County Commissioner Doug Lengenfelder
Cambria County Commissioner Mark Wissinger
Chester County Commissioner Terence Farrell
Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan
Dauphin County Commissioner Jeff Haste
Dauphin County Commissioner Mike Pries
Lancaster County Commissioner Scott Martin
Lehigh County Commissioner Thomas C. Creighton
Lehigh County Commissioner Percy H. Dougherty
Lehigh County Commissioner Vic Mazzioti
Lehigh County Commissioner Brad Osborne
Lehigh County Commissioner Lisa Scheller
Lehigh County Commissioner Michael Schware
Mercer County Commissioner John Lechner
Montgomery County Commissioner Bruce Castor
Northampton County Councilwoman Peg Ferarro
Northumberland County Commissioner Rick Shoch
Snyder County Commissioner Malcolm Derk
Westmoreland County Commissioner Tyler Courtney

About Steve
The son of an engineer and teacher, Steve Welch grew up in Chester County, Pennsylvania and attended Penn State University where he earned a Mechanical Engineering degree.  Steve, his wife Nicole, and their three young children live in Chester County.  Steve started his first major business enterprise, Mitos, in 2001 with hardly a cent to his name.  Under Steve’s guidance Mitos developed several critical patents which transformed the biological drug and vaccine industries.  The company still resides in Phoenixville, PA under Parker Hannifin guidance.  Following the sale of Mitos, Steve co-foundedDreamIt Ventures, a new business accelerator model that has been featured in Forbes, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal as a new model for launching technology companies.  In just four years, DreamIt Ventures has helped launch 64 new companies.  From this experience, Steve has worked with hundreds of early stage entrepreneurs to turn their dreams into reality.  As an Eisenhower Fellow, Steve spent time in Asia and Europe studying all aspects of economic development, examining how government policy, technology, and culture impact job creation.  In 2010, Steve published We are all Born Entrepreneurs, in which he uses his story and those of over a dozen other entrepreneurs to explain what drives invention, innovation, and job creation.  In 2011, he founded the education technology company KinderTown, a business designed to help parents engage in their children’s education at an early age.
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Twitter: @welchforpa

April 17, 2012

ICYMI: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Endorses Steve Welch

Post-Gazette: “he is an excellent candidate, a smart, young, prove job-creator” 

PAOLI, PA —Tuesday, Republican Endorsed U.S. Senate Candidate, Steve Welch earned the endorsement of the second largest newspaper in Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The Post-Gazette endorsement comes on the heels of the Philadelphia Inquirer’s endorsement of Steve’s race for the U.S. Senate.

Click here to read the full endorsement or read below for the story.

The Post-Gazette wrote that Steve “is an excellent candidate, a smart, young, proven job creator. He is absolutely for keeping taxes low and cutting government spending and has orthodox party positions across the board. He also has an appealing personal story of accomplishment: He founded a medical device company at age 23 fresh out of Penn State University as a mechanical engineering graduate and is the founder of Dreamit Ventures, an incubator for new companies.”

When considering the other candidates in the race, the Post-Gazette wrote that Smith’s attacks that Welch “is a liberal because he voted for Barack Obama and Joe Sestak are beyond hypocritical.” They also wrote that Tom Smith would have trouble beating Bob Casey in the general election.

Also, most importantly in the Senate race, the Post-Gazette recognized that Steve has the best chance to beat Sen. Bob Casey in the fall: “As his party’s leadership has wisely recognized, he is the one with the cross-over appeal to give Bob Casey the best challenge in the fall.”

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Welch for the GOP: The endorsed Senate candidate is best of the bunch

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Editorial Board

April 17, 2012 12:00 am

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/opinion/editorials/welch-for-the-gop-the-endorsed-senate-candidate-is-best-of-the-bunch-631684/

While Republicans have had some of the interest drained from the Pennsylvania Primary on April 24 by the suspension of Rick Santorum’s presidential bid, they are still faced with the important task of choosing a nominee capable of winning back the U.S. Senate seat that he lost to Democrat Bob Casey in 2006.

Five GOP candidates are running for the party nomination and voters can be forgiven for being confused, especially as misleading political attack ads are rife.

Things are simple on the Democratic side of the ballot, where the well-known Sen. Casey, 51, has a token challenger in Joe Vodvarka, 68, a spring manufacturer from Robinson. Mr. Vodvarka, who promotes himself as a “non-politician,” admits to having no organization or money for a statewide campaign.

