The article “Board hopefuls represent competing camps in primary,” printed in the May 13 Daily Local News, deals with a vital race in the May 21 primary but has some issues, as they say.

The print article says that the “Better Directions” slate of Ricky Swalm, Joyce Chester, Robin Kaliner, and Chris McCune “were endorsed by the Democratic committee, though they are all registered Republicans.”

There were two errors there: the Democratic committee does not “endorse” Republicans (and vice versa) and one of those four is a Democrat.

The online edition (under the title “8 West Chester school board hopefuls represent 2 slates“) changed that quote to:

“Chester, the only registered Democrat is endorsed by the Democratic committee. Though Swalm, Kaliner and McCune are registered Republicans, they received a recommendation from the committee, but cannot be fully endorsed.”

That is a lot better, but a candidate cannot be partly endorsed. The proper term, used by the Dem committee, is “supported.”

For further confusion, the bipartisan group just described and the other four candidates, representing the current board majority (with one substitution for an outgoing board member), are all cross-filed in the primary, meaning that all eight will appear on both ballots on May 21.

Why is this such a mess? Because the whole system of electing school boards is faulty in Pennsylvania–one of only three states to put board candidates on primary ballots. Such a vital community resource as public education should not be part of the business-as-usual political process.

State Senator Andy Dinniman (D-19) and state representative Dan Truitt (R-156) have both filed bills to remove school board elections from the primary ballot. Rather, candidates would get on the November ballot by filing petitions over the summer, with a required number of signatures.

One of the benefits would be to give Independents–20% of the electorate, who currently have virtually zero chance of getting on a school board in our state–a chance to serve.

Finally, the print edition headline’s term “camps” suggests that electing school boards is a military or political maneuver. Rather it should be a chance for voters to mull over a diversity of candidates’ backgrounds and positions on education and our communities’ ability to support education for the common good.

NATHANIEL SMITH
West Chester

From left to right, West Chester Borough Council President Holly Brown, UEA President Linda Foster, Sgt. London and Major John Mance, 1st Battalion, 111 Infantry Regiment, State Senator Andy Dinniman, UEA Vice President Tom McEvoy, UEA Secretary Tony Stancato, UEA Treasurer Richard May.

Uptown! Entertainment Alliance and Senator Dinniman
Announce Plans to Acquire Armory for Theater in West Chester

State Senator Andy Dinniman and Uptown! Entertainment Alliance (UEA) President Linda Foster today announced plans for the Alliance to acquire the historic Pennsylvania National Guard Armory (226 N. High St. in West Chester) for a theater. “The arts have been a pivotal part of West Chester’s redevelopment, and now–thanks to the work of the Uptown! Entertainment Alliance and so many others—the arts will have a permanent home right here in downtown West Chester,” Dinniman said at the gathering.

Foster announced that the organization, a nonprofit volunteer group of local residents dedicated to creating a permanent theater in West Chester Borough for film and live performance, has the necessary funding and resources to acquire the Armory. She also noted her organization will soon be kicking off a capital campaign for the extensive project of turning the Armory into a theater. Speaking of the work that has gone into this project, Foster said, “It isn’t just about bringing a theater to the community of West Chester, it is about bringing the community together and creating a sense of belonging.”

National Guard Unit to Move

Senator Dinniman has worked extensively with Jim Salvas, Marketing Chair of the UEA, to acquire the Armory from the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA). The Pennsylvania National Guard unit stationed at the Armory—approximately 170 troops of Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Battalion, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team—is set to move into the new Coatesville Readiness Center in Sadsbury.

The UEA agreed to buy the 10,900-square-foot Armory from the DMVA by direct conveyance (no bidding for the property) for $760,000—a 20% discount provided the UEA preserves and maintains the Armory according to historic standards. Built in 1916 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building sits on 0.6 acres in West Chester’s historic district.

Today Senator Dinniman introduced his Senate Bill 827 to officially authorize the conveyance. “I am fully confident that we will get this bill through the legislature and signed by the Governor,” Dinniman said. “This all started with an idea, and when I first became involved with this project more than two years ago, I knew that it was a great idea. I must also recognize all the members, volunteers, supporters and patrons of the Uptown! Entertainment Alliance for all their hard work in getting the ball rolling on bringing a theater to the borough.”

The West Chester LLC (West Chester Library, Labor & Capital)—formed six years ago to help fund worthwhile public and private projects in West Chester— supports the UEA by offering a low-interest loan to buy the Armory. Richard May, member manager of West Chester LLC said, “We are pleased to provide major funding for this acquisition, and we look forward to its new use as a theater serving our community.”

April 13 Red Carpet Gala to Support Armory Purchase

UEA board members also reminded residents and art lovers that they can see the Armory building used as an entertainment venue on Saturday, April 13, when the organization holds its second annual Red Carpet Gala. This festive and historic evening of live music, dancing and an auction will also be the community’s farewell to the National Guard troops who have called the Armory home for almost a century. Find more information on the Red Carpet Gala or Uptown! Entertainment Alliance at uptownwc.org.

“Armory” • PAINTING by RICHARD BOLLINGER, 2013

A copy of the official registration and financial information for the Uptown Entertainment Alliance may be obtained by calling the PA Department of State at 1-800-732-0900 (toll-free in PA). Registration does not imply endorsement. Uptown Entertainment Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN-45-3707844.

The outpouring of support is so amazing.  From every day people to almost every media outlet that exists regionally, people care about what happens. People who sometimes normally can’t agree on anything have come together with this issue because they want better things to happen then two dogs getting gunned down within twenty minutes (give or take) from when they escaped their home yard for a tragic first and only time.

To be clear, I am not a big fan of West Vincent government.  I think they rule oddly over one of the prettiest places in Chester County.  And weird and unnecessary things always seem to happen. And for Pete’s sake, elected officials seem to spend an inordinate amount of time worrying and spreading nonsense about a writer called Chickenman don’t they?

West Vincent the truth shall set you free but that is a topic for another day.  Well, it won’t be if you aren’t respectful of your citizenry at the upcoming Supervisors Meeting on Monday February 25th at 7:30 pm.  I know full well residents have contacted you and requested that the matter of the shooting to death of puppies Argus and Fiona be put on the agenda.  If you try to stifle your people on this, West Vincent, the hue and cry over attempting eminent domain at Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show will be child’s play by comparison.

