Hermitage School Director Jim Lumpp announced today that he is seeking the Democratic nomination for a state House seat representing the Shenango Valley.

The heavily Democratic district has been represented for 21 years by state Rep. Michael C. Gruitza, who has said he plans to seek re-election.

Lumpp said Gruitza lacks "legislative ambition" and "political clout."

Lumpp, a solutions architect with Hewlett-Packard, said his top legislative priority would be education -- particularly, reforming educational funding.

"A five-fold increase in the contribution rate for school districts to Public School Retirement System, coupled with a double-digit increase in health benefits, is being offset by a mere 1 percent increase in the basic education subsidies from the state," the 45-year-old Lumpp said.

"For Hermitage, this translates to almost $500,000 of new costs to the district on just two budget items," Lumpp said.

School districts will have no choice but to raise property taxes, Lumpp said.

Lumpp said if he's elected, he would seek a position on the state House Education Committee and sponsor legislation for "tax reform and equitable school funding."

"I will support legislation to make the state's public school funding formula more equitable by exchanging an increase in state income tax for decreased local real estate taxes," Lumpp said.

Lumpp said his second top priority is "economic development," primarily protecting the interests of senior citizens and giving young people a reason to stay around.

Lumpp earned the Republican nomination but lost a state House race to Gruitza in 1998.

Lumpp said he re-registered as a Democrat a month ago, a move he indicated was necessary in the district. "You can't make a difference if you don't win," Lumpp said this morning. He said he grew up as a Democrat but became a Republican less than a decade ago. Democrats outnumber Republicans in the Shenango Valley 7 to 3.

Lumpp is a Sharon High and Penn State grad. After several years as a math teacher, Lumpp began working in computer sciences. He and his wife, Roslyn, have three sons.