It would be inconceivable for Pennsylvania Democrats to nominate anyone but Bob Caseynext Tuesday.

For Republican voters, the five-candidate field can be summarized briefly: One has the endorsement of party officials, one is spending more than the others, one has some name recognition from service in the Legislature and two aren’t known much outside their home counties. Who is the conservative in the race? They all are, despite what the ads might suggest.

• Marc Scaringi, 41, is a Murrysville native who lives in Camp Hill, Cumberland County. He is a lawyer and he formerly worked for Mr. Santorum and former Attorney General Mike Fisher. He believes America is in a crisis and blames what he calls the borrow-and-spend, tax-and-regulate policies of President Barack Obama and Sen. Casey.

• David Christian, 62, is a highly decorated Army veteran of the Vietnam war who suffered serious battlefield wounds. On returning to the states, he worked on veterans issues for the U.S. Department of Labor and twice ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1984 and 1986. A resident of Bucks County, he has been involved in a number of business ventures and received a law degree last year.

• Sam Rohrer, 56, of Berks County, is the one candidate who had a public presence before this race, with 18 years of service in the state House of Representatives, including 14 years on the appropriations committee, and an unsuccessful campaign challenging Tom Corbett for the Republican nomination for governor. His philosophy as a self-styled champion of government restraint is very much in the mold of the tea party, which would likely prove problematic in attracting moderates in a general election.

• Tom Smith, 64, the biggest spender on ads in the race, may have the same problem because he is the founder of a regional tea party group and all his positions are right in line with that constituency. He made his fortune by operating a coal company in Armstrong County, where he lives, but until recently he was a lifelong Democrat. Although he says now he was always a conservative, his claims that the endorsed candidate is a liberal because he voted for Barack Obama and Joe Sestak are beyond hypocritical.

• Steve Welch, 35, of Chester County, who is backed by the state committee and Gov. Corbett, did indeed leave the party briefly — as a protest against the big spending of the Bush administration. When he realized that the Obama administration would do worse, he came back to the Republican fold. Heaven rejoices when one sinner repents, but in this race Republicans make attack ads about it.

Rank-and-file Republicans should be happy to have him — he is an excellent candidate, a smart, young, proven job creator. He is absolutely for keeping taxes low and cutting government spending and has orthodox party positions across the board. He also has an appealing personal story of accomplishment: He founded a medical device company at age 23 fresh out of Penn State University as a mechanical engineering graduate and is the founder of Dreamit Ventures, an incubator for new companies.

The Post-Gazette endorses Steve Welch in the Republican primary. As his party’s leadership has wisely recognized, he is the one with the cross-over appeal to give Bob Casey the best challenge in the fall.

About Steve

The son of an engineer and teacher, Steve Welch grew up in Chester County, Pennsylvania and attended Penn State University where he earned a Mechanical Engineering degree.  Steve, his wife Nicole, and their three young children live in Chester County.  Steve started his first major business enterprise, Mitos, in 2001 with hardly a cent to his name.  Under Steve’s guidance Mitos developed several critical patents which transformed the biological drug and vaccine industries.  The company still resides in Phoenixville, PA under Parker Hannifin guidance.  Following the sale of Mitos, Steve co-founded DreamIt Ventures, a new business accelerator model that has been featured in Forbes, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal as a new model for launching technology companies.  In just four years, DreamIt Ventures has helped launch 64 new companies.  From this experience, Steve has worked with hundreds of early stage entrepreneurs to turn their dreams into reality.  As an Eisenhower Fellow, Steve spent time in Asia and Europe studying all aspects of economic development, examining how government policy, technology, and culture impact job creation.  In 2010, Steve published We are all Born Entrepreneurs, in which he uses his story and those of over a dozen other entrepreneurs to explain what drives invention, innovation, and job creation.  In 2011, he founded the education technology company KinderTown, a business designed to help parents engage in their children’s education at an early age.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/welchforpa

Twitter: @welchforpa

April 13, 2012

ICYMI: Tom Smith dogged by Democratic past

Details surface about Tom Smith’s 42-year Democratic allegiance that includes raising taxes and personally bankrolling liberal candidates 

PAOLI, PA — Tom Smith who claims to be a conservative was dogged this week by revelations about his near half-century allegiance to the Democratic Party, his record of raising taxes 9 times, bankrolling liberal Congressman Jason Altmire’s 2010 campaign, and his 2010 election as Armstrong County Democratic Committeeman.

