December 15, 2010
Plymouth approves 2011 budget, touts $4.3 mil surplus
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
By JENNY DeHUFF
Times Herald Staff
PLYMOUTH — Council unanimously approved its 2011 budget Monday night with a surprise treat for its residents — a $4.3-million surplus.
Last month, council members were happy to announce no new taxes for township residents.
John Slavish, a former township council member, thanked the finance manager for putting the budget together without raising taxes.
“I’ve said all along that there’s been a surplus, and it’s shown,” Slavish told the council during a public comment period. “For this township to go through what it’s been through and still not have to borrow money to pay the bills before the tax money comes in, it’s a hell of an achievement.”
Council Chairman Vince Gillen touted an overall spending decrease while maintaining the same level of public services for township residents.
“We see some budget shortfalls happening in neighboring communities, and I’m happy to say our township staff and council has worked hard to put this together and move forward in 2011,” said Gillen. “We were able to decrease spending at a time when we’re locked into raises with labor agreements and other costs, like health care, which are uncontrolled by the township.”
But perhaps most noticeable during Monday night’s meeting was the larger-than-normal crowd in attendance.
Gillen acknowledged much of the volume was related to spikes in crime around the Black Horse neighborhood.
The police department held a town hall meeting Nov. 18 at the Mt. Carmel Church on Fairfield Road to address residents’ growing concerns.
While the township is in the midst of organizing a Black Horse neighborhood watch, Councilman Dean Eisenberger made a motion to purchase crime-mapping software, provided it did not exceed a $7,000 price tag.
“We’re considering adding park signs, adding a street light or solar lights on Fairfield Road, and we’re looking into purchasing software for crime scene mapping,” said Eisenberger, whose district encompasses the Black Horse neighborhood.
Chief of Police Joe Lawrence said some areas are very dark in that neighborhood, when public parks close at dusk. Since the township’s Dec. 9 budget workshop meeting, when concerns were first brought to council, Lawrence said there have been extra patrols dispatched to the area, including officers in plainclothes and unmarked cars.
“We’ve given special attention to this area,” said Lawrence. “Extra lighting never hurts. Listen, I’ve been a victim of this too. Lock your cars.”
At one point during the meeting, Slavish singled out Council Vice Chairwoman Mary Lou Readinger, and scolded her for being “out of touch” with the crime situation in Plymouth.
At the same time, he praised Gillen for participating in police ride-a-longs.
“How can Readinger be so critical when she has no clue what’s going on out there?” said Slavish.
He addressed her directly. “Why don’t you educate yourself? Don’t be an armchair quarterback.”
Gillen tried to defend Readinger several times during Slavish’s brief chiding.
“Ms. Readinger brings a lot to this council,” Gillen urged. “She doesn’t bring a lot to the table when it comes to (safety issues),” said Slavish.
Lawrence stressed to the audience that in the last 11 months, there have only been 12 incidents of car thefts, and most were because of unlocked cars or keys left in plain view in the ignition.
Jenny DeHuff can be reached at jdehuff@timesherald.com or 610-272-2500 ext. 207.
URL: http://www.timesherald.com/articles/2010/12/14/news/doc4d0823090f206518055011.prt
© 2010 timesherald.com, a Journal Register Property
December 15, 2010
No tax hike in 2011
Tonight Borough Council adopted Conshohocken’s 2011 budget. This budget reflects our commitment to fiscal responsibility and the borough’s broad community priorities: maintaining our infrastructure, keeping Conshohocken safe, supporting our greening and environmental initiatives and promoting transportation options for seniors. In fact, the budget provides for adding a sorely-needed traffic safety component to our police department.
I am proud to say that this budget keeps Conshohocken Borough (exclusive of school or county) property taxes in 2011 at the same level as 2010 — that means that there will be no Borough tax hike next year. Many communities have struggled to balance their budgets in these tough economic times without raising taxes. We’re fortunate to have a strong Finance Committee Chair in Council President Paul McConnell to help us keep our priorities straight while maintaining a strong focus on our finances.
http://jasonsalus.wordpress.com/2010/12/16/no-tax-hike-in-2011/
November 13, 2010
No tax increase in Whitemarsh's 2011 budget
Sunday, November 14, 2010
By JENNY DeHUFF
Times Herald Staff
WHITEMARSH — Board supervisors unanimously approved the preliminary 2011 budget during a public meeting Thursday night.
