Candidate for
State Representative; Pennsylvania State House of Representatives; District 74

Mark B. McCracken announces his candidacy for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 74th District on the Democratic ballot. McCracken is currently serving in his third term as Clearfield County Commissioner and also served for 10 years on the Clearfield Area School District Board of Directors. With over 28 years of work experience and community service, McCracken is ready to serve the citizens of the 74th district.

McCracken feels the most critical issue currently facing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the ongoing fiscal crisis and unexpected revenue shortfalls that are causing funding cuts, not only at the state level, but also impacting counties, school districts and municipalities. It is also troubling that a long term solution for transportation funding has not been found causing the postponement of necessary repairs to vital infrastructure including roads and structurally deficient bridges.

McCracken is committed to working on many important issues including the reform of outdated property tax assessment laws, providing adequate funding to our public schools and enacting legislation that will remove outdated and costly mandates on county government, school districts and municipalities. McCracken said he supports imposing a reasonable impact fee on Marcellus Shale gas drilling as long as the majority of the revenue is returned to the local level to offset costs incurred by communities impacted by the industry. A portion of the revenue generated from the impact fee should be used to provide adequate funding for the regulatory and enforcement agencies responsible for protecting the water and environment.

McCracken noted as county commissioner he has learned to work in a bipartisan manner with federal, state and local officials. McCracken stated "One of the strengths I can bring to the office is the working relationships I have already established with elected officials including township supervisors, borough council members and mayors".

McCracken resides in Lawrence Township with his wife Kelly and daughter Amanda. He currently serves on the Executive Board of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, as the Vice Chairman of the Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging board, as Secretary for the Central Pennsylvania Community Action board, as Chairman of the Pennsylvania Counties Health Insurance Purchasing Cooperative, as Chairman of the Penn Ag Democrats and is a member of the Sons of the American Legion. The McCracken family attends Saint Francis Church.