HERMITAGE Development is key for candidates

New leadership and creation of jobs are other concerns the candidates have.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- It's years of experience in city government vs. some new blood in the race to fill three city commissioner posts in the Nov. 4 election.
Incumbents Joseph Augustine, Bill Scanlon and Pat White all won party nominations in the May primary and are being challenged by William Finzel, a former city employee, Duane J. Piccirilli, a Hermitage school director, and Chuck Nelson, a businessman who once tried to file a complaint against the city for violating its own sign ordinance.
Augustine did not respond to The Vindicator's requests for a candidate r & eacute;sum & eacute;.
White, a 20-year city veteran, said he is running again to help with the successful, controlled growth the city has experienced over the last 15 years.
No big issues
There are no significant issues facing the city, he said, noting the commissioners haven't raised taxes in 12 years, yet continue to provide good services and end each year with a sufficient fund balance.
Scanlon, who's served on the board 36 years, said he wants to return to continue the economic development of a planned technical park on South Hermitage Road in which the city is a partner.
Scanlon said economic development to create jobs that pay more than minimum wage continues to be an issue for him. The city needs to foster that development to keep young people from leaving the area seeking better employment elsewhere, he said.
Piccirilli said he thinks it's time for a change in city government.
Hermitage needs to be more proactive in its efforts to increase the number of businesses in the town and must also address the issue of a growing number of empty commercial buildings.
Reduction in business?
The local business environment is a key issue in the campaign, Piccirilli said, suggesting that the city is being faced with a reduction in business in the area.
Nelson is also calling for new leadership, claiming the city is falling behind on development and is becoming a retirement community. The city has hampered new development by creating "nuisance ordinances" that contain more government regulations and make it difficult for businesses to get zoning variances, he said.
He said his experience in starting and successfully running a business for 28 years and his success as a equity trader in the stock market make him qualified to serve as a city commissioner.
The city needs to manage taxpayers' dollars better and increase its revenues through business growth and more employment that provides bigger paychecks, Nelson said.