As Tom Smith parades around the state and claims to be a conservative, Republican voters deserve to know the truth about his long held allegiance to the Democratic Party.

With Smith’s long liberal history, it’s no wonder he’s trying to keep his Democratic past hidden from primary voters. Even Larry Kane, an Emmy winning journalist in Philadelphia, said that Smith “has been ducking events all across the state,” including cancelling twice on a taping for Kane’s program “Voice of Reason,”

For Larry Kane’s on-air comments click here.

To ensure voters know the full story of Smith’s Democratic past, the Welch for PA campaign has released information about his tax increases, his voting record and his election as a Democratic Committeeman in 2010.

On Tuesday, Welch for PA released a new TV ad calling Tom Smith the “Worst Republican impersonator of all time” that spotlights his record of raising taxes and bankrolling liberal candidates. The ad, which airs statewide, has received a tremendous response as thousands of Republican voters are learning the truth about Smith’s Democratic record.

To view the ad click here.

In addition to the TV spot, the campaign also unveiled a new website — www.therealtomsmith.com — that asks critical questions about Smith’s 42-year allegiance to the Democratic Party. Some of those questions include: Will Tom Smith give another maximum contribution to liberal Jason Altmire? Who did Tom Smith vote for in 2010 — Arlen Specter or Joe Sestak? Who did Tom Smith vote for President in 2000 — Bill Bradley or Lyndon LaRouhce? Why did Tom Smith raise taxes 9 times as an elected official? Why in 2010, when Republicans were working hard to elect Pat Toomey and Tom Corbett did Tom Smith get elected as a Democratic Committeeman?

Users are encouraged to share the videos questions with Tom Smith on his Facebook page and to tweet their thoughts using the #smithbus on Twitter. Click here to view the website.

“Despite Smith’s conservative rhetoric, the facts are simple and clear: Tom Smith has been a conscientious Democratic voter for nearly half a century, voted to raise taxes 9 times as an elected official and personally bankrolled liberal Congressman Jason Altmire’s 2010 election,” said Peter Towey, Welch for PA Campaign Manager. “Just like Bob Casey, Tom Smith is trying to run as someone he’s not and Republican voters need to know truth about his long held allegiance to the Democratic Party.”

About Steve

The son of an engineer and teacher, Steve Welch grew up in Chester County, Pennsylvania and attended Penn State University where he earned a Mechanical Engineering degree.  Steve, his wife Nicole, and their three young children live in Chester County.  Steve started his first major business enterprise, Mitos, in 2001 with hardly a cent to his name.  Under Steve’s guidance Mitos developed several critical patents which transformed the biological drug and vaccine industries.  The company still resides in Phoenixville, PA under Parker Hannifin guidance.  Following the sale of Mitos, Steve co-founded DreamIt Ventures, a new business accelerator model that has been featured in Forbes, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal as a new model for launching technology companies.  In just four years, DreamIt Ventures has helped launch 64 new companies.  From this experience, Steve has worked with hundreds of early stage entrepreneurs to turn their dreams into reality.  As an Eisenhower Fellow, Steve spent time in Asia and Europe studying all aspects of economic development, examining how government policy, technology, and culture impact job creation.  In 2010, Steve published We are all Born Entrepreneurs, in which he uses his story and those of over a dozen other entrepreneurs to explain what drives invention, innovation, and job creation.  In 2011, he founded the education technology company KinderTown, a business designed to help parents engage in their children’s education at an early age.

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Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/welchforpa

Twitter: @welchforpa

April 12, 2012

Steve Welch earns 33 State Legislator Endorsements

From Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati to Chester County Rep. Warren Kampf, key legislators endorse Steve Welch

PAOLI, PA — Today Republican Endorsed U.S. Senate Candidate Steve Welch earned the endorsement of 33 key State Legislators that represent every geographic area throughout the state.

Welch has earned the most State Legislator endorsements of any candidate in the Republican primary.

Some of those legislators — such as Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati and Representative Warren Kampf joined Welch, Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley and Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason in a press conference call to talk about their full support of Steve and his pro-growth message to restore America’s prosperity.

During the conference call today, Lt. Gov. Cawley said Welch “will vote with the people. He’ll fight to lower our taxes, balance our budgets, shrink our federal government and cut wasteful spending just as Gov. Corbett and I have done here in Harrisburg.” Echoing Cawley’s sentiments, Senate President Pro Tempore said, “I am proud to join my Senate colleagues in endorsing Steve Welch. He will use his private sector experience to fight for pro-growth policies that will restore America’s prosperity…Steve Welch is our party’s best chance to defeat Bob Casey.”