Whitemarsh’s budget proposes no tax increases and even boasts a surplus of $170,000 from an open space transfer to the general fund.
“These were funds paid out by the general fund towards open space purposes, then reimbursed by other funding,” said Township Manager Bruce Horrocks.
“There’s been a lot of hard work the board has been doing with staff. We reduced expenditures by $575,000. There have been increases in expenditures by $206,000. The net effect is from Oct. 1 to this evening’s preliminary budget, the deficit that existed in the work budget has been turned into a surplus of $170,000.”
Totals revenues for the township are projected at $1.8 million for 2011, and expenditures include $4.5 million for police protection, $681,000 for fire and ambulance protection, $3.4 million for sewer services, $1.6 million for trash collection, $2 million for highways and $949,000 for park and recreation.
Whitemarsh, like its neighbors Plymouth and Conshohocken, must adopt a balanced budget 45 days prior to the end of the year. The board of supervisors will consider adoption, by resolution, of the 2011 Operating Plan and Budget and the Capital Plan and Budget at their regularly scheduled public meeting on Dec. 16.
Details of the budget can be viewed in PDF form on the township’s website.
Jenny DeHuff can be reached at jdehuff@timesherald.com or 610-272-2500 ext. 207.
URL: http://www.timesherald.com/articles/2010/11/13/news/doc4cdf6ed4a7d0b832878868.prt
© 2010 timesherald.com, a Journal Register Property
June 21, 2010
True public servants
Reprinted from Column by Margaret Gibbons
True public servants
Another Tip of the Column to the worker bees in the offices of the clerk of courts and prothonotary.
I have occasion to spend time in both offices and can't help but overhear them at the counters and on the phones with the public.
All of these employees are courteous and way beyond helpful in dealing with the public.
Despite their own increased workloads, pay freezes and the like, I have never heard one of these employees flip out at a caller or visitor even though some of the people they are dealing with are less than pleasant and refuse to listen.
So many people refer to government workers as bureaucrats but the workers in these two offices don't fit that description.
These are caring people that make government work for the taxpayers.
December 20, 2009
$200,000 set aside for technology costs in Montco
By: MARGARET GIBBONS The Intelligencer
Two Montgomery County row officers have loosened the purse strings on their technology funds to help with the county's overall bottom line.
Prothonotary Marc Levy and Clerk of Courts Ann Thornburg Weiss have stepped up with almost $200,000 to pay next year's maintenance costs for computer software programs for documents and workflow management systems used by their offices as well as other county departments including the register of wills and domestic relations offices.
Normally, the county has to foot the bill for these costs, taking the money from the general fund.
However, citing the county's need to stretch tax dollars because of the current economy, Levy and Thornburg this year dipped into their own technology funds to cover the costs.
The technology funds over which these independently elected officials have exclusive control are generated by fees charged by the office.
Levy, who also chipped in last year, will pay about $130,000 of the contract costs while Weiss will pick up the remaining approximate $60,000 on the $189,963 tab.
"We are in difficult times and the taxpayers are looking to us to work together," according to Levy who, like Weiss, is a Democrat.
The pair earlier this month was targeted by Republican Commissioner Bruce L. Castor Jr. when he released his proposals on how the county could balance its budget.
In one of the proposals, Castor said the commissioners should demand that the pair return about $700,000 in technology funds that were dumped into the county's general fund coffers by their two GOP predecessors just prior to leaving office in 2007. In the alternative, Castor said, the commissioners should reduce the budgets of those two departments by a combined $700,000.
When Levy and Weiss found that their automation cupboards were bare, they asked the commissioners to return the money.
