MERCER COUNTY 8 Republicans, 4 Dems vie for nominations to commission

Increases in property taxes the past two years are a concern for many in the race.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
MERCER, Pa. -- The decision by two of Mercer County's three incumbent commissioners not to seek re-election this year prompted a large number of candidates to enter Tuesday's primary.
There are eight Republicans and four Democrats vying for two nominations in each party. Election law prohibits more than two members of the board being from the same political party.
Republicans Gene Brenneman and Kenneth Seamans (the latter an appointee in November 2001 to fill a vacancy) chose not to run, but Democrat Olivia M. Lazor, who has held her post since 1992, is seeking another four-year term.
The job takes experience, Lazor said, and she's touting her years of county service in her campaign.
Lazor said she's initiated policy changes that re-engineered departments to reduce redundancy and increase efficiency.
Taxes are big issue
The fact that Mercer County has had two of the largest tax increases in its history in the past two years is also a factor in bringing out new candidates.
The commissioners raised property taxes 36 percent for 2002 and an additional 18.9 percent for 2003. Lazor voted for the first increase but against the second, saying the commissioners had pledged after the 2002 budget not to come back any time soon for another tax increase.
"Inexcusable erratic tax increases" were a factor in prompting Richard P. McMahon of Sharon to enter the race on the Democratic ticket, and Michele Brooks of Jamestown said the public's concern with taxes is a major issue for her as well. She's running as a Republican.
"The burden of government should not be borne on the back of the taxpayers," said George Pokrant of Grove City, another Republican who says taxes are one of his main concerns.
Brian Beader of Hermitage, a Democratic candidate, lists taxes as his first major issue while Atty. Thomas A. Dill of Sharon, a Republican candidate, said his main goal is to bring fiscal responsibility back to the county commissioners' office.
The Rev. Bruce A. Richael of Farrell, another Republican, said the public deserves to have a watchdog over their tax dollars who will serve them with fiscal accountability and responsibility.
Economic development
Joe Phillips, a Republican from Mercer, said economic development, infrastructure improvements and making sure that capital projects have a project manager that pays close attention to the bottom line are the key issues in his campaign.
Declining industry, an aging population, providing basic infrastructure and a declining tax base are the major concerns for Mary A. Buckwalter of Wilmington Township, also a Republican. The county needs to find a way to provide the basic necessities to improve the local economy and infrastructure without overburdening the existing tax base, she said.
Increased efficiency in county government to hold back costs and improve services is a priority, she said. Vital transportation and infrastructure projects should be prioritized and the county should develop a fund balance that will earn interest to help pay for capital projects, she said.
Democrat James T. Kaibas of Hermitage is concerned with rising county expenditures and has been particularly critical of major capital projects' being funded through a $34 million bond issue borrowed by the commissioners.
The courthouse renovation, pegged at about $10 million, could have been done in a more efficient manner, particularly the interior work, Kaibas said.
The proposed new county jail has a cost approaching $18 million and that's only for construction. The operating costs for the larger facility haven't been projected yet but they will have to come out of the county budget, Kaibas said.
Prioritizing
McMahon said that his creative business talents and managerial abilities make him a top candidate for the job of commissioner and that he's learned how to prioritize needs.
He's critical of the stalemate over the completion of the county's Oakland Avenue Viaduct in Sharon and said the county needs to take whatever legal remedies are available to get the project finished.
Jobs are at the top of the priority list for Brooks, who said the county needs to improve its economic structure and that will require open communications between municipal leaders, business leaders and education leaders. The county also needs to work with the state and local development groups to provide "turnkey" sites ready with water, sewer, roads and utilities for new development.
Pokrant ranks jobs and economic growth near the top of his list as well, saying the county needs to provide an environment that is conducive to new and relocating companies and organizations.
The county needs some careful commercial and industrial planning, said Beader, who is particularly concerned about the number of plant closings that have cost jobs. The Interstate 79 and 80 interchange near Mercer Borough needs to be developed to attract business, and there must be a focus on infrastructure across the county to retain businesses and attract new ones, he said.
Dill believes the county needs to explore sources of revenue other than property taxes.
Richael said that taxpayers need a hardworking commissioner they can trust to do his homework before making difficult decisions, and that he can fulfill that requirement.