Republican congressional candidate John Chrin envisions developing Lackawanna County into a center for research on battery storage of electricity, a focus that he thinks could transform the region’s economy.
Citing the development of the massive Invenergy natural-gas powered electricity plant in Jessup, Chrin said a focus on battery storage and developing an electrical grid resistant to cyber threats and terrorism could attract new manufacturing.
“If we solidify that (electricity distribution grid) system, you now have a much different bargaining chip when you talk and try to solicit and get companies — whether it’s a principal headquarters, a backup operation that they would have here — and say, ‘Come to Lackawanna County, this is the place you have to operate,’” he said.
Chrin, 55, of Barrett Twp., Monroe County, faces Democratic U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-17, Moosic, for the newly created 8th Congressional District seat. The 8th district includes all of Lackawanna, Wayne and Pike counties, most of Luzerne County and part of Monroe County.
Chrin, a former Wall Street banker, said he would use that expertise and his engineering background to market the region to companies looking for new location for plants and offices. He would cite the region’s quick highway access to major eastern markets and a top-notch workforce as he wooed new businesses, he said.
“This is a place that they will get great value in terms of the investment that they put here,” Chrin said.
On immigration, Chrin said he favors securing the borders first, then discussing what to do with people already here illegally. Securing the border with Mexico means a real border wall where feasible, an electronic and surveillance border wall elsewhere and security measures that protect ports and airports.
“If someone’s in this country illegally and they committed a crime, it’s wrong that you’re going to continue to protect them, it’s wrong that you’re going to give them a path to citizenship,” Chrin said. “It just is.”
He did not rule out allowing illegal immigrants who abide by the law to obtain citizenship as long as they do not jump ahead of anyone trying legal means to get into the country.
“That would certainly seem like a fair thing that would be on the table,” Chrin said.
Chrin said he has no position on expansion of the Keystone Sanitary Landfill in Dunmore. He sees it as an issue better left to local and state officials.
“I’m not going to have an opinion on something that I haven’t really looked and understand all the nuances of it,” he said. “Rather than being specific to Keystone landfill, the type of philosophy that I would have is everything needs to be fair. It needs to be fair not only to the individuals but the businesses that are there. People shouldn’t look to take advantage of our area to try to bring trash in.”
The Citizens Voice
By Borys Krawczeniuk
Sep 26, 2018