File photo Nov. 2016
ELYSBURG – A Valley state representative is stepping away from Harrisburg after nearly a two decades of overall public service. State Representative Kurt Masser (R-107th, Elysburg) announced Sunday he won’t seek reelection. This opens the seat to serve the 107th district ahead of the May 17 primary.
Masser says its time to close this chapter of his journey and return to the private sector, so ‘new leadership can step up and lead the way.’
Masser has spent the last 18 years in public service, including the first six as a Northumberland County commissioner, and the last 12 as state representative.
See his full statement below:
Statement From Representative Kurt Masser
At the end of this year, I will have spent the last 18 years in public service, first 6 as a county commissioner and the last 12 as your Representative in the General Assembly. While these years have been the honor of a lifetime, it’s time for me to close this chapter of my journey and return to the private sector so that new leadership can step up and lead the way.
To those I have served, I will never be able to adequately articulate how much your trust has meant to me. I am proud of what we have accomplished in these years, and I know that we have made our community a better place. That is all thanks to the trust you placed in me, an average guy who wanted to go to Harrisburg to improve our community and ended up in leadership in the House of Representatives.
To my family and friends thank you for your patience, your support, and your understanding. Being in public life isn’t easy sometimes for the elected officials but it’s almost never easy for those who love and support us. They sacrifice a lot for our choice to serve and I appreciate them more than they know.
To the elected officials I have served with like Congressman Meuser, Senator Gordner, and the local elected officials thank you for working with me to improve our communities. I’m proud of the work we have done together to remove blight, attract jobs to our area, and improve our schools.
I’ve always maintained public service shouldn’t be a career. I’m returning to the private sector better off for having served and I hope my community feels it is better off for my service.