West Vincent Township is located at :
729 St. Matthews Road
Chester Springs, PA 19425
 Phone: (610) 458-1601

Residents want to learn about firearm use in a residential area, what constitutes a farm, and how to make changes to bad laws.  And in addition to all of this, they strive to find a positive from this tragedy.  West Vincent, you owe decency and answers to your citizenry.

To the citizenry I urge you to make your voices heard respectfully.  Emotions are running hot on this issue and I was told by a reporter today about a woman who stood outside the dog shooter’s house yesterday  and just stood in his driveway yelling “Dog killer!!” at him for 5 minutes. That, I am so sorry, is not cool.   First of all he has guns and isn’t afraid to use them, and secondly he has neighbors who must feel under siege by all the media crawling around West Vincent, and third and most importantly things need to happen the right way with this.  Don’t stoop to the level of someone who shoots dogs, please.

Last evening on the heels of the truly remarkable coverage by NBC10 Philadelphia and CBS3 . Today came coverage from 6ABC, KYW News Radio 1060, Syndicated talk show host Michael Smerconish, Main Line Media News, The Daily Local, Patch, and a really good piece from Claudia Gomez at Fox 29. Tomorrow will bring more – the Inquirer and who knows what else.

A friend of mine commented  something that is worth repeating. She was afraid of people getting too vigilante justice for lack of a better term. She is absolutely correct that cooler heads must prevail.

The District Attorney’s Office previously determined that the shooting was legal due to a century-old state law allowing someone to kill animals that pursue their own livestock or pets.

 Officials said Thursday afternoon that investigators received additional information in the case and that the investigation is ongoing.

Mary Bock, the owner of the two dogs, spoke out Thursday about the experience and expressed hope that her pets’ deaths may lead to a change in the law that allowed their killing to initially be ruled legal.

 Bock also spoke about the neighbor, Gabriel Pilotti, who told police he killed the dogs with a shotgun because they entered an enclosure housing his sheep. She said Pilotti expressed no remorse over the dogs’ deaths when her husband, William Bock, confronted him last week.

“It seemed like he almost enjoyed it a little bit,” Mary Bock said. “He was so cold and callous, he feels like he did nothing wrong. There were a million things he could have done differently, and he chose to pick up that gun and kill them.”

My previous post which was the first thing out there on this horrible tragedy can be found by clicking on this link called “intolerable cruelty”. And I know those funkadellic horse rescue folks think I have forgotten all of that, they should think again.  I am hoping now that the media knows how to get out to Chester County they will check it all out too. (Well Fairview Road in Glenmoore is not that far away from the scene of the dog crime is it?) Especially since Victor Fiorello wrote on Foobooz today about Philadelphia chefs wanting to add horse meat to the menu. (As an aside, can I tell you how I will now never go to a Mark Vetri or Peter McAndrews restaurant again as a result?)

Ok people, thanks for reading, thanks for supporting Justice for Argus & Fiona.  Hug your pets and say a prayer to St. Francis.

Over and out.

Shooting of dogs sparks ill will in Chester Springs

Carolyn Davis, Inquirer Staff Writer

Posted: Friday, February 22, 2013, 3:01 AM

Contact Carolyn Davis at 610-313-8109, cdavis@phillynews.com, or @carolyntweets on Twitter.

Inquirer staff writer Mari A. Schaefer contributed to this article.

To the Bock family of Chester Springs, the Bernese mountain dogs Fiona and Argus were happy, loving pets. To neighbor Gabriel Pilotti, they were apparently pests.

And when he found them loose among his sheep last week, he shot them dead.

“It was just really vicious,” Mary Bock said. The dogs had not touched the sheep.

As of Thursday evening, the Chester County District Attorney’s Office and the West Vincent Township police still were trying to determine what happened the morning of Feb. 12 in a part of Chester County where sheep, horses, and alpacas amble in yards larger than the patches of green in more urbanized suburbs and smaller than more rural farms.

On that day, the dogs, two-year-old Argus and one-year-old Fiona, got out of their enclosed backyard when a tree branch fell and collapsed part of the fence, Mary Bock said. The dogs ran through yards of residences on the street behind them and ended up on the 72-year-old Pilotti’s property, which includes a pen where he keeps sheep.

Around 11:30 a.m., Pilotti saw the dogs near his sheep, pulled out the 20-gauge single-shot shotgun he legally owns, and fired, said West Vincent Police Chief Michael Swininger. Mary Bock said police told her Pilotti first fatally shot Argus in the face, then shot and killed Fiona.

Police investigated and sent their report to the District Attorney’s Office. That office has not filed charges against Pilotti, citing a portion of the Pennsylvania dog law that says, “Any person may kill any dog which he sees in the act of pursuing or wounding or killing any domestic animal.”

That could change.

“We have gotten new information and are continuing to investigate,” said First Assistant District Attorney Michael G. Noone, adding that a development could come Friday.

Pilotti could not be reached for comment.

And oh yeah, people from some church called Calvary Fellowship in Downingtown have been calling the Bock family and I have to ask why? And what do the West Vincent police have as far as info for the family?  Someone says they want to speak with them today?

It’s a result of the hard work and grass-roots effort of a Chester County son whose seven-year old son died of sudden cardiac arrest in September, 2010.

Steven Silva is Aidan’s father, and he says this bill will go hand in hand with the law that requires that all student athletes showing signs or symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest being pulled from competition.

Silva says “it makes sense to State Senator Andy Dinniman who had no trouble finding eight co-sponsors for this bill.”

Dinniman said many of the AED’s that were procured for schools via tobacco settlement monies are about to reach the end of their lifespan, and so many struggling districts will not be able to replace the ones they have or purchase a one for schools still without an AED.

Below is a link to the Aidan Silva Blog, that is meant to raise awareness about AED’s.

http://aidanjosephsilva.blogspot.com/

[listicle id=55129 show_title=true]

Seriously GOP, a robo call from Newt Gingrich at 7:15 in the morning is a bit much. This morning Arizona Jan Brewer called me.  Because you know she and I are tight BFFs, right?  I have also received robo calls from Barbara Hafer, Newt Gingrich, and no foolin’ home schoolin’ Rick Santorum. And Ann Romney – she and I have also made a date to go shopping, apparently.

If the political inundation isn’t enough from THAT side of the aisle, there are all the people who call for Obama that aren’t Obama. And then there are the Democrats’ ads.  You know like pick your congressman by their hair.  Really Manan Trivedi, that was the best you could come up with?

