Growth and Oportunity Fund

What is GO?

It is what unites us – supporting a strong economy, fiscal accountability, competitive tax rates, great schools, a domestic energy plan, and a government that gets out of the way of the private sector, fostering job creation and economic prosperity for all Pennsylvania families. It is what all Americans not only expect and depend on, but also what they deserve. It is about GOing forward!

Yet many elected officials do not share these same goals and values. Rather than serving as good fiscal stewards of taxpayer dollars, many are now serving at the pleasure of special interest groups and political agendas. Instead investing in the future of our families, they are spending on wasteful programs. Instead of GOing forward … they are spiraling our economy downward.

It is time for government to work for the people; not against them.

  • Instead of standing in the way of job creation, we need to GO forward and focus on economic growth and opportunity.
  • Instead of burdensome regulations on domestic energy sources, we need to GO forward and allow the United States to be energy independent, while still protecting the environment.
  • Instead of allowing failing schools to continue to fail, we need to GO forward and give every child access to a quality education by investing in good teachers in the classroom and an accountability system that ensures student achievement.
  • Instead of wanting to tax hard-working families more, we need to GO forward and hold the line on taxes and let people keep their own money.

That’s what the Growth and Opportunity Fund is all about – GOing forward! GO will work to educate and engage citizens to have a stronger voice in their government and in their own futures. From homeowners to small business to students to senior citizens, GO will take the conversation out of the State Capitol and bring it to the people, empowering them to act on issues important to their everyday lives.

Please join GO as we work to bring common sense back to governing for the people!

 

 

Our Mission

The Growth and Opportunity Fund (GO) is a 501c4 organization dedicated to advocating for policies that lead to economic growth and opportunity. The policies that need the attention of our lawmakers promote…

  • Fiscal Responsibility & Lower Taxes
  • Investing in our Children’s education
  • Private Sector Job Creation
  • Sound Energy Policy

GO is working to ensure that elected officials are accountable to taxpayers in how they spend tax dollars – NOT special interest groups. It is time for government and many lawmakers to remember it is about investing in the future of our families … not spending on wasteful programs and political agendas.

GO will educate and engage citizens to have their voices heard in the debate on proven, pro-growth, pro-opportunity ideas. Through GO, all individuals, homeowners, small and large employers, students, senior citizens, unemployed workers, and disabled and needy citizens will be able to share their own stories with government leaders and have a say in what is decided in the State Capitol.

It will be an honest and factual conversation on common sense policies that help hard working families. It is time for a blueprint in government that includes “common sense“ for the many – not “lots of cents” for the few.

It is time to GO forward!

 

The Issues

Taxes:

Every day families in this country live off of a budget. They work to tighten their belts to ensure they can pay their bills, provide for their children and put money into savings for college and retirement. They chart out a spending plan for the week … for the month … for the year. They decide on their spending priorities and work to balance their budgets based on their income.

It is a simple math equation that families across the country make work. They spend within their means and balance the “must haves” from the “nice to haves.”

Government should do the same. Sadly, however, that often is not the case.

Many elected officials who were once good fiscal stewards of taxpayer money and focused on balanced budgets, have now fallen prey to special interest groups and spend taxpayer money on wasteful programs that do no benefit the average American. They have their own priorities that include expanding the size and reach of government – giving more handouts instead of hand ups.

As government grows and spending exceeds revenues, elected officials look to others to pay their bills – they look to the taxpayers of this country. Instead of reducing spending plans or cutting wasteful programs, they put together budgets that include massive tax increases on hard-working Americans to pay government’s bills. Instead of recognizing that Americans are already taxed too much, they want to put forth proposals to increase the Personal Income Tax and the Sales Tax and make people give more of their paychecks to government. And, instead of understanding that people work hard to pay for their necessities like prescriptions, diapers and clothing, many elected officials want to broaden taxes to tax new items.

The bottom line … out of control government spending with massive tax increases hurts the bottom line of every American.

More taxes = less jobs.

More taxes = less take home pay for hard-working American families.

More taxes = less prosperity for this nation.

Government leaders must be answerable to the taxpayers of this country. No more smoke and mirrors … it is time for truth. It is time for elected officials to understand the impact of their decisions. It is time for government to enact policies that benefit American families – not ones that harm them.

Jobs:

The American work ethic is second to none around the globe. We have worked to instill this ethic from one generation to the next – the importance of being able to support yourself and your family with a good paying job. It is the American dream.

But, government does not create jobs – the private sector creates jobs. When our economy is strong and our elected officials support sound fiscal policies that open up free markets and free enterprise, our job numbers soar. We see a resurgence in our manufacturing industry – strong growth in our technology and life science industries – and strength in our agriculture and energy industries.

These are America’s strengths. Reaching new heights in job creation and innovation.

Unfortunately, far too often government chooses to get in the way of job creation, rather than support it. Lawmakers pass burdensome, erroneous regulations that stifle small business. They raise taxes to pay for wasteful government programs that cause private sector layoffs because employers cannot afford higher taxes. And, they enact new programs that drive up the overall cost of doing business.

