CRANBERRY TWP — State representative Republican Daryl Metcalfe said he has been working for limited, more efficient government, less taxation, local control of education and traditional family values since he was elected to office in 1998.

He hopes to continue his work for a sixth term as he is challenged by Robin Redding, in Tuesday's primary election for the Republican nomination for District 12.

The district includes Adams, Clinton, Cranberry, Forward, Jefferson, Middlesex and Penn townships, and Callery, Connoquenessing, Evans City, Mars, Saxonburg, Seven Fields and Valencia boroughs.

No Democratic candidates will appear on the primary ballot.

Metcalfe, 45, lives with his wife, Elke, and daughter, Lisa, in Cranberry Township.

Before becoming an elected official, Metcalfe was a field engineer for Dade Behring, where he worked for 14 years.

He also served in the U.S. Army and attended Kansas State University.

He currently serves as the Republican vice chair of the House Finance Committee and has been assigned to the House Veteran Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee.

He continues to serve on the Education and Labor Relations committees.

Metcalfe believes the state should be doing more to reduce burdens and stimulate job growth.

"I believe that the state government should reduce business taxes, for all businesses, to stimulate job growth in our state. Our state's Corporate Net Income Tax is one of the highest in the nation and needs to be reformed if we are going to keep jobs here in Pennsylvania," he said.

He has been a staunch opponent of all gun control measures that have been brought before the Legislature.

He recently held a rally for the "Right to Bear Arms" at the state capitol in Harrisburg.

"I am the strongest advocate in the Pennsylvania General Assembly for the right to keep and bear arms," said Metcalfe. "Article 1, Section 21 of the Pennsylvania Constitution states: "The right of citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned." The Pennsylvania's Constitution means exactly what it states."

He also has been a strong supporter against illegal immigration and is the founder of the group of State Legislators for Legal Immigration.

Though some have questioned the state's role in immigration, Metcalfe believes the state government also should protect its citizens from illegal aliens, not just leaving the job up to the federal government.

"The state government has a constitutional responsibility to do everything possible to protect its citizens from the illegal alien invaders," Metcalfe said. "The negative impact on our citizens includes the cost of hundreds of millions of tax payer dollars, lost jobs, violent crime, exposure to diseases that were previously eradicated from our society, and terrorism."

"Pennsylvania should enact the National Security Begins at Home legislative package that I have led, to turn off the economic faucet of illegal jobs and public benefits for illegal aliens," he said.

The state should force mass transit to make changes to run more efficiently, Metcalfe said.

"Our state government is providing more money for the inefficient mass transit operations than we should. Government mass transit operations should be forced to make efficiency changes so that the state can reduce its subsidy and ultimately the government mass transit systems should be privatized," he said.

He said the state should not be throwing more money at public education, but that public education should be operating more efficiently.

"I am an advocate for reforming and have voted against the flawed funding formula used by the state," he said.

"To make public education more efficient, we should eliminate unfunded mandates and restore local control. Pennsylvania should eliminate property tax through a revenue-neutral plan that provides tax payer protections by allowing residents to vote on future tax increases proposed by their school districts," he said.

Metcalfe hasn't voted for a tax increase since he's been in office and he plans to keep his pledge not to raise taxes.

"The state collects billions of dollars more from taxpayers than they should. I signed the taxpayer protection pledge that I will not vote for any tax increase. I have not, and will not, vote for any tax increases," he said.

As for working both with his 12th District constituents and the local municipalities he represents, Metcalfe said he would continue to have an open-door policy.

"I also hold evening town hall meetings, breakfast town hall meetings, elected officials meetings, annual legislative door-to-door home visits, and my attendance at community events have fostered communication with constituents of the 12th District that is second to none."

<b>Address: </b>Cranberry Township<b>Age: </b>45<b>Family: </b>Married, one child<b>Occupation: </b>Incumbent state legislator who has served since 1998. Previously worked as a field engineer for Dade Behring for more than 14 years<b>Political party: </b>Republican<b>Education: </b>Served in the U.S. Army and attended Kansas State University<b>Community Activities: </b>He currently serves as the Republican vice chairman of the House Finance Committee and serves on the House Veteran Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee and Education and Labor Relations Committee and is founder of State Legislators for Legal Immigration.

<I>This is the first of two stories profiling the candidates for the Republican nomination in the 12th District State House race in Tuesday's primary. The second story will be published Friday.</i>