With a potential legal battle looming and agreeing with Levy and Weiss that the prior officeholders were being vindictive because of the unprecedented Democratic victories for those two row offices, Democratic Commissioner Joseph M. Hoeffel III and Republican Commissioner Chairman James R. Matthews voted to return the funds.
Castor was opposed to the return of the funds then and now, claiming it was a mistake and "foolish" of the commissioners since the prior officeholders had every legal right to give the money to the county.
Both Weiss and Levy said they have no intentions of returning the $700,000 nor did Castor's proposal to reduce their budgets receive support from his fellow commissioners.
Weiss and Levy said their decision to help with the software maintenance costs had nothing to do with Castor's proposed initiative.
Margaret Gibbons can be reached at 610-279-6153 or mgibbons@phillyBurbs.com.
December 20, 2009
November 11, 2009
Political tide shifts on Colonial School Board
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
By Amanda Glensky
Staff Writer
The Colonial
Election Day yielded a big change in the Colonial School District with a sweeping Democratic victory that will change the political majority after roughly two decades.
Five newcomers will join the nine-member school board after beating five incumbents at the polls.
The Democrat ticket of Beth Suchsland, Kathleen Oxberry, Alan Tabachnick and Bernie Brady earned about 52 percent of the vote, beating Republican incumbents Lenora Bruno, Tom Davis, William Ryan and Steve Slutsky, a ticket that carried roughly 48 percent, according to unofficial results from the county.
In addition, Democrat Thomas Sigafoos defeated Republican incumbent Kelly Jowett in the race to complete the final two years of an expired term on the board. A former board member had resigned due to illness during his first two years of service. The board appointed Jowett to serve in his place, and a special election was required to confirm the appointment. Sigafoos won the election with roughly 53 percent of the vote.
When the board is reorganized, Democrats will have a 5-4 majority.
According to Suchsland, the Colonial School Board has been composed of Republicans for 21 years, although in an interview Nov. 6, she predicted the board will not change dramatically with a new political majority.
“I think it’s just exciting that now it won’t be a partisan board,” she said. “You will have people of varying viewpoints, I think it’s good to have new people on that may ask questions in a different way.”
The biggest issue facing the new board is a projected deficit for the next year, she said.
“One of the things that we ran on is trying to put a link between the community and the board, so we’re trying to focus on that,” she added.
Tabachnick said Nov. 6 he is happy the voters thought enough of his ticket to give it the responsibility to “continue the great work within the Colonial School District.”
“Our overall goal is to make sure that students at all ability levels throughout the district and all ages have the support and the programming they need to reach their potential while within the school district,” he said.
Sigafoos said Monday he’s glad that the voters thought his ticket had “something to offer.”
“It’s just such a great honor,” he said. “One, to be elected by the community in this way. And certainly with the number of years that have gone by it is great to have a more diverse board that is reflective of the community.”
Regardless of political party, he said there is no doubt in his mind that all members of the school board have the best interests of the community at heart.
“From both sides there really is this sense to work together for the school district,” he said.
Jowett, on the Republican incumbent ticket, said although she was not re-elected, she will continue to be “an advocate for our students and taxpayers of the Colonial School District.”
“I enjoyed my time on the board, and it was a great experience for me. Going through the election process was certainly an eye-opening experience as well,” she said Nov. 7.
Some Republicans said the Democrats ran a negative campaign that overshadowed their own achievements as school board members.
Republican Slutsky, who served on the board seven years, said the incumbents were successful school board members, and they lost the election because of “negative campaigning and distortions of the truth.”
“It is very clear to all objective observers that the Colonial School District has student achievement that is greater than it’s ever been. Its scores are up, student achievement is up and this has been acknowledged by outside organizations as well as internally,” he said.
“The district is on sound financial footing with the second-lowest taxes in the county, yet that negative campaigning, which cherry-picked facts and pulled them out of context — distorted them — resonated with the voters and was extraordinarily disappointing to me.”
Davis said Sunday he was disappointed the incumbents were not re-elected after their years of service contributed to the “outstanding success” and reputation of the school district.
He said the election was not about those issues.