Here is how I feel about Jim Gerlach: I like the man and have known him for years.  I will admit I am a little disgusted the way he seems to have been sucking up to the fringe of the Republican Party and may have drunk too much tea, but I think that is more his campaign than him.  I know the good Jim Gerlach is capable of and does do every day.  He was my congressman in Lower Merion before my move to Chester County.  I am no one special and he has made much time for me and my questions over the years, so for the measure of the man, I still think he is aces.

I have met Manan Trivedi too.  He gets bonus points for being a candidate that doesn’t politick at non-profit sponsored events.  Which is more than I can say for Lower Merion ex-pat Bret Binder (but I will get to that in a moment.)

Manan Trivedi might be nice, he may have served his country admirably, but that doesn’t mean he is the right choice or equipped for public office.  He was plucked up last Obama election cycle by the Democrats to ride Obama’s coattails.  I think they figured their other election strategies hadn’t worked against Gerlach (they had pitted the whiny Lois Murphy against him, and others like Bob Roggio who used to politick at every non-profit event possible) so they picked Manan.

I think they picked Manan Trivedi basically because he represented another minority.  That type of political pandering is disgusting. He is a nice man, but he doesn’t have the chops, nor am I sure he actually lives in the district.  He is sort of like the Democrats’ answer to Rick Santorum on the whole residency thing and we all know how well that worked out at the time, don’t we?

I can’t vote for Manan Trivedi.  He is a nice guy who will just be a puppet.  There is enough of that in Washington.

But let us talk about the PA senate race for a minute, shall we?  As a woman, Tom Smith terrifies me.  Period.   Bob Casey will never light the world on fire, but I just can’t go the extreme to Tom Smith as a woman. (And I believe interestingly enough that before Tom Smith was a tea partier, he was a Democrat? Is that like confusion in politics?)  I also have a parent who collects social security and is on medicare, and I don’t believe his about-face on social security and medicare.  He can trot out aged mama in all the television ads he wants but the simple truth is his mother would never be affected by cuts to either as her son is a very wealthy man. And Tom, global warming is not a hoax.  Look at Hurricane Sandy.

Onto State Senate.  I am new to Chester County, but I like Andy Dinniman.  truthfully, I could not even tell you the name of his opponent.  Andy truly tries to work in a bi-partisan way for all the residents he serves.  I happen to respect and like that in my state senator.

However, I can’t say that I will show that love to Democrat Bret Binder.  Bret Binder is running for State Representative.  He is an ex patriot of Lower Merion Township, and to be honest, having recently moved out of Lower Merion and having lived how the Democratic majority there has made a mess out of Lower Merion even though they claimed they wouldn’t, I just can’t support someone like Binder.

And I am annoyed when he tells people he is “fully local” and is from Lower  Merion in the same breath.  Never the twain shall meet.

Hey look, as someone new to Chester County from Lower Merion I am not going to tell anyone I am “fully local”. I am not.  I am new to this area. Period.  And as someone who literally feels like they can breathe because I have escaped the horrid politics of Lower Merion I am not going to support someone born out of Lower Merion Democrats.  And that is not to say all Lower Merion Democrats are bad, but those who are in power do not even represent all the voices of Lower Merion Democrats.  Suffice it to say it is very Boss Tweedy in Lower Merion and I don’t want that again where I call home and I do not believe without the financial support of those outside the district he wants to run in, would he have made it this far.  Bret Binder’s campaign finance reports tell a tale of support from OUTSIDE Chester County. That is fine, everyone has a right to contribute how they see fit, but the thing is this: he is going to represent us, and who the heck is he?  Other than a Democrat from Lower Merion?

And what else? Oh yes, Bret Binder is currently running an ad against Dan Truitt where he laments the public school system.  People, he went to Harriton, which is a study of privilege and excess.  It’s certainly not your average public school, so I wouldn’t bet the farm on him from that angle, either.  Bret Binder also stretches and shapes the truth to fit his needs (as any good lawyer is wont to do) as far as Charter Schools getting money.   What is wrong with charter schools seeing some of the educational money available?   Does Mr. Binder have or has he had children in the public school system in West Chester?  The West Chester Area School District is haphazard and broken in my opinion (and I am allowed even if some will find that opinion irritating).

Mr. Binder should not be judged harshly if he is single and has no children in the district, don’t misunderstand me on that.  But I do know a lot of people in the West Chester Area School District who have pulled their kids out of this school district because of the problems in this district.  If you can’t afford private or parochial school, charter school is one of the few options out there.  And let me tell you this much: because of the West Chester Area School District feeling threatened by charter schools, charter schools in this area probably get about half of what they deserve.  And do not tell me that the WCASD can’t be petty about this, just ask anyone who wants their kid on a bus for any school other that West Chester Area School District Public Schools.

Mr. Binder made an appearance at the East Goshen Farmers Market which was recorded for posterity. Now the East Goshen Farmers Market is run kinda by a non-profit, right? The Friends of East Goshen? So why would Lisa O’Neill who is a member of this 501(c)(3) and one of the people who runs the farmers market be in a political ad so to speak?  Binder gets a grade of an F of politicking at a non-profit sponsored event that is SUPPOSED to be NON political and using it for campaign purposes like advertising and marketing, but wow really? One would think the farmers market folks would have known better?  That is the kind of stuff that can harm a non-profit status is it not?

Bret Binder candidate for State Rep. at East Goshen Farmers Market with Lisa O’Neill who runs the market for Friends of East Goshen Township

Now onto the presidential vote of it all.  I have to tell you that as of this minute writing this post, I am torn.  There is quite frankly so much I do not find appealing in both major candidates.

At the end of the day it may come down to the size of government, however.  While we have suffered through an economic period potentially as devastating as the Great Depression there is one sector that has had enormous job security: big government.  It keeps getting bigger and more Orwellian big brotherish.  I am not comfortable with that.

In this case, maybe change is good? Tomorrow will see.  But please, whatever you do, vote your own conscience tomorrow.  Do not vote a certain way because you were told to.  Hope, change, and forward are just words. Remember that.

I remain, as always, an opinionated inveterate ticket splitter.  I have not been compensated for any of my opinions by any candidate, nor do I donate finacially to campaigns.  I make my own decisions and am my own woman politically.  Sometimes it makes me feel like Alice in Wonderland Party of One, but seriously? I think that is the best way to be.  Politically Stepford I am not, and no matter how you vote tomorrow, that is what I encourage people to do: do not be politically Stepford.

