Dear Democratic Committee Member:

Most of you know me as the mayor of Millvale from 1994-2005. With the support of many of you, I was elected to Allegheny County Council last November. Thank you again for your invaluable support in that regard.

For several months I have been considering running for Chairman of the Allegheny Democratic Committee. It is not an easy decision to enter a race and challenge people who are friends and who have been allies in campaigns past. But there comes a time when we realize that things need to change and someone has to step forward and bring this party into the 21st century.

I respect our Chair and Vice-Chair. They are good people and honored Democrats who have served tirelessly. However they are saddled with a perspective rooted in the past, a vision of what our Party was forty years ago, a time when they first decided to step forward and become leaders. During their most recent tenure of leadership there have been no steps forward, no drive nor passion for the change we clearly need.

The truth is our Party can again be like it was four decades ago. The Allegheny County Democrats can again achieve greatness and be the force that makes Democratic Party ideals the reality of government policy. Those of us who seek to lead need to find new paths to excellence, new tools to build our organization and new ways to win elections.

Our Party needs its own "New Deal". We need to equip our candidates and Democratic Committee Members with the training and technology necessary to compete in today's high-tech environment. We need to re-define the role of the Democratic Committee by including committee members in the process in addition to doing an overhaul of our rules and bylaws to fit the political climate of the 21st Century. We need to raise money and lower intra-party conflict. We need change.

I believe that my background as an elected public official and Democratic Party leader has provided me the experience, knowledge and temperament to step forward and lead this Party in the direction it needs to go. I am excited to announce my candidacy for Chair of the Democratic Committee and I humbly ask you to join me in this campaign for change.

Sincerely,

Jim Burn