Central PA United
Central PA United is building independent political power in Central Pennsylvania for working-class families. Our organizing bridges issue-based campaigns and strategic electoral politics. We participate in elections to ensure that our representatives align as much as possible with our values. We use the election process to engage our community in discussions about the issues shaping their lives.
We believe that residents have the right to participate in developing solutions to these pressing issues through a process of co-governance. That means returning decision-making power to the community. It means consistently engaging with our families, friends, and neighbors, helping empower them to participate in all decisions that affect their daily lives—not just at election time.
“I want to work for laws, policies, and candidates that strengthen social safety nets, not aim to destroy it. That is why I am a member of Central PA United.”
“I want to make State College more sustainable, affordable, bikeable, and inclusive. I believe in building an equitable government, no matter your race, class, or political affiliation.”
For 2023 CPAU, is focused on building power by working to get Matt Herndon elected for State College Borough Council. Matt Herndon is running to make State College sustainable, affordable, bikeable, and inclusive. He plans to achieve this through:
- Tackling climate change with sustainable transportation and zoning reform.
- Fighting for racial and economic justice through inclusionary zoning and criminal justice reform.
- Building affordable housing and create tenant protections for an equitable community.
- Building transit equity by improving bike paths, public transit, and pedestrian safety.
Matt Herndon is a member of the State College Transportation Commission. His educational background is a BS in Computer Science from Cornell University, and he uses his skills as a programmer to help the world with a focus on climate change. His current employer, Voltus, saves utility customers money and cuts total emissions by tackling the difficult challenge of demand response.
In 2022, Central PA United identified housing justice as our central organizing issue. Affordable housing is a major concern among our members and within our community as a whole. We canvassed renters, held community gatherings, and collaboratively built a comprehensive Tenants’ Bill of Rights to support safe and stable housing with Borough Council Member Divine Lipscomb and Borough Council Member Gopal Balachandran as the lead sponsors on Borough Council. As a result, in October 2022, the State College Borough Council unanimously voted to pass the Tenants’ Bill of Rights, which provides a comprehensive set of recommendations to create greater housing equity, provide advocacy for tenants, and protect tenants’ rights. In December 2023, the State College Borough Council took the first steps towards the historic Tenants’ Bill of Rights by creating a Housing Specialist position.
Our members and staff are ready to go all in to win issue campaigns, win elections, and build power for working-class people all over Pennsylvania.
Shirley Gorski
Central PA United Organizer
Contact:
shirley@paunited.org