Do not just pull one lever for one party if you have doubts about some candidates.  Mix it up.  It’s between you and your God, no one will know unless you tell them.

In my mind, the solution in American politics is simple: we need a return to balance.  Political extremism is ruining this country. So is not being able to hear the actual voice of the candidates over the din of the political party machines.

One size does not fit all in politics, either. And my last word on the subject? I wish municipalities would zone the SUPER sized political signs out of existence.  They are obnoxious.

This evening [August 14] the PA Department of Environmental Protection held hearings at WCU’s Sykes Theater on the Williams Transco Company’s proposal to replace natural gas pipelines which cross the Brandywine. State Senators Dinniman and Rafferty were instrumental in organizing this public hearing.

Prepared text:

August 14, 2012

To: Department of Environmental Protection
RE: Transco Pipeline replacement over the Brandywine River

As a Mayor of the Borough of West Chester, I speak on behalf of our citizens. The issue at hand is of concern to us for two reasons. First, because West Chester’s drinking water comes from the Ingram’s Mill Water Treatment Plant along the East Branch of the Brandywine River, and we want to ensure our people have access to healthy water. Second, because we care about doing the right thing to protect our environment and the environment of our neighbors in the region and beyond. We understand the concept that “we all live downstream”.

At a town meeting in 2006, a diverse group of people of the Borough of West Chester unanimously voted environmental issues as the number one concern for the future of our community. The articulation of this priority has driven Borough policy for the last 6 years. West Chester’s Borough Council has passed ordinances requiring developers to build green. Borough Council passed an ordinance to purchase 100% of its electricity through wind power. The implementation of this police costs money. I can assure you that the government of West Chester is frugal. But I can also assure you that we have our priorities straight! We are not willing to compromise the health of our citizens to save a buck.

I respect the right of a business to promote a plan that protects their bottom line.
If required to use a more expensive method, I’m sure they will pass on any extra costs to their customers. I can tell you the people of West Chester would pay the premium for the environmentally healthy option. I suspect we are not unlike most people who want to choose the best for their children and grandchildren.

It is the responsibility of elected officials and governmental agencies to uphold their pledge to protect the health safety and welfare of the people they serve. Our “bottom line” must be to require businesses to use methods that protect the people.

The Department of Environmental Protection’s mission (taken from the DEP website) is to protect Pennsylvania’s air, land and water from pollution and to provide for the health and safety of its citizens through a cleaner environment. We will work as partners with individuals, organizations, governments and businesses to prevent pollution and restore our natural resources.

I urge the DEP to require this applicant and any applicant for that matter, to choose a method that best protects the health and safety of our citizens – that protects the Brandywine River and the drinking water supplied to our town and region. The Department of Environmental Protection exists to do just that – protect the environment – thereby protecting the people you serve.

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this critical community environmental issue.

Ex-movie set a crowd-pleaser for pet-lovers
June 11, 2012

Chester County SPCA’s Forget-Me-Not gala brings hundreds to Unionville 

By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com

Emcee Dawn Timmeney (from left) introduces Katie and Cuyler Walker, and State Sen. Andy Dinniman, who brought his dog, Henry.

Held at the residence of Katie and Cuyler Walker – a horse farm featured in two films by M. Night Shyamalan – the event attracted a crowd eager to support the efforts of the Chester County SPCA, a nonprofit dependent on donations for its mission of animal-advocacy.

The Walkers not only opened their property for the fund-raiser, they also more than quadrupled their normal animal population – five dogs and nine horses. In addition, they invited more than 200 visitors to tour their stately, mid-1800s home, which will be showcased again on this year’s Chester County Day, a benefit for Chester County Hospital.

“We had no hesitation,” said Katie Walker, describing the privilege of sharing what makes the Unionville area special with a worthy cause.

For Cuyler Walker, who chairs the East Marlborough Township supervisors’ board, a commitment to animals is likely part of his DNA. The family’s five Labradors are the 19th generation of Peggy of Shipman, one of the first labs brought to the U.S. from England by his great uncle.

Roberta Odell (left) gets ready to depart the festivities with Chester County SPCA board vice president Doug Marshall, who drove her renowned team of pony mules.

And to complement their impressive lineage, the Walker dogs can even boast Ivy League exposure. Cuyler Walker recalled the time he came home from college on vacation to find a litter of puppies, one of which had to go back to Yale with him. Simba was a hit – both on and off the campus, he said.

The fact that he was no longer living in a dorm made the arrangement possible. He said he started taking the puppy to class, and no one ever complained. “I was discreet,” he said. “I usually sat in the back, and she would sleep.”

The gala’s activities included scheduled canine demonstrations by U.S. Customs officials and Search & Rescue Dogs of Pennsylvania as well as impromptu obedience-training sessions by Cuyler Walker. The program was emceed by NBC10 anchor Dawn Timmeney, another unabashed dog enthusiast.

Chuck Wooters of Search & Rescue Dogs of Pennsylvania gets ready for a splash after his two dogs got permission for a dip in the pool.

No Forget-Me-Not would be complete without its traditional carriage parade, and Sunday’s sunny skies enhanced the photo opportunities. More than 15 carriages with occupants in period finery traveled up the Walker’s long driveway as cameras clicked. Among the passengers: Chester County Commissioner Kathi Cozzone and her family.

“We wouldn’t miss this,” she said. “It’s a very special event.”

State Sen. Andy Dinniman also made an appearance, joined by his dog, Henry. He urged the audience to voice support for a bill he sponsored to make Pennsylvania the 20th state in the country to ban the gasing of dogs. He said he hoped the bill, which passed in the Senate, would be approved by the House in the fall.

The gala also received support from a variety of local businesses that donated culinary offerings, such as The Gables at Chadds Ford, Brandywine Prime, and Victory Brewing Company, as well as a potpourri of items for the silent auction.

While spectators watch the elegant carriages, the passengers check out the spectacular view during the parade.

Rich Britton, a spokesman for the Chester County SPCA, said it was great to see people reach out to the agency, which has had a challenging year. In addition to orchestrating a much-needed expansion of its West Goshen facility, the Chester County SPCA investigates an average of 450 complaints a year of animal abuse.

The most recent case involved the burning death of a 15-pound terrier in Coatesville last week. A necropsy is expected to be performed at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center today, Britton said.