There is no greater voice in this country than that of the American workers. Whether you work in a manufacturing facility, a biotech lab, a school or an executive office, your story – your future goals – are what elected officials need to hear. They need to know that with every tax increase and every regulatory burden, they jeopardizing your job, your family and your future.

This country needs to focus on policies that grow the American dream for everyone.

 

Energy:

Every day hard-working families are balancing their household budgets, saving for college and retirement and trying to put a little extra into the bank for a rainy day. Energy costs are an important part of that equation.

As the United States has worked to develop its own energy resources and become less dependent on foreign oil, American families have become the real winners. In fact, the average American family has seen their energy costs reduced by 40% since 2008 – saving the average household up to $1,200 annually combined in lower natural gas and electricity costs. Those are real dollars back in the hands of taxpayers.

In Washington DC and state capitols across the country, elected officials need to hear from the people about why it is critical to enact sound energy policies that continue to reduce the cost of energy for Americans while protecting our environment.

From Pennsylvania to Texas and Florida to Alaska, this country is sitting on a generation worth of natural gas, coal timber, nuclear, alternative fuels, wind and solar energy. We do not need to look to the Middle East for our energy when it is sitting in our own backyard. Our natural resources produce energy, create jobs and help American families keep the lights on.

We must continue to support energy and environmental policies that keep this country on a forward track to energy independence.

Education:

There is no greater gift we can give to our children, than access to a quality education. It is the foundation for their future, and it is the foundation for our country’s economic growth for generations to come.

Every child in the United States deserves access to a great teacher in every classroom, a great school and a great educational system that focuses on achievement and academic excellence.

The evolving national debate on education is critical to determining how to reform our educational system to best meet the needs of the students and parents it serves.

We know that a good education starts in the classroom with a talented teacher. Countless studies have shown that an effective teacher can make all the difference in a student’s life. That is why we need to fight for policies that not only value and reward effective teachers, but also provide support and additional resources for those teachers who may be struggling. Policies that provide for meaningful educator evaluation systems, merit-based pay for teachers, improved tenure provisions, enhanced teacher continuing education programs, and moving from seniority-based layoffs to teacher performance-based layoffs are all important pieces of a stronger American educational system.

On the issue of school funding – we need to invest more dollars, more wisely into our students’ education. When we invest wisely, we achieve better results. Every school deserves the chance to be A+ school for their children. By enacting spending plans at the local level that are focused on student growth, results and achievement, we can be sure that every child across this country has the chance of a great future. Programs like school report cards – or school grading systems – and grant programs focused on academic growth are examples of what is working to help improve our public education system. State and federal governments must continue to work with local school districts to design funding streams that focus on the individual student and his or her success.

Individualized student learning also means that our elected leaders need to empower parents to have choices in their child’s education. The country has a strong fabric of public school choices that should be nurtured and grown. No child should be bound to a failing school because of his or her zip code. The debate needs to continue to focus on policies that reward good public charter schools and shut down bad ones. It also needs to ensure that every child has the choice of a great school, led by a great teacher.

All Americans – parents, taxpayers and children – need to have their voices heard in the national education debate. With a strong educational system, there is no limit to what our children can achieve. We must fight for the gift of a great education for every child.

 

Donate

JOIN THE CAUSE!

Send contributions to:

Growth and Opportunity Fund
P.O. Box 193
Harrisburg, PA 17108

Paid for by Growth and Opportunity Fund, Inc., an independent, nonprofit organization organized under section 501 (c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code.
There are no limits on amounts that may be contributed to Growth and Opportunity Fund, Inc. by an individual, corporation, union, or trade association. Contributions to Growth and Opportunity Fund, Inc. do not count against an individual’s biennial aggregate contribution limit under the Federal Election Campaign Act, as amended. Growth and Opportunity Fund does not accept contributions from foreign nationals or entities.
Contributions to Growth and Opportunity Fund, Inc. are not deductible for federal income tax purposes. Contributions of $5,000 or more will be reported to the Internal Revenue Service on IRS Form 990 as required by law; however, the IRS does not make this information public. Growth and Opportunity Fund’s policy is maintain the confidentiality of it donors.

 

 

For more information please email info@goforpa.org

Paid for by Growth and Opportunity Fund, Inc., an independent, nonprofit organization organized under section 501 (c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code.

There are no limits on amounts that may be contributed to Growth and Opportunity Fund, Inc. by an individual, corporation, union, or trade association. Contributions to Growth and Opportunity Fund, Inc. do not count against an individual’s biennial aggregate contribution limit under the Federal Election Campaign Act, as amended. Growth and Opportunity Fund does not accept contributions from foreign nationals or entities.

Contributions to Growth and Opportunity Fund, Inc. are not deductible for federal income tax purposes. Contributions of $5,000 or more will be reported to the Internal Revenue Service on IRS Form 990 as required by law; however, the IRS does not make this information public. Growth and Opportunity Fund’s policy is maintain the confidentiality of it donors.