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Candidates Night Truth Squad

At candidate's night on May 7, Ed laid out his policies in front of residents and council. He stood up for our revitalization effort and progress in Sinking Spring, and laid out in no uncertain terms his commitment to honesty, integrity and accountability. He spoke on behalf of residents angry over the sewer rate increase. He also took on the current failings of council.

Obviously some took Ed's comments personally. Before his words are twisted, we wanted to present to you more detailed responses to some of the attacks and misrepresentations brought forth by certain candidates and members of Council that could not be elaborated in the time given on Candidate's Night.

Q. Are you really a resident of Sinking Spring?

A. "This was one of the most ridiculous attacks of the night. Council President Stewart Weinrich in questioning insinuated that my residency was not in the borough long enough to be eligible to sit on council. This is patently false. I have paid the per capita tax for 2009. It is true I spent a good deal of time in Philadelphia and not in the borough. Previous to that, I was too young to pay per capita tax.

It's true that I'm young, but attempting to attack me on the basis of residency is somewhat amusing. I will have fufilled the one year requirement as a resident in January 2010, the day I take office. The point is moot."

Q. Did you really call council irresponsible?

A. "Yes, I did. Council was irresponsible for allowing the Sewer plant to operate at a loss for so long. Again Mr. Weinrich attempted to criticize me for this comment, but in followup questions we learned that this rate increase would have had to happen anyway regardless of the mandated upgrades or not.

It is irresponsible for Council to wait this long and put a lump increase at once. His reasoning that "it costs only a $1 per day to flush your toilet" is skirting the issue. It doesn't matter what other boroughs are paying. We're talking about ourselves here. What other muncipalities are doing or charging is irrelevant.

Council also failed to explain themselves when it came to raising rates. People are in the dark. It was almost ironic that one of the pieces of communication during the general meeting was from an angry resident talking about -- you guessed it -- the sewer rate increase. His words mirrored mine.

People have jobs. Some can't sit in a two-hour meeting for their own reasons. Using the excuse that people should have come to meetings and said something as a reason for why the public is to blame for not knowing is also pretty irresponsible too."

Q. Are you advocating joining Spring Township?

A. "ABSOLUTELY NOT. Where Republican council candidate Dennis Leiby came up with this is beyond me. No one ever said this. Like other candidates participating in the forum, I agree that partnerships with bordering municipalities on anything SHOULD be on the table. These are trying times. I'm afraid that Mr. Leiby and others with ties to the sewer authority in this election have other agendas they wish to push.

Borough sovereignty is a big issue for me. It also fits into my strong support for the revitalization effort. This gentleman will list all the things he's against, but he seems to not realize that such a platform will drive us into the waiting arms of Spring if we choose to follow it.

That is beyond unacceptable."

Q. What is your position on sewer rate increases?

A. "I will vote against any further increase at this time. Until I see concrete evidence that another method, including possible partial privitization or leasing would not save the borough and residents money, my position stands the same. It is the position of our residents. We want answers, and the lip service that seems to be going on here isn't enough."