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Vidmer Decision has Profound Impact
Posted 1-15-1999
The recent announcement by my colleague, Dick Vidmer, that he will not seek
re-election, is significant for a number of reasons and it will have a profound impact on
county politics. It is significant, because it is not very often that there is a true open
seat for County Commissioner. When I was elected in 1995, it was the first time since John
Regoli in 1975, that a Democratic Commissioner was elected without first receiving an
appointment to the position.
When John Regoli won in 1975 he unseated
Dorothy Shope. Mrs. Shope had unseated the late Bernard Scherer in 1971. Judge Scherer was
elected in 1967 along with Jim Kelley. So unless they ran for an open seat, or open seats,
it was at least 1967 or earlier, that there was an open seat for Democratic County
Commissioner. Why is an open seat so significant? For one thing, it is much different
competing for an open seat that trying to replace someone with the power of incumbency
behind them. I know, because a lot of political doors were closed to me as a challenger
and I had to mobilize people outside the traditional spectrum of county politics to work
for me. Also, open seats tend to bring out more candidates. It remains to be seen if Dick
Vidmer's announcement brings more people into the race. At this point, besides myself,
candidates that are running are Latrobe Mayor Jim Gebicki, Prothonatary Ron Diehl, and
Municipal Authority employee Tom Ceraso. I haven't heard of any other Democrats.
The dynamics of this election will be
interesting. While my record is certainly fair game, it will be interesting to see if
candidates challenge my record, or focus on their qualifications for the open seat. It may
become more of a popularity contest with each candidate attempting to show why they are
the most qualified for the job without really mentioning each other. In 1995, I had to run
with a combination of pointing out the incumbents' shortcomings while offering a positive
alternative. I didn't want to be too negative and not offer anything positive about
myself. My record as an incumbent is certainly an issue and I intend to offer credible
reasons why people should vote for me again, or for the first time.
The difficulty for challengers is to offer
something from their experience that makes them qualified to run a $200 million operation.
Believe me, little prepares one for the challenges of the job. The danger is making too
many promises that are impossible to keep. That is why in 1995, remember that I simply
promised to work hard, to try to minimize the burden of taxes, and to face the tough
problems that challenge county government. I think I've done that so far, and intend to
keep campaign promises along those lines again. In 1995, I had to show that my private and
public sector experiences were good preparation for the job of County Commissioner. I can
now offer voters my record of trying to keep the size of government from growing, and
holding the line on spending and taxes. I've worked to shut down inefficient programs like
the Waste-to-Energy Plant, implemented managed care for inmate health care to save money,
and worked to have county government more effectively acquire goods and services.
Dick Vidmer's announcement may not have
come as a big surprise to the other candidates but it is historic in that it ensures a
race for an open seat. That phenomenon is something that doesn't happen often in county
politics. It should make for an interesting race in 1999, and one in that I hope voters
take a keen interest. The stakes are extremely high as we prepare for a new millenium and
we are at a time when Westmoreland County is poised to grow and county government must be
effectively managed.
The race for County Commissioner should be
exciting and challenging. In this section of my web site I will attempt to keep you
updated on how the campaign evolves. Stay tuned, the road to May 18th and then November
2nd is just beginning and though it may get bumpy, it will be a lot of fun. |