A tree and a sky, taken at my city park. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The New Century Club of West Chester and the Junior New Century Club will hold an Arbor Day celebration on April 27 at Hoopes Park in West Chester. Beginning at 10:30 a.m., presidents of both clubs, Ruth Raibley and Kathleen Lackey-Painter, will welcome everyone followed by a flag ceremony organized by Richard McIlvaine. Karlene Brittingham will sing The Star Spangled Banner and Rev. Lauren Meiswinkel will offer the invocation.

For the 23rd consecutive year, West Chester Borough has met the qualifications to earn the title of a “Tree City.” To qualify as a Tree City, a town or city must meet four standards established by the Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters. They must have are a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation. Also during the celebration on the 27th, Mayor Carolyn Comitta will give remarks along with state Rep. Dan Truitt, R-156th of East Goshen and Chester County Commissioners Terrence Farrell, Ryan Costello, and Kathi Cozzone. Later in the program state Sen. Andy Dinniman, D-19th of West Whiteland, will address the group. In addition to those speakers, Michelle Lozowski’s kindergarten class from West Chester Friends School will attend and entertain the group with a special song for the day.

Each state now has their own Arbor Day throughout the first few months of the year with Pennsylvania’s being the last Friday in April. The New Century Club will dedicate a tree to the memory of the four New Century Club members who passed away this year: Eleanor Pyle Latta, Florence Jefferis Schramm, Anna Cope Brinton, and Margaret “Peg” Anderson. The Junior New Century Club is planting a tree to honor Darcie Goldberg, director of the Chester County Art Association. The trees will be planted by West Chester Forester Denise Dunn-Kesterson for the clubs. Dunn-Kesterson will introduce Don Egan from the Arbor Day Foundation and he will present the Tree City award to the borough. The public is invited to attend. Light refreshments will be served after the ceremony.

Related articles

• The West Chester Film Festival | April 27th-29th (mywestchesterpatown.com)
• Arbor Day plantings at Beaumont Elementary (knoxnews.com)
• Arbor Day around the World…. (naeeuk.wordpress.com)

E. Fallowfield Township Supervisor Chris Amentas (photo courtesy of Armstrong & Carosella, PC)

As per Eric Smith of the Daily Local News, the Chairman of the East Fallowfield Township Board of Supervisors has thrown his name into the hat for the Republican nomination to face incumbent Democratic state Senator Andy Dinniman in the fall.

Republican Chris Amentas, 36, will challenge incumbent Democrat Andy Dinniman, of West Whiteland. Thus far, no other Republicans have announced they will run for that seat. Dinniman has held the seat since 2006.

Amentas said he is running for office because he believes many people do not have confidence in the economy, their real-estate values or the job market and he wants to make fiscal responsibility a priority.

Amentas is a graduate of Boston College and Villanova Law. In addition to serving as a supervisor of East Fallowfield Township, he works at a law firm called Armstrong and Carosella, located near Route 202′s Matlack Street exit.

More from the DLN:

“My experience in private business and public office has been that there are always ways to save money,” Amentas said. “There is always financial waste in every type of organization just to varying degrees.”

Amentas said he believes Dinniman has not been as focused on cutting government waste as he should have been during his tenure.

Dinniman, who represents the 19th Senate district, has served since 2006. His newly-redrawn territory now includes most of southern Chester County, as well as the Route 30 corridor of Parkesburg, Coatesville, Downingtown, Exton, Frazer, and Malvern. He will seek re-election for a second time in 2012, after originally winning the seat in a special election and then defending it in 2008.

As far as state-wide elections go, the U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania will be the most hotly contested besides that of the presidency. Incumbent Democrat Bob Casey will seek to retain his seat for a second term, after taking out Rick Santorum (now a presidential candidate) in 2006. But Casey will have plenty of Republicans gunning for his job.

No less than nine candidates are currently in the Senate race, down from ten after former Army Col. John Vernon ended his campaign earlier this week. One such candidate hails from Chester County in businessman Steve Welch.

A Malvern resident, Welch grew up in Chester County and continues to live here, working as a mechanical engineer and entrepreneur. While he will face many competitors for the Republican nomination, he has held his own in recent debates and his fundraising numbers have been strong.

Other candidates for that office include businessmen Tom Smith and David Christian, Tea Party activist Laureen Cummings, pharmacist John Kensinger, former congressional candidate Tim Burns, former state representative Sam Rohrer, attorney Marc Scaringi, and Iraq War veteran Robert Mansfield. While Welch is the only candidate from Chester County, Rohrer is from nearby Berks and Christian resides in Bucks County.

The Senate won’t be the only state-wide race next year, though. Attorney General will also be a highly-coveted job, and several candidates have come out on both sides looking to replace Linda Kelly, the interim AG who filled in for Tom Corbett when he became governor.

On the Republican side, two candidates have announced serious bids for the post. State senator John Rafferty (R-44th), who represents much of northern Chester County, looks to have the inside track for his party’s nomination. Running against Rafferty will be Cumberland County District Attorney Dave Freed.

Likewise, two Democrats have announced their bids for the office. Former U.S. congressman Patrick Murphy of Bucks County is expected to strongly contend, but he will face stiff competition for the Democratic nomination from former Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney Dan McCaffery.

Auditor General is another job that will be hotly contested. Republican Ann Duke, who currently serves as Treasurer of Chester County, has announced her candidacy. Also in the mix is state representative John Maher of Allegheny County.

On the Democratic side, Eugene DePasquale of York County was first to reveal his intentions to run. He has already racked up several key endorsements, including that of 2010 gubernatorial candidate Dan Onorato. DePasquale will go up against fomrer Delaware County Assistant D.A. Jack Stollsteimer.

At the congressional level, the picture is not quite as clear as of yet. What is certain is that Joe Pitts (R-16th), Jim Gerlach (R-6th), and Pat Meehan (R-7th) will all seek reelection, and their chances have seemingly improved after the new district maps were released a few days ago.

The field is much less clear on the Democratic side. It appears that Manan Trivedi, the 2010 Democratic candidate in the 6th district, will challenge Gerlach for a second time. Meanwhile, several reports have begun to trickle out stating that Joe Sestak, former congressman from the 7th district who failed in a 2010 Senate bid, could enter the race to regain his congressional seat in what would become a huge battle with Meehan.