“Personally, I am disappointed that the majority of the district voters chose to make the education of our students political rather than acknowledge the district-student accomplishments,” he said. “I was surprised that the majority of the district voters did not discern the political aspects of a reference to a ‘deficit’ when the Colonial School District has one of the highest school district credit ratings in the state, and with the second-lowest tax burden in the county.”
Democrats also “misquoted” a source in an attempt to “discredit student achievement” and allude to “teacher manipulation,” he said.
He also addressed the accusation of a lack of transparency at board meeting “when all board committee meetings are posted, as legally required, to be open to the public with provision for public comment, and none were attended by the opponents.”
Republican William Ryan said Monday he looks forward to the state education committee ensuring nonpartisan elections by eliminating primary election for school board directors within the next year, an action he said state’s senators were set to approve in October before being distracted by issues with the state budget.
He said his initial platforms were very similar to those of the Democrats running for election.
“Negative campaigns in school board director elections are ineffective. Who is not for increasing achievement, low taxes and open space? Perhaps more mudslinging might have resulted in my re-election,” he said. “What I did was be part of a group of spirited volunteers who supported the Colonial School District in achieving the highest academic scores in its history while maintaining the second-lowest tax rate in Montgomery County. The Colonial School District administrators assure me that the kindergarten through third-grade students rank number one in math scores in Montgomery County.”
Ryan said the newly elected school board members will be as successful as Republicans because the students are motivated, the parents are supportive, the teachers are dedicated and the district administrators work “above and beyond” in their daily duties.
The Democrats defended their campaigning, saying the information used was fair and true.
Suchsland said the information the Democrats printed, taken from school board minutes, the school board Web site, Philadelphia Magazine and the budget, was all factual. There was no personal information about any candidate, she said.
“It was all taken from very credible pieces of information,” she said. “From our view there was no negative campaigning. We’re all after the same goal, and that’s making Colonial a great school district, and it’s about the kids. We’re proud of our campaign.”
Sigafoos said Democrats tried to give a full picture of the issues.
“I really just see it as presenting the facts and information to give to the community. I wouldn’t say it’s negative to present information fully,” he said.
“We weren’t meaning to attack anyone individually.”
November 4, 2009
Dems tip balance of power
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
By MATT BRETZIUS
Times Herald Staff
PLYMOUTH — With three seats on Plymouth Council up for re-election, the balance of partisan power was also up for grabs Tuesday.
That majority will now belong to the Democrats, as two of three party members up for election for a council seat won their races.
Vince Gillen (D), the incumbent from Ward 3, earned 629 votes (53.76 percent) to defeat Joe Gale (R), who received 541 (46.24 percent).
Maria T. Weidinger (D) pulled out a victory against current council president Nick Salamone (R) to earn the at-large seat, by registering 1,725 votes (50.54 percent) to Salamone’s 1,688 (49.46 percent).
The Republican’s only council victory came from Dean Eisenberger, whose 469 votes (55.44 percent) were enough to trump Kelly Isett’s (D) 377 votes (44.56 percent) for the seat representing Ward 1. Gillen and Weidinger, along with current council member Mary Lou Readinger, give the Democrats a three-person majority on council.
In the race for constable, Ron Kozlowski (D) (3,079 votes) and Rob Sassi (D) (1,696 votes) won. Jeff Salamone (R), (1,656 votes) came in third.
Matt Bretzius can be reached at mbretzius@timesherald.com or 610-272-2500 ext. 207.
November 4, 2009
Dems dominate Board of Supervisors
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
By MATT BRETZIUS
Times Herald Staff
WHITEMARSH — The race for seats on the Whitemarsh Board of Supervisors was tight throughout Tuesday night, as four candidates battled to gain two seats.
With 100 percent of the votes in, Democrats Melissa Schwartz Sterling and Robert R. Hart were victorious, taking both seats in a tightly-contested race.
Hart, an incumbent, had 1,962 votes (25.22 percent), while Schwartz Sterling had 2,031 votes (26.11 percent).
The pair held slim leads over Republicans James Totten and Matthew E. Bergin, who had received 1,941 votes (24.96 percent) and 1,844 votes (23.71 percent) respectively.
