Rough Notes from Montco Commissioners Debate

Montgomery County Commissioner Candidate Debate 5/23/2007
Penn State Abington, sponsored by the Rydal Meadowbrook Civic Association

These are my notes from the first Montgomery County commissioner candidates’ debate. I hoped to have more links to background articles but they are proving hard to find on the free internet. Let me look more over the weekend and maybe there will be a post just on that later. As always, these are rough notes and I apologize for any errors or misinterpretations. There were two cameras present so hopefully the debate will air at some point and you can watch for yourselves.

The Intelligencer’s take on the debate (“Candidates stake their turf,” by Jacob Fenton) is available online.

Penn State Abington is a beautiful campus which believes not only in landscaping and good on-campus signage but also has signs along the street leading to special event parking.

Association President Jim Carroll presided over a brief business meeting, noting that the organization has been in existence 59 years and is the oldest consecutively operating civic association Pennsylvania. Former association president Julie Greenbaum pointed out elected officials, former officials, and candidates in the audience. It is a long list and has not been included, for fear of leaving someone out or getting the spelling wrong. At the county level, Democrat Peter Amuso (www.peteramuso.com) and Republican Risa Vetri Ferman (www.risaferman.com), candidates for district attorney, Democratic prothonotary candidate Mark Levy and treasurer candidate KC Carolina were present.

State Representative and Deputy Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, not to mention Rydal resident Josh Shapiro (D-153) spoke briefly. He gave a brief outline and what was voted on in the House today (budget) and mentioned talking recently with the lt gov of South Carolina.

Larry Kane moderated the event. He said the county had four outstanding candidates. On the Republican side incumbent Jim Matthews is joined by current district attorney Bruce Castor (www.matthewscastor.com). The Democrats are fielding incumbent Ruth Damsker and former congressman and county commissioner Joe Hoeffel (www.votedamskerhoeffel.com). Kane addressed a question to one of the four and allowed the other three to comment if they wished. There was a lightning round at the end.

Question for Hoeffel: Do we need county commissioners with all the other department heads and staff in the county?

H: County commissioners are like chief executives with legislative and policy making authority. Half of the county budget goes to human services. There are other matters such as planning and environmental cleanups.

D: Montgomery is the third largest county in the commonwealth with an annual budget of $600 million. One third of the budget comes from real estate taxes the rest from grants from the federal government.

Question for Matthews: Is there waste in the government?

M: doesn’t see it. It takes two months to review budgetary requests. Likes the idea of three commissioners not one, a lot of economy is pursued at commissioner meetings

Question for Castor: Did you always get the money you asked for from the county?

C: Yes, got the money asked for. There are other practical things the commissioners do, such as roads, bridges, prisons. The county government runs relatively well.

Question for Matthews: property tax reassessment?

M: no, the expense of reassessing is substantial, around $16 million

D: Damsker and Hoeffel have no plans for reassessment. Among their priorities is transparency in government.

C: Damsker announced on a tv show that she was in favor of reassessment. Castor and Matthews are opposed.

H: No on reassessment. Taxpayers don’t want it nor do he and Damsker. The chairmen of the board of assessment appeals is the co-chair of the Matthews / Castor campaign.

Q for Damsker: Should the county get involved in local zoning or planning matters?

D: Zoning is a local issue then submitted to the county planning commission. Traffic and congestion are frequent problems. We need smart growth.

C: As DA? [LK: No, as county commissioner] There are planning committees. The commissioners might get involved as mediators.

H: It can be helpful for elected leaders to help community groups especially where industry has more money and lawyers. The county planning commission is nonpartisan and a good group.

M: County government is up to its neck in development in Abington. He initiated a new county comprehensive plan with plans for growth. Commissioner advise local planning groups. For instance, in Abington there are many good things going on but the township needs more work on riparian buffers and historic preservation plans. [LK has to cut him off because of time constraints.]

Q for Castor: bidding process

C: We should choose what is best for the county, look at price and the quality of the work. Let the county row officer chose what is best. Refers to the forensic lab bid and says there are a lot of broken hearts in lab murder cases and they shouldn’t be broken further.

H: look at price, qualifications, best value. The county is not consistently using a bid process for professional services. Castor referred to the labs bid. That decision was flawed. Castor says the he was not aware of the bad process used and Hoeffel believes him. There should be an RFP process and the commissioners should hold the purse strings.

M: If it is such a flawed system why are we paying the same property taxes we paid in 2002? There has been a unanimous vote on every RFP for the last 7 years.

