Brad Koplinski kicked off his race for the Office of the Lieutenant Governor at a noon press conference in the east wing of the capitol rotunda Monday February 4, 2013.

Official Press Release:

Harrisburg City Councilman Brad Koplinski, much of whose public life has been spent dealing with the adversity facing the City of Harrisburg, today announced that he is seeking the Democratic nomination for Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor. The Lieutenant Governor is the Chair of the Local Government Advisory Committee, which makes vital decisions that affect the future of Pennsylvania's municipalities.

Koplinski pointed out that the challenges Harrisburg has faced, and continues to face, are not just the concerns of the Capital City. "They represent an unfair system of taxation, crumbling infrastructure and failure of state government to do everything it could to make our municipalities able to make their own decisions and help themselves," he said.

“Dealing with the same adversity so many of the Commonwealth's communities are facing has steeled my resolve to help find solutions to the many challenges Pennsylvania's municipalities, large and small, must face on a daily basis," said Koplinski. "I intend to be the voice for reasonable but essential reforms on behalf of cities, towns and boroughs in the next administration."

Koplinski advocated for municipalities to have greater freedom in generating revenue, better assistance with infrastructure funding, and municipal pension reform. He also hit Governor Corbett’s positions on Marcellus Shale, lottery and liquor store privatization, cuts to education. He also advocated for marriage equality in Pennsylvania as a goal by the end of his first term.

Koplinski said he will go to every county and speak with and listen to Pennsylvanians in every corner of the state. "I am excited about this endeavor and believe we can make real change in Pennsylvania to help our citizens and our state”

Brad Koplinski has been a Harrisburg City Councilman for the last five years. He is also an attorney and has worked in some of the most important Democratic campaigns in recent Pennsylvania history. He was Statewide Political Director for Senator Arlen Specter’s 2010 U.S. Senate effort, Central Pennsylvania Political Director for Senator Hillary Clinton in her 2008 Presidential campaign and Controller for the 2008 Obama-Biden Pennsylvania campaign.

The official website for the campaign is www.Koplinski2014.com.

Photo/Natalie Cake