The Whitemarsh Board of Supervisors is now made up entirely of five Democrats.
In the race for constable, Republican Nancy Lee Walter defeated Democrat Dwayne Taylor, also by a slim margin. Walter won by a count of 1,913 (50.95 percent) votes to Taylor’s 1,842 (49.05 percent).
Matt Bretzius can be reached at mbretzius@timesherald.com or 610-272-2500 ext. 207.
November 2, 2009
School Board Fact#1 – Your vote: Incumbents ask what have the Colonial Neighbors (Oxberry, Suchsland, Tabachnick, Brady and Sigafoos) done to earn your vote? Well, they have researched the issues, attended Board meetings, met with State legislators, studied school funding issues, reviewed the budget, interacted with voters at community events and knocked on thousands of doors to hear your issues about the schools. When was the last time one of the current board members knocked on your door and asked for your opinion? The Colonial Neighbors are actually working very hard to earn your vote. The incumbents arrogantly think you owe them your vote.
Please cast your vote against the status quo and for transparency, financial integrity, educational accountability and community leadership by voting for Oxberry, Suchsland, Tabachnick, Brady and Sigafoos.
November 1, 2009
School Board Fact #2 – Appointments: 7 out of 9 current Board members were initially appointed to the Board rather than elected. The incumbents seem to have a transition strategy where a member resigns and a new member is appointed who will not upset the apple cart.
Although the Board takes applications from representatives of all parties, for over 20 years a democrat or independent has never been selected -- yet they claim they are not partisan. At the February 12, 2009 meeting to fill one of the vacanies, when ten candidates were being interviewed, two of the incumbents left the room for 1 hour and 47 minutes, but they returned in time to be part of the unanimous selection. It makes you wonder if all candidates were given a fair opportunity.
Once appointed, the new members suddenly become "proven". This year, one of the candidates was appointed to the Board and after just two months, was presented to voters in the primary as "proven". Send the Board a message that you do not approve of their tactics.
October 31, 2009
School Board Fact #3 – Transparency: If you have attended a School Board meeting in person or watched on CITV in recent years, you will have noticed how little meaningful discussion actually occurs about issues. Every resolution is immediately accepted and approved with a unanimous vote. They recently proclaimed that detailed discussions happen at committee meetings. If that is true, then the Board is not transparent because the committee meetings are not televised and rarely attended by the public. It also implies that since only 3 or 4 of the 9 members are on a particular committee, the other Board members who are not on the Committee initiating a resolution are uneducated about the issue and unwilling to ask questions about the resolution.
Because they know the CNSB candidates are regular attendees of the Work Sessions and General Sessions of the Board, our opponents have suggested that we should attend the committee meetings "that are open to the public and posted on websites". If any of the proven team members would take the time to review the school board section of the district's web-site they would know that not only are there no dates or agendas posted for committee meetings but the last time any minutes of these committee meetings were posted was February 12, 2009.
This weeks Parent's Council meeting is another example of how transparency could be improved. Currently all of the Parent's Counil meetings are scheduled in the morning, when most parents are working. A more balanced approach to scheduling will allow all parents the opportunity to participate.
Our children will benefit from open, reasonable questioning of the status quo.
October 30, 2009
School Board Fact #4 – Attendance: During the 2007-2008 school year, incumbent Steve Slutsky missed 75% of the Board meetings. He followed that up in 2008-2009 by missing 54% of the meetings. At the same time, despite being a member of the Human Resources Committee, he did not attend any of the 9 meetings according to the minutes posted on the district website. Yet, his colleagues have failed to hold him accountable and continue to present him as proven.
We need Board members who take their responsibility to the District and our children seriously.