Stollsteimer was also mulling a run against Meehan in the 7th district, but opted to run for Auditor General. Meanwhile, no known candidates have announced a Democratic candidacy in the 16th district against Pitts.

Not much has happened on the state Senate front, although there will be an open seat in the 44th district as Rafferty seeks the Attorney General job. Meanwhile, Andy Dinniman (D-19th), Edwin Erickson (R-26th) and Dominic Pileggi (R-9th) are expected to seek reelection. Democrat Tom Houghton was planning a challenge of Pileggi, but his residence was re-drawn out of the 9th district after redistricting.

The state House races are a bit more clear, but not by much. The newly-created 45th district has already seen two candidacies announced in Caln Commissioner Josh Young and real estate developer Barry Cassidy. That seat has not seen any Republican candidates as of yet.

The rest of the state House seats are currently held by Republicans. John Lawrence (R-13th), Tim Hennessey (R-26th), Curt Schroder (R-155th), Dan Truitt (R-156th), Warren Kampf (R-157th), Chris Ross (R-158th), Steven Barrar (R-160th), Duane Milne (R-167th), and Tom Killion (R-168th) make up the Chester County contingent in the House. Most of them are expected to seek reelection, although Schroder has announced that he will not seek another term. These races are expected to become more clear now that the dust has settled on legislative redistricting for 2012.

That’s the current state of affairs for the 2012 elections. With only four months to go until the primaries, it won’t be long before more candidates announce their intentions, and we’ll have all the coverage here at Chester County Politics.

The Legislative Reapportionment Commission, a five-member board of lawmakers tasked with redrawing the state’s district maps based on last year’s census, voted 4-1 to approve a preliminary plan that had been made public in late October.

That map included a strange, horseshoe-shaped 15th Senate district that curled around Harrisburg, without actually including the state capital. It was the subject of widespread criticism and complaints of gerrymandering, and the Republican contingent of the commission were forced to change it.

Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D, Allegheny County) was the lone vote in opposition to the plan; he felt it split up too many municipalities. By state law, municipalities cannot be split up unless absolutely necessary, but Costa felt that this wasn’t the case.

Voting in favor of the plan were Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R, Chester), House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R, Allegheny), House Minority Leader Frank Dermody (D, Allegheny), and commission chairman Stephen J. McEwan, a justice on the state Superior Court. Dermody had voted against the preliminary plans in late October, but he felt the changes made since were satisfactory to earn his vote this time around.

The new maps, and a list of the municipalities in each district, can be found here, courtesy of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Higher-quality versions of the Senate maps can be found here, at Pileggi’s website.

The changes that were made, according to Pileggi and Turzai, largely reflect population shifts in the state over the last ten years, especially in Western Pa., which has lost much population in recent times. Chester County ended up benefiting from such shifts, as the 45th House district was moved from Allegheny County to now represent some of the faster-growing communities in the region: Downingtown and Coatesville.

In addition to the City of Coatesville and the Borough of Downingtown, the new 45th district will represent the boroughs of Parkesburg, Modena, and South Coatesville, as well as Caln, East Caln, East Fallowfield, Sadsbury, and Valley townships.

That comes as great news to Democrats in the county, as the district will have a strong lean towards the Democratic Party in registration. Previously, Chester County Democrats had no Representatives in the state House, with state senator Andy Dinniman the party’s only member in Harrisburg from the county.

It also means that House Republicans representing part of the county will have stronger bases themselves, since many of the more Democratic-leaning parts of the county are now found in the 45th and have been moved out of Republicans’ districts.

The news wasn’t great for all county residents, unfortunately. West Chester Borough, the county seat and most populous municipality in the county, was split up between two House districts. Northern wards 1, 2, 6, and 7 will remain in Dan Truitt’s 156th district, while southern wards 3, 4, and 5 will move to the 160th district, currently held by Stephen Barrar.

That development will, without a doubt, face its fair share of criticism. In November, West Chester Borough Council passed a resolution condemning the preliminary plan for its split of West Chester, saying it made no sense for part of the county seat of Chester County to be in a district mostly located in Delaware County. In fact, the new maps even split up West Chester University, leaving some dorm rooms in the 156th and others in the 160th. But that resolution made little impact, as no changes were made in the final plan approved Monday.

Chester County will continue to be served by nine state Representatives. Although one seat was added in the 45th, the small amount of the county that was represented by Thomas Killon (R-168th) was moved into another district.

Meanwhile, the county will now be served by only four state Senators, as opposed to four in previous years. The 36th and 48th Senate districts were redrawn out of the county, allowing a more unified voice for Chester County residents in the state Senate.

Andy Dinniman (D-19th) sees his Senate district stretch much further into the southern part of the county, reaching all the way to the borders with Maryland and Delaware in areas previously represented by Pileggi. John Rafferty (R-44th) will take more areas in the northern part of the county, such as East Coventry and East Vincent, which were Dinniman’s. Pileggi’s 9th district moves east and more into Delaware County. Edwin Erickson (R-26th) continues to represent a small amount of the eastern part of the county.

Also scheduled for Monday was the release of preliminary maps for U.S. congressional districts, which does not go to a commission. However, the meeting was canceled, and may or may not take place later in the week.

Nothing gets you pumped like a political rally! The passion radiating from supporters was intoxicating. Senator Andy Dinniman was the conductor of this wonderful political orchestra. He spoke with drive and conviction! He mentioned how we all want to stabilize the bill, Republic and Democratic, we just can’t agree on how. Dinniman stated how hindering education would only increase our problems. This, I agree.

Each speaker presented their reasons for keeping education a top priority for our country. A local West Chester University student showed his appreciation for all those who rallied to keep college affordable so far. He expressed the importance of affordable higher education, which will not be the case if Corbett’s Budget is passed. State universities will have their funding cut by 53%. If you get annoyed by alumni letters requesting donations now, imagine how many more you will get if this goes through.

It was stressed for people to understand that even though state taxes will not go up, local property taxes will. This is all a method of how you view it. In the end, you will have to pay money. If college funding is cut, you will have higher tuition rates. If programs are eliminated, you will have to pay for extra help for your child. The question is, which direction will help us grow and which will set us back?…

continue reading and see slide show at at Change Is Possible

Now more than people need to work together to help repair the damages from this economic storm. The legislatures elected to lead the people, for the people, are not cutting it. Education is in dangerous water right now which should NOT be the case. It’s up to the people to fight for what we need!

