Faith, Family, Freedom and Constitutional Government are four of the fundamental beliefs which I use to guide my perspective on serving the public.
I believe the people elect their representatives in government. Government should be accountable, transparent, confined to the responsibility given to them, and respect the rights afforded to each individual.
In my role as County Commissioner, I will make all of my decisions from this single guiding principle: Fayette County First.
County commissioners have actual power; however, the power of a county commissioner is limited.
I will abide by the limit of my powers. Prior to voting for any new county policies, expenditures, contracts or regulations, I will be asking:
Good government starts with knowing what government should and should not do.
I will stand up to anyone seeking to use county government to violate the rights of legal gun owners.
The commissioners are not responsible for writing state and federal gun laws; however, the county government is not to be used to put up barriers for law-abiding citizens who own guns.
I will oppose any county policy that goes beyond what the county has authority to do or places an unreasonable burden upon legal gun owners.
Additionally, I will ensure that the county’s facilities, policies, and contracts are in compliance with The Pennsylvania State Constitution
“The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned.”
County commissioners control funding for all county facilities, provide emergency services, coordinate county agencies’ activities and establish county budgets.
Using this authority, I plan to support public safety in a responsible manner. This includes working with the
As a county commissioner, my responsibility is to ensure that the county government is a reliable partner to law enforcement agencies and that taxpayers’ money is spent wisely.
County government has many responsibilities when it comes to administering elections, and I intend to fulfill these responsibilities with seriousness.
When it comes to mail-in ballots, I will require compliance with all Pennsylvania laws regarding this method of voting and the procedures established by the counties’ boards of elections.
This includes compliance with all aspects of Pennsylvania Law concerning:
Pennsylvania requires county election boards to adhere to specific procedures for mail-in and absentee ballots, including a statutory receipt deadline and procedures related to the processing of such ballots.
My position on these issues is quite simple: follow the law as written. I will not support ignoring requirements simply because they are inconvenient, nor will I support inventing additional requirements that Pennsylvania law does not authorize.
All valid ballots should be counted. All invalid ballots should be dealt with pursuant to Pennsylvania Law. And every voter should feel confident that Fayette County is administering the same rules consistently to everyone.
Election integrity relies upon
As Commissioner, this is the standard I will expect.
The commissioners have authority over all
Taxpayers should be able to clearly see how the county makes these types of choices.
As commissioner I would work towards improving the availability of this type of information to the general public. I believe that there are many areas where we could improve transparency including:
I will not agree to any type of Voluntary Non-Disclosure Agreements (VNDAs) that limit my ability to talk about the work of government with those who elected me.
However, if some piece of information is confidential due to a legal requirement then I will adhere to that requirement.
Elected officials should never make things secret just because it is easier for them to do so.
One Standard for All!
No one’s ability to get a contract from the county; an appointment with the county; a grant from the county; or public resources from the county should be determined by how well they know someone in politics.
As a Commissioner, I would expect the county to make its decisions based upon
Therefore, when making a decision about whether or not to approve a contract, appointment, grant, etc., I would ask myself:
Political donors, friends, supporters, opponents, and ordinary residents should all be treated under the same rules.
For me, Fayette County First is about using the authority of the Commissioner’s Office responsibly. It is about:
Because I will always serve WE THE PEOPLE!