October 29, 2009
School Board Fact #5 - Test scores: The incumbents like to highlight the highest SAT scores in the history of the district. But they do not tell you how our scores compare to other regional schools. For 2009, PWHS ranked 44th out of 53 high schools on the verbal SAT score; 27th out of 53 on the math SATs; and 35th out of 53 on the written portion of the SATs in a Philadelphia Magazine comparison of local high schools. In 11th Grade profiency scores, PWHS ranked 49th out of the 53 schools, behind 35 districts that spend less per student, including Springfield, Upper Dublin, Lower Moreland, Abington, Hatboro-Horsham, Downingtown, Central Bucks, Methacton, Council Rock, and Perkiomen Valley.
October 28, 2009
School Board Fact #6 -– Inappropriate use of tax dollars: Each election cycle, the incumbent Board approves the mailing of glossy newsletters and brochures touting the District’s accomplishments that are politically timed to arrive in your mailbox just before a primary or general election. This year a glossy brochure was mailed at the end of April and a newsletter touting new Board members up for election on the front page was mailed and delivered to homes on primary day in May. In the past four years they’ve spent over $82,000 on these mailings. This is effectively using your tax dollars to pay for Board campaign literature. It’s an unnecessary and inappropriate use of your tax dollars.
October 27, 2009
School Board Fact #7 -- Taxes: In a classic bait and switch, the incumbent Board announced with much fanfare in a newsletter sent to taxpayer homes on primary election day a 2% tax increase for 2009-2010, less than 30 days after the election, the incumbents approved a 4.1% tax increase. There was no newsletter or fanfare made about the change. Shouldn’t you have been better informed?
October 26, 2009
School Board Fact #8 -- Balanced Budgets: The incumbents love to highlight how they've “balanced budgets”, which we all agree is very important. However, the incumbents don’t tell you that they’ve been drawing down the district’s reserves to balance the budget for the last 2 years. They expect to use 63% ($8.5 million) of the reserves by the end of the current school year and the remaining reserve next year. Despite this, they continue to increase spending (11% in 08-2009/3% in 09-10) and pay for it by increasing taxes and using your reserves. With declining tax revenues due to the economy, increases in spending and the depletion of the reserves, the current Board has set the stage for major financial problems in the upcoming years. Yet, when asked by the Times Herald about cost cutting, the Finance Committee Chairman Steve Slutsky said "we do everything possible to reduce costs". All they want to say in public is they balance the budget and keep a low tax burden. If voters look really hard at what going on you can find the real facts that they exclude from their talking points such as:
The 2009-10 budget adopted by the Board, shows that the projected 2010-11 budget has an $11.4 million budget deficit.
The incumbents put absentee board member Slutsky in charge of the budget and their mismanagement has left a gaping hole in the District finances, putting our kids at risk.
October 25, 2009
School Board Fact # 9 -- Spending -- The incumbent board raised spending 11% during the 2008-2009 school year in the middle of a recession. In recent Times Herald and Colonial articles, the Colonial Neighbors for the School Board (Oxberry, Suchsland, Tabachnick, Brady, Sigafoos) presented very specific ideas to reduce spending such as:
1) reduce the volume of duplicate mailings,
2) increase electronic communications where appropriate,
3) eliminate spending on glossy mailers promoting the Board and the district,
4) work with teachers and parents to identify opportunities for cost reduction, and
5) pooled purchasing and renegotiating with school suppliers.
Meanwhile, the current Board did not present one single cost cutting idea. Instead, despite increasing spending 11% in 2008-2009, one of the incumbents proclaimed "we do everything possible to reduce costs".
Maybe the next time they hold their annual $6,000 Board retreat at the Ace Conference/Golf Facility they could try and come up with one idea to cut costs.
October 24, 2009
School Board Fact # 10 -- Taxes -- The incumbents like to highlight the current tax burden, but they won't tell you that the spending per student is 12th out of 53 schools per Philadelphia Magazine, yet the Plymouth Whitemarsh High School (PWHS) students' PSSA scores ranked 49th. In fact, 35 of those schools with higher proficiency rankings spend less per student.
Yes, the tax burden is low and should stay that way, but the incumbents are not spending your money effectively.
September 3, 2009
As you may know, President Obama will give a back-to-school address to the nation's students next Tuesday at 12 Noon. According to the federal Department of Education's website: "During this special address, the president will speak directly to the nation's children and youth about persisting and succeeding in school. The president will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning."
