Letter: Lansdale Commissioner Supports Fuller for Re-Election

I am writing this letter in support of Mary Fuller for Borough Council. I have never written to the paper on a political matter before but I felt the need after receiving several attack ad mailers from the “Friends of Lansdale” PAC, representing Jeff Howard and Joe Wolf.

Friends of Lansdale? When you have friends like these who needs enemies?

When Mary took office, she was part of a group that voted for refinancing debt, which, in turn, resulting in receiving much better interest rates: along with revision of insurance coverage, all resulted in a total savings between $550,000 and $600,000.

Yes, Mary did vote to increase the local taxes. But it was either close the parks and the pools and keep the library open at its reduced hours, or increase the millage rate. The increase helped plan for capital and infrastructure improvements.

The average Lansdale resident pays less than (on average) $400 a year. That comes out to roughly $8 a week. The increase was about the cost of a Starbucks coffee a week. Who can’t sacrifice a single coffee a week so that we all can enjoy the parks and pools at a discounted rate, have a library open at normal hours and have well maintained roads? It is the price we pay for living in a civilized society.

Yes, Mary did vote for an increase in electric rates, but it was necessary for repairs to the electric infrastructure, and also put some funding away for when a major repair is needed. During Hurricane Sandy, most of the borough's power did not go out. And if it did, it was back on in a few hours. Mary may not have done the work herself, but she gave the Electric Department the tools to be successful.

She voted to approve the Borough bringing in $7 million to handle Merck’s wastewater. That now will bring an annual return of $1 million to the borough.

Also, in 2015 when all of Pennsylvania’s municipalities (2,562 in total) have to put their former workers retirement benefits on the books, Lansdale will not be affected because they have already put them on the books and have managed funds to account for these new, substantial costs. Mary voted yes for this to help the citizens of Lansdale avoid these substantial costs.

By taking care of all of these financial responsibilities, the borough received the Governor’s Award for Fiscal Accountability and Best Management Practices in April of 2012.

It has been claimed that new businesses have not come to Lansdale. Yet, everywhere I look, I see a new business open.

Bux-Mont Awards Street, Cosmo Motors, Dynamic Marble & Granite, Homesite Remodeling, Milestones in Music, PA Northeast Railroad, Round Guys Brewing, Royal Comics and Gaming, Scelta Restaurant, The Tutoring Center, The Water Gallery Dresher Arcade, Wells Fargo, Tabora Farms, Molly Maguire's Pub, Shell. Fish. Sue., Montella's, Red Lotus, Delia's Make Up, Smoke Rack BBQ, and Modern Tactical are just a few of the new businesses to come to town under Mary’s watch.

If the preceding businesses moving to Lansdale is not a success, I would like to see someone else do a better job in this economic climate. It is because of Mary and her fellow council members who are up for re-election that all of these businesses have come to town. And because of Mary and her fellow council members Tyco decided to stay in town.

Her opponents claim that she wants to build a new Borough Hall. Currently, borough employees have to cover their desks with plastic dropcloths every time it rains because the roof is leaking. The entire building is in serious need of repair. The fact is renovation costs will be almost as much as constructing an entirely new building. And, a newer building will actually cost less to maintain. This is a matter that has only been in discussion and no vote has taken place, therefore Mary Fuller has not voted yes or no.

Everything that her opponents are running on—bringing new businesses into town, accessing mass transit and Philadelphia, and televising council meetings—is already in the works.

For example, every month Mary announces new businesses that have opened in Lansdale at the Economic Development Committee meeting. The Madison Lot Redevelopment is exactly how to revitalize a town and it’s already in the works because of votes Mary was a part of.

Mary’s opponents want to televise council meetings. That idea was already brought in front of the Communications Commission, which I am a member of, LAST YEAR.

Televising council meetings is a little more difficult than just utilizing the free local cable channel. For instance, the borough currently does not have any video equipment to record meetings and the initial cost would be about $50,000. The estimate does not include the cost of installing the equipment or storing of the video.

On top of all this fiscal responsibility, Founder’s Day is the brainchild of Mary Fuller. Founder’s Day is a great event for all citizens of Lansdale and the surrounding community. It provides culture and helps promote the local businesses.

I have never met anyone so dedicated and honestly wanting to make the place she lives a better place for all.

Rick Murphy
Ward One Democrat