Today’s endorsements clearly demonstrate Welch’s statewide appeal and the fact that he is the only candidate to beat Bob Casey in November.

“I am honored to have earned the endorsement of 33 key Pennsylvania State Legislators, including Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, today,” said Steve Welch, the Republican Endorsed Candidate for U.S. Senate. “These Legislators are leaders in their local communities who understand that a bigger, more centralized federal government is not the answer to restoring America’s prosperity. They understand the need to restore conservative principles of limited government and fiscal responsibility to Washington and I am grateful to have their full support.”

Listed below are the 33 State Legislators who endorsed Steve Welch for U.S. Senate.

State Senators

Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati — District 25 Cameron, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, Potter, Tioga, Clearfield, Warren Counties

Senator Rich Alloway — Chambersburg — District 33 Adams, Franklin, York Counties

Senator Pat Browne — Allentown —District 16 Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton Counties

Senator Mike Brubaker — Lititz — District 36 Lancaster, Chester Counties

Senator Jake Corman — Bellefonte — District 34 Centre, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry, Union Counties

Senator Ted Erickson — Newton Square — District 26 Delaware, Chester Counties

Senator Bob Mensch — Pennsburg —District 24 Bucks, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton Counties

Senator Kim Ward — Greensburg — District 39 Westmoreland County

State Representatives

Rep. Stan Saylor — District 94 Red Lion — York County

Rep. Mike Vereb — District 150 Norristown — Montgomery County

Rep. Ryan Aument —District 41 Landisville — Lancaster County

Rep. Bill Adolph — District 165 Springfield — Delaware County

Rep. Stephen Barrar — District 160 Boothwyn— Delaware County

Rep. John Bear — District 97 Lititz — Lancaster County

Rep. Bryan Cutler — District 100 Peach Bottom — Lancaster County

Rep. Sheryl Delozier — District 88 New Cumberland — Cumberland County

Rep. George Dunbar — District 56 Jeannette—Westmoreland County

Rep. Glen Grell — District 87 Mechanicsburg — Cumberland County

Rep. Kate Harper — District 61 Lower Gwynedd — Montgomery County

Rep. C. Adam Harris — District 82 Mifflin —Mifflin County

Rep. Dick Hess — District 78 Bedford — Bedford County

Rep. Warren Kampf — District 157 Paoli — Chester County

Rep. Thomas Killion — District 168 Glenn Mills — Delaware County

Rep. John Maher — District 40 Upper St. Clair —Allegheny County

Rep. Nick Miccarelli — District 162 Ridley Park — Delaware County

Rep. Bernie O’Neill — District 29 Warminster — Bucks County

Rep. Scott Petri — District 178 New Hope— Bucks County

Rep. Tina Pickett — District 110 Towanda — Bradford County

Rep. Chris Ross — District 158 Kennett Square — Chester County

Rep. Curt Sonney — District 4 Erie—Erie County

Rep. Todd Stephens — District 151 Horsham —Montgomery County

Rep. John Taylor — District 177 Philadelphia — Philadelphia County

Rep. Dan Truitt — District 156 West Chester — Chester County

About Steve

The son of an engineer and teacher, Steve Welch grew up in Chester County, Pennsylvania and attended Penn State University where he earned a Mechanical Engineering degree.  Steve, his wife Nicole, and their three young children live in Chester County.  Steve started his first major business enterprise, Mitos, in 2001 with hardly a cent to his name.  Under Steve’s guidance Mitos developed several critical patents which transformed the biological drug and vaccine industries.  The company still resides in Phoenixville, PA under Parker Hannifin guidance.  Following the sale of Mitos, Steve co-founded DreamIt Ventures, a new business accelerator model that has been featured in Forbes, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal as a new model for launching technology companies.  In just four years, DreamIt Ventures has helped launch 64 new companies.  From this experience, Steve has worked with hundreds of early stage entrepreneurs to turn their dreams into reality.  As an Eisenhower Fellow, Steve spent time in Asia and Europe studying all aspects of economic development, examining how government policy, technology, and culture impact job creation.  In 2010, Steve published We are all Born Entrepreneurs, in which he uses his story and those of over a dozen other entrepreneurs to explain what drives invention, innovation, and job creation.  In 2011, he founded the education technology company KinderTown, a business designed to help parents engage in their children’s education at an early age.

