Since the investigative reporting by the Times Herald on Parkhouse came out yesterday, I have received perhaps two dozen or more communications beginning with some variation of I didnt know that ...[fill in the blank] We had all sorts of public meetings, posted things on our website, even had maps and charts to hand out. We wrote letters to the editor and gave lots of press interviews. We listened to the concerns of the people who live at the facility, their loved ones, and the county employees who work there. The residents of Parkhouse wanted to know their care would be as good or better, they would still have their own nurse or doctor (even their own beautician!). Their family members wanted to be sure grandma and grandpa would be happy. The people working there were worried over their jobs, seniority, pay, benefits etc. The public wanted to know about access for recreation and worried over the ground being turned into townhouses or Walmart. School district residents hoped Parkhouse on the tax rolls again would lower their taxes. (It just might!) We worked through each of these concerns (and others) and now we have reduced our debt, ended the loss of $5 million per year as expenses outstripped revenue, made certain Parkhouse residents, their families, and our (former) staff will all benefit. Preserved a 70 acre park with upgrades coming with state funds secured by GOP Chair and local State Rep. for the area Mike Vereb (when you see Mike, thank him), limited development to a small portion only to enhance the service of the facility. Made certain that disadvantaged people needing a place to go in the twilight of their years will still have access (a point I was particularly keen to see maintained). All the while, placing into the hands of the Upper Providence government all the power to govern their township as they see fit. No longer do people in that area have to worry about the three commissioners in Norristown deciding the future of a large swath of their pristine area. (After all, we saw not too long ago the damage a single renegade county commissioner can do!) In fact, the great damage inflicted in the county by the last administration also was uncovered by the Times Herald after years of lies, misinformation and distortions had taken root which the former commissioners thought gave them carte blanche to do as they pleased. But as it turned out, facts are stubborn things, and when the people learn the facts, and that they were lied to, they tend to react negatively. Anyway, as I said previously, I do not believe that those who publicly led the opposition to the Parkhouse sale are bad people. I think they are well-meaning and capable men and women who simply did not have all the facts. Some, I believe were (are?) unwitting pawns in a power struggle within the Republican Party. (Dont we EVER learn?) What could be MORE Republican than shrinking government, reducing debt and maybe even property tax, preserving public access to beautiful open areas, providing for the underprivileged and putting local governments in charge of their own areas by decentralizing government power and returning it to the people? While political considerations never entered the discussions, now that it is over, isnt this textbook what we Republicans stand for? I think it is. Smaller government, lower debt, lower taxes, local government control, a social safety net, and a willingness to work across party lines while maintaining GOP core values. THAT is what I think being a Republican government official is all about. And THAT is on display here.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 15:37:50 +0000
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