Governor Corbett is proposing a budget cut that will create an array of issues. There is little money available, this is not news. People are unwilling to take tax increases and as promised, Corbett is proposing a plan to ensure that does not occur. The problem with this is we WILL be moving backwards. We have to stop listening to money and start paying attention to our children.

Below lists what Corbett’s Budget Cut will do and how it will affect us. Please read and follow up with research from your local school district website….

Please get out and help fight for education!

This budget cut will affect lower education as well as higher. Overall, we will all pay the price over time.

On Wednesday, April 27th, at 7 p.m., there is a rally in West Chester, on the steps of the Historic Chester County Courthouse at High and Market streets. This rally is promoted by State Senator, Andy Dinniman. Please come out! Numbers do count, your voice does matter. Our future generation matters.

read the full article at Change Is Possible

As he’s never run for any office in his life, he’s running a grassroots campaign.  Part of that seems to be using one of the greatest grassroots communication tools in the universe:  YouTube.  Click here to check out his most recent video, about the needs to eliminate wasteful pork barrel spending from our budget so we can afford to invest in things we all need:  Like a train line, maybe.  Or at least some decent road infrastructure development.

Skip:

I seem to recall we nominated you as a delegate last week.  Who did we nominate along with you?

The reason for my question is I am really unhappy with the way the presidential primary system in our country works.  I tried talking to my state legislators about moving ours up so our votes could be meaningful, but that was like beating my head against a wall. [see post tags for list of who I tried to persuade on the matter]

Besides, I eventually came to the conclusion that simply moving ours forward is not so much a solution, as it makes a dysfunctional system worse.  It occurred to me, though, one way to at least draw attention to the issue would be to have Pennsylvania’s delegation to the GOP convention not only arrive uncommitted in theory, but in actual practice as well.

This is an idea already floated by former Senator Santorum, and I feel it is something on which we should follow up, even if there’s no real chance any more of our national convention being “brokered”.

What are your thoughts on this?

What happened, to bring you up to speed, is things stalled in the Senate.  The House passed the measure, the Senate declined to bring it up for a vote, then the legislature recessed for the rest of the summer.  Please e-mail me how many other jobs that pay $80k a year– plus generous per diems– also have such generous vacation policies.

Conventional wisdom is that the Senate will be able to claim in the fall it is too late for them to move the primary forward.  There won’t be enough warning, they’ll say, for candidates to prepare to get their primary signature drives together.

We’ll see come mid-September.  In the meantime, here’s a list of state senators who can be fairly accused of not feeling very strongly about the right of Pennsylvanians to have a say in electing the future president of the United States.  Put another way, here’s a list of legislators who think their job is to represent the PA GOP and the elections bureaucracy, not their constituents.  These are the men in the GOP majority that run the relevant committee in the Senate:

Jeffry Piccola, Chairman: Western PA lawyer, 33rd degree Mason.  PA State Legislator pretty much is entire professional career.

“Citizen” Mike Folmer, Vice Chairman: He seems right on so much else– as evidenced by the post here– so one can only hope if he has the opportunity to make this right, he will forthrightly do so.

Joe Scarnati, Senate President Pro-Tempore: From legislative freshman to President Pro-Tempore in less than two terms.  How does one do that?  Not by putting voters first, I bet.  But who knows?

I’m going to e-mail Folmer to ask what we can do.  I suspect he is capable of listening to reason.  He also happens to represent a region next to where I actually live.

The Pennsylvania House managed to find the time to pass House Bill 289, proposing we move our presidential primary up to Feb. 12.  This is great news, especially given all the recent agita over the state budget which caused the government to shut down for a day, although employees of the lottery and various casinos were kept working.  So we know our legislators know what *really* matters.

 You can find a roll call vote on 289 here.  I am disappointed to note my state representative voted against it after telling me a couple months ago she was favorably disposed towards the measure.  My fellow constituents in her district are encouraged to join me in asking her “What the heck, Carol?”

The next step is the Senate.  I will be e-mailing my state senator’s office today– that would be Dem. Andy Dinniman– and I hope all of you will do the same.  E-mail your Senators, I mean, not Andy.  I think Andy is on board on this one anyway.

This is obviously great news for voters.  We would actually have a say in the election of the next president of the United States, the campaigns will have to spend more time and money here, which is good for the economy.  The candidates will have to cultivate better relationships with local legislators, too, which will bring more star power to local races, which should increase political participation.

This is also good news for the Giuliani campaign, as evidenced by this recent poll which indicates Hizzoner is the prefered GOP candidate of 42% of PA GOPers.  The next closest candidate is Thompson at 16%.  In our Commonwealth, McCain still beats Romney as well at 10% to 6%.

In the places where election 2008 will be decided– PA, CA, FL, MI, OH– Giuliani is the obvious preference of GOP voters and runs competitively in general election matchups.  He also happens to have the most compelling story of executive conservative governance post-Reagan.  He also happens to have positions on most issues consistent with the positions of the average voter.

Of course, others are welcome to consider the Romney-bot, Amnesty McCain, or an actor who found the velvet coffin of the Senate too tiring.

In it he lists the folks in the General Assembly who voted for this scheme.  Tony recommends we do to them what we did to their colleagues back in 2006.  While I am with Tony generally, I think Carole Rubley, who is my state rep, has earned a stay of political execution.  She voted against the pay raise, and voted against using state money to help build stadiums in Philly and Pittsburgh.  Then the state GOP rewarded her by withdrawing their support for her run for the state Senate seat currently held by Dinniman.

So anyone looked at askance by the state GOP is aces in my book, her Act 1 vote notwithstanding.

Now that Act 1 is out of the way as a potential roadblock to moving up our primary, she is also a supporter of helping Pennsylvanians have a significant say in who the major party presidential nominees are.  So read Tony’s entry, and take his advice.  I especially like how he points out what a failure Fast Eddie is turning out to be as Governor.  His endorsement was apparently political poison is last week’s primary.

Just don’t take his adivce vis a vis Rep. Rubley!

We at PA for Hizzoner have learned there is a bill heading to committee soon– House Bill 289– which would move up our Commonwealth’s primary in presidential years to February 5.  Representative Baker did not indicate whether or not he supports it, or one of the other bills moving the primary to dates in March, or if he supports no move at all.  So all in all he has upgraded his conduct from mildly combative and disagreeable, to helpful and opaque.

