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Since taking office, Westmoreland County
Commissioner Tom Balya has promoted an agenda of efficient,
responsive, and fiscally conservative county government.
Commissioner Balya was first elected in 1995 and has served as
Chairman of the Board of Commissioners since 2000.
Throughout his tenure Commissioner Balya has
worked to eliminate waste and inefficiencies, while ensuring
quality services. To save county tax dollars, Commissioner Balya
initiated the diversification of the county's pension fund,
closed an inefficient waste-to-energy plant, and introduced
competition among the county's health insurance providers. Under
his leadership, Westmoreland County has maintained an A+ bond
rating.
To better serve county residents, Commissioner
Balya oversaw the development of a new high-band emergency radio
system and the construction of a new Public Safety Building. His
push for an enhanced county web site, with e-services features,
and a new 24/7 Information and Referral line enhances citizens'
access to important government services. Through better use of
technology, Westmoreland County government has fewer employees
today than when Commissioner Balya was first elected.
To better inform citizens about their
government, Commissioner Balya writes a monthly article for the
county's weekly newspapers and conducts the Westmoreland County
Mayors Forum, a quarterly meeting with the county's mayors to
improve dialogue with municipal governments. He is also one of
the founders and co-chairmen of the Westmoreland County Area
Labor Management Committee that promotes improved
labor-management cooperation in order to retain jobs and
encourage private investment.
As Chairman of the Westmoreland County
Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), Commissioner Balya
works to enhance economic development in the county through the
IDC's network of industrial parks. As an executive committee
member and former chairman of the Southwestern Pennsylvania
Commission, he is integrally involved in transportation planning
for the 10-county region of southwestern Pennsylvania.
Commissioner Balya serves on the board of directors of the
Westmoreland Conservation District, Westmoreland Community
Action, and the University of Pittsburgh's Institute of
Politics. He formerly served on the Westmoreland 4H Board of
Directors, the Penn State New Kensington Advisory Board, and as
vice-chairman of the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance.
After nine years as an information systems
consultant in the defense industry in Western Pennsylvania and
in Washington, D.C., Tom managed the campaign of his wife,
Common Pleas Court Judge Debra Pezze. He then worked on
Congressman Ron Klink's campaign and later on the congressman's
staff before running for Westmoreland County Commissioner. Tom
is a graduate of Greensburg-Salem High School and holds both a
bachelor's degree in economics and a master's degree in public
and international affairs from the University of Pittsburgh.
A Westmoreland County native, Tom resides in
Greensburg with his wife and daughters, Maria and Angela. |