D: Matthews referenced the Xpand contract. She did vote for it but was not aware of secret meetings. [Something about a lawsuit with commissioners Matthews and Ellis subpoenaed and emails and the county solicitor]. She learned about this from a reporter.

Q for Hoeffel: property tax reassessment

H: No. He wants to reinstate the ban of campaign activity by [lists offices] and again mentions the chairman of the board of assessment appeals being co-chair of the Matthews / Castor campaign.

C: Quotes from an article on Damsker and reassessment. When Hoeffel was last in office he approved reassessment.

D: She was tax collector in Cheltenham in 1997/98 and understands the confusion people have. In 2004 Matthews said 2009 would be a good time to reassess.

M: Provides a long list of accomplishments and we are talking about secret meetings. Damsker had a question and when it was answered she voted on XPand.

Q for Mathews on regional planning

M: Has worked since 6/04 to get several townships, such as Upper Moreland, Hatboro, Abington, and Jenkintown, the Eastern Corridor group, to work together. They have $160,000 from Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission to do a regional plan, especially of the 611 area. He has already called Michael Nutter and can work with Nutter.

H: We need regionalism, need to improve SEPTA. We will find Michael Nutter willing to work with the counties. Traffic is a concern. The steps Matthews has taken are good. We need to do more with open space and trails.

C: He formed a regional task force to serve warrants. Tells Matthews that if he is the victim of secret meetings and has been bugged to let him know [reference to John Street office bug]. Says Damsker called him a criminal.

D: Never said the DA was a criminal. She talked about the process. The county solicitor said there were gaping holes in the contract process. Back to regionalism. She agrees with what everyone has said. Emergency services are working regionally.

Q for Damsker: will you pledge not to raise taxes?

D: Yes, keep taxes low in ’08 and lower taxes. Put into place an inspector general.

C: That would be another salary, another secretary, another typewriter. Going back, the county commissioner [Damsker] has written to the Attorney General that the DA [Castor] is a criminal.

H: The letter to the Attorney General didn’t call anyone a criminal, but referred to the RFP that went out on Castor’s letterhead. The bids were rigged. The DA is thin-skinned. Every large government has an inspector general.

M: Looks back whimsically to three months ago when they had a collegial government, and 3% unemployment. Now were are being told about increasing government reform. The votes were unanimous. They were informed votes. Now they are being questioned.

Q for Castor, are you thin-skinned?

C: After 23 years in the courtroom you can’t be thin-skinned. The letter went out from the coroner and the DA. The section of the letter about geographic requirements was in the coroner’s part. Commissioner Damsker has a lot to answer for.

D: She asked for an investigation from the Attorney General on the lobbying contract and did the same on the lab contract. The lab is a good lab but the process was bad. The DA’s office has only used one lab.

M: It’s the season, politics. These are all created issues.

H: The controversy was first raised by Republican County Controller Eric Kretschman. Castor says he didn’t know about the geographic requirement limiting the bid to only firms in Montgomery County and Hoeffel believes him.

Lightning Round

Q for Hoeffel, are you ashamed of anything you’ve done?

H: Not that I’m willing to talk about

Q for Damsker, if you and Hoeffel both win, which of the Republicans would you want for minority commissioner?

D: pleased to serve with either

M: same, don’t care

C: If the Democrats win he wants Matthews to the be minority commissioner

Q for Castor, are you angry about the controversy on the lab bid?

C: Yes, angry that the lab that has solved all these crimes is being wronged

Q for Castor, will you serve a full term if elected?

C: Giving considerable thought to never running for anything again

Q for Matthews, you resemble President Bush, is that a problem?

M: No

Q for Damsker, Politics is tough and you are all good candidates, is it hard to pick on them?

D: No we are not picking on individuals.

Q for Damsker, is there a difference between Republicans and Democrats?

D: yes!

Q for Hoeffel, why you?

H: He has a commitment to Montgomery County, wants open honest government in the county. We’re the outsiders.

M: Only veteran of the four candidates, ran a business, met payroll, didn’t run for office until age 50, likes the job.

D: was a social worker, good background as half of the county’s budget goes to human services, can accomplish things

C: lived in the county his whole life, grew up in Baederwood, still teaches Sunday School there. The population of the county has doubled because people like it here. Let’s not have change for change’s sake.

LK: We have four fantastic candidates

For further information:

“Montco controller to review county contracts,” Diane Marczely Gimple, Morning Call 3/30/07 (on forensic labs)