Derk seeks Pike votes in Congressional bid

Touring all 14 10th District counties this month MILFORD — Synder County Commissioner Malcolm Derk visited Pike County Wednesday during his 14-day, 14-county tour in his bid for Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District seat. Derk is one of three Republican candidates running for this office now held by Democrat Christopher Carney. The other two Republicans are Dr. David Madeira and Tom Marino. The 10th Congressional District is geographically the second largest in the state. The 14 counties include all of Snyder, Union, Montour, Northumberland, Bradford, Wayne, Wyoming, Sullivan, Susquehanna, and Pike counties and parts of Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, and Tioga counties. Derk has been a frequent visitor to Pike County. He has been here 12 times since January. He feels that the only way you can represent people is to get to know them and for them to get to know you. Experience and Philosophy Malcolm Derk’s philosophy of community outreach, involvement, and sharing has served him well. Malcolm is an Eagle Scout and has been part of many local service projects and community programs. His involvement with the Freeburg-Washington Elementary School (in trying to help turn it into a community center) led to his appointment to a vacant seat on the Freeburg Borough Council in January 2002 when he was just 19. Derk earned the respect of his colleagues on the Council and of the people he represented. He was elected two more times and then made borough president in his last two years. In 2007, Derk was elected as a Commissioner of Snyder County. He said he enjoyed being on a political level where people can call you on the phone and you know who they are. He wants to now take this people-to-people approach to Washington. Derk is a fiscal conservative. Although he is the youngest person running for the 10th District - he will turn 28 six days before the May 18 primary - he has a background of local experience. As a young person, he is particularly concerned with the (national) level of debt and feels that Carney is not the fiscal conservative he claims to be. Issues Derk is against the health care reform bill. He would like to see individual ownership of plans and competition for insurance across state lines. He wants to see tort reform against frivolous medical suits which drive up the malpractice costs and insurance fees. He also feels that individuals should take more responsibility for their own lives. He thinks that it is not really necessary for young adults to stay on their parents’ health care plan until they are 28. Derk feels it’s a disincentive to individual responsibility. He also feels that because the new health care bill requires people to have health insurance, it will just create more debt. As County Commissioner, Malcolm Derk has been able to balance a $15 million dollar budget in this tough economy without raising taxes. He pledges to do everything he can as our Congressman to help balance the budget. About Pike County Derk sees Pike County as similar to the others in the 10th District because of the common threads of its rural economy and its agricultural interests. However, the more individual aspect of Pike is the fact that it is the fastest growing county in the state. This means that as a congressman he would have to support the infrastructure so that the county can be ready for the growth. On a more personal note, Derk’s in-laws live just across the border in New York State. He enjoys coming to Pike County with his wife, Erin (a clinical counselor for juveniles). He feels that if you like a place, it’s easier to do a good job. He promises to spend more time here than other representatives have in the past. Derk is passionate about the congressional race. He wants to meet elected officials and community leaders. He wants to share his message that he is an experienced fiscal conservative who will work for our community without raising taxes. For more information, go to www.derkforcongress.com .