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Press Release
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Ed Oswald, Jr. for Borough Council
108 Thomas Place
Sinking Spring, PA 19608
http://www.oswaldforcouncil.com
vote@oswaldforcouncil.com
BOROUGH DEMOCRAT ANNOUNCES INTENTION TO RUN FOR COUNCIL SEAT ON PLATFORM OF ACCOUNTABILITY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND ACTION
Sinking Spring, PA -- February 21, 2009 -- Near-lifelong borough resident Ed Oswald, Jr. announced his candidacy for a borough council seat in Sinking Spring borough on the Democratic ticket today at the monthly meeting of the Berks County Democratic Committee.
A 30-year-old technology journalist by profession, Ed was motivated to take the step into public life by the successful campaign of President Barack Obama, who called upon the younger generation to rise up to the challenges of our country.
Ed’s reasons for running extend beyond answering our President’s call to service, however. Coming from a working class background, he understands the challenges that borough residents are facing in today’s tough economy. In fact, he was one of the millions who lost their jobs last year as a result of the downturn.
“I know what people are going through, because I have lived it myself,” Ed explains. “This is valuable experience because too often politicians are detached from their constituents, and in turn govern less effectively.”
He is also troubled by some of the recent actions by some members of Borough Council. Ed argues that some Council have not lived up to proper standards of accountability. In a September council meeting, it was revealed that several board members have overstepped their authority and broke the voter’s trust.
When asked to identify who the offending members are, Council protected its own. Ed finds these actions reprehensible, and believes that voters have a right to know who is committing this unethical behavior so they may be held accountable.
But that’s not all. Council again failed to keep the best interests of the Borough in mind when it passed a massive 114 percent increase in sewer rates for upgrades to the sewage plant. While the upgrades may have been necessary, raising rates so dramatically at a time of economic distress is foolish and puts a strain on everyone, Ed argues.
In one case, a borough landlord says his sewer bill is now three times that of his water bill, and he fears his tenants will not be able to afford the rent increases he must pass on as a result.
“There’s no reason why Council could not have taken more time to investigate other options, including asking for a delay with the state and even investigating the option to ask for money under the recently passed federal stimulus, which has money in it for state and local projects,” he said.
Besides better accountability, Ed also plans to make government work for residents of Sinking Spring and taking action on several issues to improve the quality of life within the borough. Among his biggest priorities in his first term would be to improve the system of communication between borough residents and their government, starting work on planned traffic flow enhancements to Penn Avenue, and promoting efforts to bring union-friendly employers into the borough, thus ensuring residents have the opportunity to work for those willing to pay fair wages.
“It’s time to get to work,” Ed concluded. “There is a lot that can, and will, be done.”