Jeremy Benscoter

Jeremy Benscoter earned a high school diploma from Northwest Area High School and a bachelor's degree from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania in 2014. His career experience includes working as an information technology professional.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My most defining characteristic is my work ethic. I worked full-time through most of college, and because of that, my BS in Computer Science took me 8 years to complete. In that time, I worked in retail, at a call center, as a valet, and eventually, as a programmer. Some days, I would drive more than 3 hours getting to work, school, and home.

I am grateful to the many people who supported me in those years. Working, going to school, and supporting myself led to many financially precarious moments. Were it not for the kindness of the people around me, there were times when I would have gone without food, gas, or a place to sleep.

I have worked as a programmer since 2010, and have created hobby projects as a game designer. However, there is much more that defines me. I am a passionate believer in equipping myself to be independent and self-reliant. I am hands on and have had the opportunity to be surrounded by very talented people who have shared their skills with me. I can frame walls, do much of my own plumbing and electrical whenever the need arises, and have worked on many passion projects.

With the help of her parents, my wife and I were able to buy her grandparents’ home in 2013. We have tried to maintain as much of the historical life of the property as possible. We were married in the barn that was built by her great-grandfather in the late 1800s, and we look forward to watching our son grow up here.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I want to protect our neighborhoods, water supply, and gameland from overdevelopment. Large scale (1000+ acre) AI Data Centers are a threat to the values and freedoms of our residents, and we need to make sure that people are put before corporate interests.

The effects of overdevelopment are already costing our residents in fees like the Rain Tax. In this, residents are paying for issues (ie: runoff) arising predominantly from large scale buildings in our area. The current buildings are only a small fraction of size of the proposed data centers, and the cost, as always, will rest on the local taxpayers.Our communities are built through the people that live here. As area wealth increases, rural areas often fall to suburban development. This housing shift drives up the cost of housing and has been shown to dilute or destroy the values and culture of the residents who first lived here.

While increased land value can be touted as a benefit to the community, the reality is that it often pushes long time residents out of their homes. Since property taxes are calculated from county assessed property values, residents can see dramatic increases in their taxes. The property value increase ends up helping relatively few residents. An expansion of the Homestead/Farmstead exclusion (The Taxpayer Relief Act of 2006) could help solve this issue.While there have been recent reforms to cyber-charter schools in Pennsylvania, I would like to examine the many failings that have been highlighted: reckless spending of taxpayer money, poor educational performance by students, unfavorable graduation rates, lack of student support, and financial burden on local school districts. The demand for charter schools highlights a need that should be examined and understood by legislators, but all cyber options should be held accountable for their performance and effect on our communities.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Property Tax Reform

Education Reform

Healthcare Reform

Data Center Accountability

Corporate Taxation

Utility Costs

Diversifying job opportunities

Protecting the health and beauty of our state