Bryan Allen, 37, of Bensalem wants to take his experience and “can do attitude” to Harrisburg.
Allen, a Democrat, will vie for a spot in May’s primary election for a chance to run in November and face Republican incumbent state Rep. Kathleen “K.C.” Tomlinson to represent House District 18, which includes Bensalem Township and Hulmeville Borough. Democrats have a single-seat majority in the state House and are looking to build on that, while eyeing potentially flipping the Republican controlled state Senate.
“As the only Democrat on the Bensalem Township Council for eight years, I had to work with my Republican colleagues in order to get things done for our community,” Allen said in an email.
Allen served on Bensalem Township Council and is the former chief of staff for Rep. Tina Davis (HD-141). While on Bensalem Council, Allen introduced the first casino tax rebate for residents and worked across the aisle to increase it; police officer staffing was increased and council took on developers to push back against urban sprawl. Allen was among those officials to support the construction and operation of Bucks County’s first fire and emergency training facility in Bensalem Township.
“I’ve dedicated my career to making our government work for people, not special interests. I’m running because we deserve a representative in Harrisburg who will do the same.” – Democrat Bryan Allen
Allen said his experience as Rep. Tina Davis’s chief of staff positions him to “hit the ground running on day one. I know how to cut through red tape to get results for our constituents. I worked with Rep. Davis to bring millions of dollars in state economic redevelopment funds to help create jobs in our district and millions more for public safety.”
Allen worked with Davis and Rep. Perry Warren to draft and pass Kayden’s Law, which protects children from abusive and violent parents during custody cases.
Allen and Davis worked on the first state-wide licensing law for recovery and sober living homes, ensuring safety inspections and other guidelines are followed to protect those in recovery from becoming victims of predatory landlords, he said in the email.
“Between that and my experience in Bensalem, I know this district and my community better than anyone,” Allen said.
All of Bucks County’s races are considered competitive this year. There are 10 Pennsylvania state House seats up for grabs and three seats in Pennsylvania state Senate districts.
All 203 state House and half of the 50 state Senate districts are on the ballot in November’s election, which could shift the present general assembly’s make-up, the website said.
Democrats currently hold Pennsylvania’s House majority by one seat at 102-101; while the GOP controls the state Senate majority by 27-23.
“I’ve dedicated my career to making our government work for people, not special interests. I’m running because we deserve a representative in Harrisburg who will do the same,” Allen said.
If elected, he said his priorities would include increased state funding for education; address challenges seniors face living on fixed-incomes; work toward creating affordable and attainable housing, expand health care access and “stand up for women’s rights.”
“Electricity prices are skyrocketing. People who work in our community cannot afford to live in our community, and while state funding for schools has increased slightly it does not cover the burdensome state mandates that are crushing our local school districts – leading to higher property taxes for residents,” Allen explained.
He said when the GOP controlled the state house during three years of Tomlinson’s tenure, she “was silent on education funding, increasing the minimum wage, access to affordable child care, and increased energy costs.”
Other state office initiatives would include recruiting “good manufacturing jobs back to Bucks County,” increasing economic development grants, expanding Medicaid coverage and increasing Pennsylvania’s minimum wage, currently set at $7.25 an hour.
Allen is vice chairman of the Bucks County Water & Sewer Authority and president of the Friends of Silver Lake Nature Center. He is a 2001 graduate of Bloomsburg University.
Should Allen win, his priorities include:
· More state funding for public schools.
· Public school funding model reforms to remove the burden from fixed-income seniors and our local school districts.
· Legalize and regulate recreational cannabis to help fund school districts and hire more law enforcement officers.
· Invest in renewable energy sources.
· Require data centers to generate their own power.
· Slash electricity prices overall.
· Create affordable and attainable housing for workers such as police officers, teachers, nurses, home health aides and others.
· Raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage.
“Our community is diverse, dynamic and full of potential,” Allen said. “But we are facing unprecedented economic challenges. I am running to make it easier to live, work and raise a family here.”