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Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/welchforpa

Twitter: @welchforpa

April 11, 2012 

How often and by what percent did Tom Smith raise taxes?

TheRealTomSmith.com releases new videos asking critical questions about Tom Smith’s tax-increasing record

 PAOLI, PA —If raising taxes is not a conservative policy, then why did Tom Smith propose and vote to raise taxes 9 times as an elected official?

To watch the video click here. Users are encouraged to tweet their thoughts @DemTomSmith or use the #smithbus.

As an elected Plumcreek Township supervisor, Tom Smith voted 9 times to raise taxes on his constituents, including one 33% increase in property taxes. Republican voters deserve to know the truth about Tom Smith’s tax increasing past.

Tom Smith’s Tax Increases:

• Tom Smith Was President Of The Plumcreek Township Board Of Supervisors Four Different Times Between 1974 And 1981. According to the Plumcreek Township Board of Supervisor minutes, Tom Smith served as president in 1978, 1979, 1980, and 1981. [Minutes of the Plumcreek Township Board of Supervisors for 1974-81]
• Tom Smith’s Plumcreek Board of Supervisors Created a New Income Tax. Tom Smith, in 1977, pushed for and voted to pass an income tax in Plumcreek Township.  Tom Smith, on October 18, 1977, motioned to consider an ordinance to impose an income tax in Plumcreek Township. On November 7, 1977, he seconded a motion and was part of a unanimous vote to adopt this ordinance. [Plumcreek Township Board of Supervisors Minutes for 1977; Indiana Evening Gazette, 1/7/78; Kittanning Leader-Times, 9/26/77]
• Tom Smith Supported Imposing A Per Capita Tax On All Adults Six Years In A Row. Tom Smith voted six times to impose a per capita tax on all adults in Plumcreek Township between 1976 and 1981. [Plumcreek Township Board of Supervisors Minutes, 1975 -198; Indiana Evening Gazette, 1/7/78]
• Tom Smith Voted to Create A Real Estate Transfer Tax. Tom Smith, on May 15, 1978, “made a motion to propose an ordinance” to create in Plumcreek Township a “1% Real Estate Transfer tax.” The Plumcreek Township Board of Supervisors, on May 30, 1978, unanimously voted to pass this ordinance. [Minutes of the Plumcreek Township Board of Supervisors for 1978]
• Tom Smith Voted To Increase Property Taxes By 33 Percent. Tom Smith voted to increase property taxes by 33 percent while in office. The Plumcreek Township Board of Supervisors, on January 6, 1975, set the general purpose real estate tax rate at 6 mills. A year later, in January 1976, the Plumcreek Township Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to set the general purpose real estate tax rate at 8 mills. [Minutes of the Plumcreek Township Board of Supervisors for 1975, 1976; Indiana Evening Gazette, 1/7/78]

“It shouldn’t be surprising that Tom Smith, a lifelong Democrat, raised taxes as an elected official,” said Peter Towey, Welch campaign manager. “It’s critical that Republican voters know the truth about Tom Smith’s tax increases as an elected official.”

About Steve

The son of an engineer and teacher, Steve Welch grew up in Chester County, Pennsylvania and attended Penn State University where he earned a Mechanical Engineering degree.  Steve, his wife Nicole, and their three young children live in Chester County.  Steve started his first major business enterprise, Mitos, in 2001 with hardly a cent to his name.  Under Steve’s guidance Mitos developed several critical patents which transformed the biological drug and vaccine industries.  The company still resides in Phoenixville, PA under Parker Hannifin guidance.  Following the sale of Mitos, Steve co-founded DreamIt Ventures, a new business accelerator model that has been featured in Forbes, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal as a new model for launching technology companies.  In just four years, DreamIt Ventures has helped launch 64 new companies.  From this experience, Steve has worked with hundreds of early stage entrepreneurs to turn their dreams into reality.  As an Eisenhower Fellow, Steve spent time in Asia and Europe studying all aspects of economic development, examining how government policy, technology, and culture impact job creation.  In 2010, Steve published We are all Born Entrepreneurs, in which he uses his story and those of over a dozen other entrepreneurs to explain what drives invention, innovation, and job creation.  In 2011, he founded the education technology company KinderTown, a business designed to help parents engage in their children’s education at an early age.

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