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Home > Blogs > West Chester News and Issues > Archives > 2009 > October > 15 > Entry
Candidates oppose incorporation
I attended the candidate forum last night, Oct. 14, sponsored by the West Chester Chamber Alliance, and the most intriguing question (of 10) was likely the first, which inquired about each person’s position on incorporation.
There were some other aspects that I plan on detailing in this space later, but for now, here’s the resulting story.
Did you attend the forum? What did you think?
Each of the eight candidates vying for two seats on the West Chester Twp. Board of Trustees who participated in a candidates forum Wednesday, Oct. 14, expressed their opposition to the local hot-button issue of 2009.
The night began with perhaps the most intriguing question: Whether West Chester should become a city.
The Committee for West Chester kicked off its campaign for incorporation — or “cityhood” — in June, and representatives say they are continuing to fulfill the first step in the process, which is to gather the nearly 4,500 signatures needed to place the issue on the ballot. Organizers say they are seeking to have the issue before voters during the 2010 Primary.
Although it’s an effort that must be citizen-driven, and cannot be manifested by a township trustee board, according to state law, each of the candidates was quizzed Wednesday about where they stood.
And in at least one candidate’s case, that position has changed.
“I think it’s sad that we have eight would-be trustees responding to the question about whether or not there should be trustees in the future,” said Bill Zerkle, who is spearheading the incorporation effort. “It’s also interesting that we had some candidates who supported it.”
That support “seems to be seasonal,” Zerkle added.
Incumbent Lee Wong, who is seeking his second consecutive term, said late Wednesday he initially supported the idea of incorporation, even though he’s maintained the effort should be completely guided by residents.
But along the campaign trail, Wong said his perspective changed as he began hearing what he called a growing opposition to cityhood.
“I do what the people want,” Wong said after the forum. “And from the people I’ve talked to, they don’t want it.”
Most candidates said they would not support incorporation outright, while some suggested poor timing for the issue.
Candidate Joseph Mansour, who said throughout the night he had ideas for restructuring how the township conducts its business, was more direct, saying he would hire an attorney to fight incorporation.
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Comments
By not a clue
October 15, 2009 1:54 PM | Link to this
I’m surprised when candidates say they are opposed to higher taxes yet promote the idea of a “JEDD” or Joint Economic Development District, which is nothing more than a way of adding an income tax on workers. It’s quite clear that many of the candidates don’t have a clue how small decisions can adversely affect a large number of people.
By Catherine
October 17, 2009 11:27 AM | Link to this
Apparently Not A Clue is not aware that the thousand or so GE employees moving to the West Chester JEDD district are paying LESS INCOME TAXES than they were paying in Springdale. Their local income tax was REDUCED, not added or increased.
By expert witness
October 17, 2009 4:17 PM | Link to this
Only a politician such as Catherine Stoker’s comments above would believe any tax is a good tax. Let’s watch how the trustees spend the tax money generated by the GE JEDD. Maybe on a community center disguised as a “Multi-Generational-Gathering Place as hinted at by Stoker & Miller. Last year Mason’s rec center LOST $2 million.