Sen. Andy Dinniman – D:  My state senator finally got back to me and said he does support moving our presidential primary forward, but says the GOP caucus in the Senate is uninterested in moving the process forward, so he doesn’t think it is going to happen.  He did not share any reason why I had to contact his office no less than six times to get an answer.

I have also decided to start a scorecard for all the people I have contacted, and if you want to deliver me information on how other legislators feel about the matter, send it in to karlub at yahoo dot com.  If the list gets long enough I will keep it updated and posted here.

 Again, this is an issue with bipartisan appeal.  It is also the right thing to do.  Finally, it helps Giuliani.  He shows well here, and Pennsylvania has a lot of delegates.  Of course, the vicissitudes of politics may very well hoist him on his own petard if PA becomes Fred Thompson country or something.  So the partisan reasons for my support should not turn off anyone who is simply interested in running an actual functioning representative democracy accountable to the people.

Representative Carole Rubley – R:  She is my representative in the General Assembly.  Initially against moving up our primary, as we both thought a Feb. 5 primary date would make candidates try and secure signatures to get on the primary ballot during the holidays.  Turns out moving our primary to Feb. 5 would make that period run from election day to Black Friday instead.  When informed of this, she said she could be persuaded to support such an initiative.

Senator Andy Dinniman – D:  My state senator.  Have called three times, and sent three e-mails.  Cannot be bothered to express his opinion, or his staff is incompetent.  Not sure which.  Given the fact I am actually one of his constituents, and given the responsiveness of Representative Rubley, I find this somewhat shocking.  I hear local conservatives may have their eye on making his ejection a priority in 2008.  He has done a good job here of making sure I join them.  It’s one thing to disagree with me.  It is quite another to outright ignore a constituent.  You heard it hear first:  He will be looking for a different job in a couple of years.  I actually think I know who might take it…

Representative Matt Baker – R:  The GOP chair on the State Government Committee.  To my initial inquiry, said he would respond via snail-mail.  This got my hackles up a little, as it felt like a brush-off.  I said the issue wasn’t that complicated, so why couldn’t he tell me his stand via e-mail?

He countered it was indeed complicated, as the school boards and party apparatus are against it.  I explained how we could bifurcate the primary for the school boards, and this would not be all that expensive.  For example, this year only a single school board invoked Act 1′s tax referendum.  I also explained the move would not mean getting signatures during Christmas and Chanukah.  He has yet to respond further.

Representative Babbette Josephs – D:  The democrat (hence majority) chair on the State Government Committee.  Her office remains silent.  I only contacted her twice, though, so her unresponsiveness is not as egregious as Dinniman’s, especially since I am not her constituent.

Please let me know how any of you are doing with your inquiries.  I want to cast a meaningful vote for president, and mean to do my best to make it happen.  I hope some of you can join me.  This is, after all, only about the most important function of representative democracy.  One would think a little thing like that would be something people can get behind.

The election people may object as they have to do some extra work around Christmas.  But at least now they have President’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Passover to themselves for the first time in ages.  And again, am I supposed to let the convenience of election boards hold my right to representation hostage?

What’s really going on here?  Could my conspiracy theories be right?  That both major parties don’t want to move it forward because the voters and the insiders disagree on who should be the presidential nominees?  I have asked Rep. Rubley for comment.  I am also in contact with Representative Baker.  Democrats Babbette Josephs and Andy Dinniman are both ignoring me, and they have no idea I am a Republican.  Make of that what you will.

I have revised the form letter below to account for this.

She is on the right side of issues such as the revision of our Right to Know law and the Highmark / IBC merger, and understands the antipathy conservative voters have for the state GOP establishment.  She was also frank about why our legislators do not want to move up the presidential primary, and it jibes perfectly with what I heard at the PA Leadership Conference.

If we move the primary up to February, candidates will have to secure signatures over the holidays to ensure their presence on a February primary ballot.  They would rather spend time with their families.  Anything we hear about Act 1, potential distractions from local races, and all the rest is just a creel full of red herrings.

I sympathize.  But I also know these legislators serve at our pleasure, not the other way ’round.  It does not seem unreasonable to me for the price of being a legislator to include some minor holiday inconvenience every couple of years.  Especially when this inconvenience buys their constituents an enhancement of their fundamental right to political representation at the highest levels.  And what better place to get signatures than at a shopping mall between Thanksgiving and Christmas?

But Representative Rubely, and her colleagues, are not interested in moving this process forward unless the will of Pennsylvania’s voters makes it impossible for them to ignore.  I still haven’t gotten an answer from my Assembly Senator, Andy Dinnniman.  Sounds like a familiar story, eh?  Yet again, the voters have to work to get their representatives to represent them.

So contact your Assembly representatives and tell them you would like to exercise your quaint right to cast a real vote for President.  If you don’t know who they are, find it out here.  When you’re done doing that, also contact the leaders on the State Government Committee that handles this.  Those people would be:

Babette Josephs, Majority Chair, DEM:  bjosephs@pahouse.net

Matt Baker, Minority Chair, GOP:  mbaker@pahousegop.com

Here is a brief, polite e-mail you can send to all these relevant folks if you have a life and can’t be bothered to write one up yourself.

“Dear XXX:

I would dearly love the opportunity to cast a vote in the presidential primary that matters.  Our current system is indeed broken, and ultimately a national regional primary may be the best answer.  For at least this cycle, though, this reform will not happen.

So in the interest of allowing the voters of Pennsylvania to have a real choice in who the two major political parties nominate for president I urge you to move our primary forward, preferably to February.  If we do this the men and women who aspire to the presidency will have to take the citizens of Pennsylvania into account, and we will have the opportunity to vote for more than a dozen viable candidates for president rather than just two.

I understand there are some procedural objections to this.  I also understand the most pressing objection is that it will be inconvenient to require candidates to secure, during the holidays, the signatures necessary to appear on a February primary ballot.  As far as I know, though, if our primary were moved to February 5 the petition period would be in November, including both election day and Black Friday.  Both are wonder opportunities to garner signatures.  Christmas, Chanukah, and New Years would not be a factor.

So while it is true election boards would have to work through the holidays at least they would now have Easter and Passover to themselves.  Besides, it hardly seems appropriate to have my right to national political representation held hostage by the convenience of the folks who run our elections.  They work for me, after all.  Not the other way around.

I hope you agree.

Regards,

XXX