Lower Allen Web Log

As I've written here before, I support Cumberland County Commissioner Rick Rovegno's call for regular county-wide property tax reassessment because it equalizes the tax rates while making sure property owners cannot artificially appeal their rates down to a lower amount due a common level ratio (CLR) below 0.85.

Commissioners Bruce Barclay and Gary Eichelberger feel instead that assessing every four years is unnecessary. They have overturned the four-year assessment cycle implemented by the preceding board, and, after taking flak about their decision, have empaneled (Link) a group of county citizens to study the issue.

As The Patriot-News pointed out last week, though, the possible political expediency of having the panel's report released after the November general election can not be ignored.

So, figuring that where there's smoke, maybe there's fire, I set out to look into the citizens named to the study panel. If any of the information here is shown to be wrong, please let me know as soon as possible.

Michael Green

• Monroe Township resident
• Realtor with The Homestead Group, Inc.
• Republican, voted in 11 of the last 12 primary and general elections
• Value of nearest home recently sold: $184,500 (2007)

Alan T. Vandrew

• Upper Allen Township resident
• Assistant to the Superintendent of the Mechanicsburg Area School District
• Republican, voted in 9 of the last 12 primary and general elections
• Value of nearest home recently sold: $220,000 (2005)

Don Geistwhite Jr.

• Middlesex Township resident
• Elected Township Supervisor; board member, Capital Area Transportation; board member, Members First Federal Credit Union; member, Middlesex Municipal Authority; member, Cumberland County Transportation Authority; member, Cumberland County Tourism Committee; co-owns and operates Geistwhite Grading and Contracting; owns and operates Carlisle Car and Driver Services of Carlisle
• Republican, voted in 12 of the last 12 primary and general elections
• Value of nearest home recently sold: $159,900 (2006)

Harry Snyder

• Dickinson Township Resident
• Wolfe and Shearer Realtors
• Republican, voted in 10 of the last 12 primary and general elections
• Value of nearest home recently sold: $340,000 (2005)

Don Paul Shearer

• Wormleysburg resident
• Owner Don Paul Shearer, Inc., real estate appraiser; statewide Gubernatorial Campaign Manager, former State Senator Henry Hager, 1978; statewide Campaign Director, former State Supreme Court Justice Thomas W. Pomery, Jr., 1969; Campaign Manager, former U.S. Congressman George A. Goodling (19th-Pa.), 1968; Regional Director, U.S. Senator John Heinz, 1976; Regional Director, John Anderson for President, 1980; state Chairman, Young Republicans of Pennsylvania, 1970-1972; past Treasurer & Director, Camp Hill Jaycees; alternate delegate, Republican National Convention, 1972.
• Republican, voted in 11 of the last 12 primary and general elections
• Value of nearest home recently sold: Unavailable

Bruce Seagrist

• Lower Allen Township resident
• Principal, McKonly & Asbury; West Shore Chamber of Commerce Board member, chairs Economic Development Committee, represents Chamber on Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation's Board of Directors
• Republican, voted in 9 of the last 12 primary and general elections
• Value of nearest home recently sold: $185,000, (2002)

Charlene Vees

• Lower Allen Township resident
• Financial consultant, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company or Wienken & Associates
• Democrat, voted in 6 of the last 12 primary and general elections
• Value of nearest home recently sold: $146,000 (2006)

So that's seven panel members, with six Republicans and a Democrat. I know Dems are outnumbered more than two to one in the county, but I have to think Commissioners Barclay and Eichelberger could have found a couple more Democrats with the requisite experience to serve.

Forget political labels for a second. Only one panel member lives west of Carlisle. You have a group of citizens making recommendations about an entire county, and they live and work in less than half of it.

Are their meetings being held in public? Are they subject to the same Sunshine requirements as elected boards? How many panel members donated to Barclay or Eichelberger's campaigns? Who is watching? Who cares?

As LAT Manager Tom Vernau lamented on his Manager's Blog lately:

"...For some time now the Township staff has been trying to broaden communication with the residents, and has sought input on a variety of topics through newsletter surveys, with varying degrees of success. Some folks like giving their two cents, so we'll continue asking. Hopefully more of you will start answering. You can lead people to participative government, but you can't make them drink...."

It's time for somebody who can do something about this to start asking questions. And it's time for all of us to demand answers.