Not surprisingly, our School District, run by the all-Republican School Board, has decided not to show the address to our students.
The decision to not let our children hear an address from the President of the United States is in sharp contrast with previous instances where the district invited Republican candidates into our schools. In August 2007, after an embarrassing drug bust in our high school, the School District appointed Republican assistant District Attorney Risa Ferman to an anti-drug task force while she was a candidate for that office's top job. In April 2008 the district organized an assembly with Attorney General Tom Corbett, then a candidate for re-election.
More recently, in the fall of 2008, the Republican majority on Plymouth Township Council was ridiculed by local newspapers for blocking Democratic nominee Barack Obama from holding a rally in Plymouth Township. At the time, Council Republicans said the Township did not have enough bathroom facilities to accommodate the crowd.
On November 3, 2009, we can do something to make sure that our children's education gets priority over politics. Support our candidates for school board -- Kathy Oxberry, Beth Suchsland, Alan Tabachnick, Bernie Brady and Tom Sigafoos. It's time for our school board to reflect our entire community.
August 27, 2009
The Colonial Democrats are now on Facebook. Please visit our page and join our Facebook group by clicking this link.
December 8, 2008
TO FOREGO PAY
Plymouth Township, PA (December 8, 2008) -- Democratic Plymouth Township Council members, Vince Gillen and Mary Lou Readinger, today said they would not accept a council salary in 2009 due to the tough budgetary year the township is facing.
Gillen and Readinger pointed out that council has asked all township department heads to make significant budget cuts, and they feel that as council members "it is our responsibility to lead by example."
"Our national economic crisis is already severely affecting state, county and municipal budgets," Gillen and Readinger said in a joint statement. "Plymouth currently faces a $1.9 million shortfall, which, in the short term, we will cover by tapping our township surplus, but that money will be significantly depleted in a year or two and the township will be left with no savings."
Pointing to comments made by President-elect Barack Obama that the economic crisis will get worse before it gets better, Gillen said that "it is incumbent upon us to do whatever we can now to help lessen the effects of these tough times on taxpayers, and to show that we understand the situation and take it seriously."
Gillen and Readinger said they were aware their actions alone were not going to solve Plymouth's budgetary problems. "We know this is more symbolic than substantive," they said, "but it is important for taxpayers to know that their elected officials do not exist in a vacuum and understand the daily challenges the residents of Plymouth face in these tough economic times."
Gillen represents District 3 in Plymouth and Readinger represents District 4. The annual council salary is $4,125.
December 8, 2008
$100M here, $150M there
By PEG GIBBONS
Staff Writer
Early Christmas gift
Montco taxpayers did get an early Christmas gift from Clerk of Courts Ann Thornburg Weiss and Prothonotary Mark Levy. The pair has agreed to contribute a combined approximate $190,000 from their technology funds to cover the costs of computer software maintenance in their departments.
Usually, county row officers guard these funds, which are generated by fees charged by their offices, like hawks, refusing to use them for costs that the county routinely pays.
These funds generally are used for the purchase of new technology and, in the past, have even subsidized travel expenses by some former row officers to attend conventions and vendor displays throughout the country for the alleged purpose of keeping themselves updated on the latest in technology.
"These are not normal times," said Levy in his first year at the helm of the Prothonotary's office.
All right!
October 12, 2008
COURTHOUSE - Plymouth Township is an embarrassment.
Specifically, its three Republican council members.
Given an opportunity for the township to appear in the national spotlight, the three opted instead for petty parochial partisan politics.
Yes, I am talking about the three's decision to turn down a request by Democrats to host a rally in the township for presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Council President Joseph Prestia, a Republican, said the turndown was for public safety reasons, not partisan politics.
He cited the lack of sufficient parking for a projected crowd of about 5,000 as well as a lack of toilet facilities for that size of a crowd.
Give me a break!
When you have a shot to shine and put your municipality on the national map, you do it.
