WAKE UP FAYETTE COUNTY! This is a must-read article concerning the fact that two of our County Commissioners are trying to literally SHOVE a new $30+Million prison down our throats without involving the public in the decision, via a referendum. The Commissioners do not want public input, yet want the public to pay for it! Your tax dollars are at stake. My wife and I have attended many Commissioners Meetings and are completely appalled at how little regard is given to public views, especially by Ambrosini. We are trying to bring public awareness to what is going on locally and nationally. Fayette County Residents Pursue Ballot Referendum In Prison Matter Posted: Friday, January 24, 2014 2:00 am By Patty Yauger pyauger@heraldstandard | 0 comments As President Abraham Lincoln stood overlooking the graves at the National Cemetery at Gettysburg in November 1863, he spoke of the sacrifice of those who had died fighting so that the nation might live. “...we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth,” he said in concluding the dedication speech. To Dr. Evelyn Hovanec and many others, the sentiment expressed by Lincoln has been lost in the past 150 years. However, a group of residents is seeking to restore “that government of the people” and allow Fayette County residents to have a stronger voice in the decision-making process and how their tax dollars are spent. Over the past several months, Hovanec of North Union Township, Ralph and Jerrie Mazza of Vanderbilt, John Cofchin of Uniontown, David Show of Hopwood and John Buchanan of Chalk Hill, have worked with other residents and the county election bureau to formulate a referendum ballot question that could, if supported by voters, halt the construction of a new prison. A majority of commissioners has agreed to replace the current 125-year-old lockup with a newly constructed prison at an estimated cost of $30 million. The location of the facility has yet to be approved. While the ballot question must meet stringent guidelines and be legally-based, there is little guidance for those hoping to garner support for a public initiative through the referendum process. “I’ve even resorted to reading the Pennsylvania constitution for guidance,” said Hovanec, adding that subsequent laws oftentimes are confusing to those who have no legal background. “(The local referendum) is going to be a major test case and tell us whether people truly have a voice in their government.” The concern and basis for the referendum is that two commissioners — Al Ambrosini and Vincent Zapotosky — are moving forward with the costly construction without consideration of the will of the general public, Hovanec added. “This is not political or have anything to do with politics,” she said, noting that the referendum committee is comprised of those affiliated with the Republican and Democratic parties, the Tea Party and an Independent. “This is about the rights of the people to have a say in their government and what they are willing to pay.” The committee and those who are supporting the referendum are not opposed to addressing the problems of the prison, but do not believe a costly, new lockup is the answer. “They have problems; that’s clear,” she said. “If the elected officials would have gone about this in a different way, all of this would not have happened. “They should have involved the people from the beginning, because they would have known we don’t have the kind of money they are going to need.” Hovanec alleges that Ambrosini and Zapotosky, along with others who are in support of a new prison have inflated figures and employed scare tactics to convince the general public a new prison is needed. “The statements made that the (state Department of Corrections) is going to close our prison are not true,” she said. “I’ve called them, and they have said they do not have the authority to close our prison.” Hovanec said that those once afraid to speak out or who held the belief that their opinion did not matter are rallying around the referendum because they are concerned about the long-range impact to their personal finances and the county coffers. The committee is finalizing the referendum question that is required to be answered by a “yes” or “no” by the voter. The next step is to collect a minimum of 950 signatures and then present the documentation to the county election board for consideration of its inclusion on the May ballot. The committee is coordinating its efforts to reach every municipality. Only registered voters are permitted to sign the petition. Hovanec acknowledged that it will be an uphill battle to have the referendum questioned approved as Ambrosini and Zapotosky, supporters of the prison project, and Commissioner Angela M. Zimmerlink, who has cast dissenting votes in all new prison related measures, are the members of the election board. Whether the committee is successful will be gauged by the participation in the process, not necessarily by the outcome, said Hovanec. “I am going to be optimistic in believing they will allow it to be on the ballot and let the people decide,” she said. “The outcome may prove us wrong and the majority of the people are supportive. The only thing I want to know is what the people think.” While signing the petition is important, Hovanec said casting a ballot is moreso. “It is crucial that people get out and vote,” she said, noting that public participation in government is vital. “You have to start somewhere, and this is where we are going to start,” said Hovanec. “This is our first attempt to get everyone in Fayette County to recognize that the county and its government can only be as good as its people.”
Posted on: Thu, 30 Jan 2014 15:06:50 +0000
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