Abington did but maybe their leaders are just more resourceful than the GOP clowns on Plymouth council. Or, just maybe, it simply would have taken a John McCain event to bring out Plymouth's resourcefulness.
Plymouth residents deserve better.
Read Margaret Gibbons' entire column by clicking this link.
October 1, 2008
COURTHOUSE - U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee for president, wants to bring his campaign to Montgomery County on Friday.
But at least one county municipality, Plymouth, apparently does not want him.
Plymouth Wednesday turned down a request by the Obama campaign to hold a rally outside the township's new Greater Plymouth Community Center on Friday morning.
And Montgomery County Commissioner Joseph M. Hoeffel III, a Democrat, speculates that partisanship by the Republican majority on Plymouth Council may be at the root of that decision.
Click here to read the entire article.
October 1, 2008
Plymouth Township Democrats
2113 Sierra Road
Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462
610-238-5343
October 1, 2008
Put People first in Plymouth, not Politics
Plymouth Democratic Chairman asks Republican Council Members why stop the Obama visit?
This letter is response to yesterday's article, "Plymouth Township says no to Obama campaign stop," in which the three Republican Plymouth Council members turned down the request for a Presidential campaign visit by Democrat Senator Barack Obama. As Plymouth Democratic Chairman, I have sat quietly while the Republican members of Council have turned the monthly Council meetings into a political fiasco against bi-partisanship.
Republicans Nick Salamone, Joe Prestia and Sheldon Simpson routinely pack the Council chambers during the monthly meetings with political friends and supporters whose main goal is to heckle the many Democratic initiatives.
The Republican controlled Council has repeatedly denied Democrats Vince Gillen and Mary Lou Readinger's requests to allow televised broadcasts of Council meetings. I feel they do this to prevent Plymouth from seeing what really happens in Council with the partisan political games being played month after month.
To not showcase the new Great Plymouth Community Center to a national audience is surely a mistake by Councilmembers Salamone, Prestia and Simpson. To have such an audience creates the opportunity to bring many events to this beautiful new facility. As Plymouth elected officials, Salamone, Prestia and Simpson should put the opportunity to showcase Plymouth over petty partisan politics.
As Democratic Chairman of Plymouth, I am publicly reaching out to Council Vice and Republican township Chairman Nick Salamone to ask him to stop the petty politics and put the residents of Plymouth concerns first during Council sessions instead of the GOP agenda and allow us to showcase this great facility to a national stage.
As County Prothonotary I see how bi-partisanship has helped the County move forward, I ask the Republicans on Council to adopt the same view of many elected County officials and put politics aside and put the public first.
Sincerely,
Mark Levy
Chair
Plymouth Township Democratic Committee
September 12, 2008
Upping the ante in a state House race that Montgomery County Democrats think they can win, Frank Custer (D-Upper Gwynedd) has been calling on state Rep. Kate Harper (R-Lower Gwynedd) to either resign from her 61st Legislative District seat or stop working side jobs as a municipal attorney.
Aside from representing the district since 2000, Harper also works as a paid solicitor for Upper Moreland Township, Hatfield Borough Council, and the Milford Township Zoning Board. Custer says this has caused her to miss key votes and argues that Harper is shortchanging district taxpayers.
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August 25, 2008
Welcome!
August 21, 2008
COURTHOUSE - Democratic state House candidate Frank X. Custer Wednesday blasted Republican incumbent state Rep. Catherine "Kate" Harper for allegedly putting her bank account ahead of her constituents.
Harper, a lawyer who is seeking re-election to a fifth two-year term in the 61st District, missed "key" evening and night votes in Harrisburg to return to the area to fulfill her duties as solicitor of the Upper Moreland Board of Commissioners, according to Custer.
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August 8, 2008
WHITEMARSH - The Whitemarsh Board of Supervisors appointed a new member Thursday evening, filling the vacant spot left following the resignation of former supervisor Jean McLenigan last month.
Robert Hart, a lawyer and adjunct professor at Chestnut Hill College, will take over for McLenigan's for the next three and a half months. There will be a special election in November, in which Hart would have to run if he wishes to serve out the full term until 2010.
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