Candidates for Ross Ward 3 Seat Debate Township Priorities, Conduct

Candidates for the Ward 3 seat on the Ross Township Board of Commissioners met recently for a "Meet the Candidates Night" at , in the Laurel Gardens neighborhood. 

Incumbent Commissioner Dan Kinross, a Democrat, is being challenged by John Sponcer, who lost to Kinross in the Democratic primary but won a write-in campaign to run as a Republican in the Nov. 8 general election. 

Kinross is in his 20th year on the commission and is currently president of the board. He owns the , which he opened in 1975. It is located in the Babcock Boulevard commercial district. 

During the debate, where both candidates gave opening statements and then took turns answering questions from the audience, Kinross described himself as "conservative politically and fiscally." 

He voted against Ross Township's 1.0329-mill increase in December and said he would continue to oppose tax increases. 

"There will not be a tax increase this year, I promise you that," he said. 

His budget priorities are public safety and paving the roads, he said. 

"," he said. "When your roads start to fall apart, it's a bad reflection on the whole community."

Sponcer, a retired Comcast construction technician and volunteer firefighter (he's served both the and the ), has lived in Ross Township for 37 years. 

He said he decided to campaign for the Ward 3 seat because he was unhappy with the direction of the township and the conduct of its elected officials. 

"I've watched this township go from one of the best townships around and now it seem to be in a line of decline," he said, describing the empty businesses he sees on Mcknight Road and Babcock Boulevard.

He also said he watched commissioners yell at each other during meetings and conduct themselves unprofessionally — leading to little production. 

"I think it's time we changed something," he said. 

He, too, cited the road paving program as one of his priorities but said he believed the commissioners had cut all they could cut from the budget and would vote to raise taxes to help cover its costs.

Both candidates said they believe economic redevelopment is critical to the township's future. Kinross suggested that a tax incentive might be an option to attract new businesses. Sponcer said he believes the board needs to become directly involved in recruiting new business. 

"We need to market this township," he said. "Nobody knows a thing about Ross Township."

To listen to the questions asked and the candidates' responses, watch the attached videos:

Part I:

Part II: The candidates answer the question: 

Part III: The candidates answer the question:

Part IV: The candidates answer the question:

Part V: The candidates answer the question:

Part VI: The candidates answer the question:

Part VII: The candidates answer the question:

Part VIII: The candidates continue on the topic of spending, answering the question:

Part IX:

How do you feel about the answers you heard during the debate? How will you choose which candidate to vote for? Tell us in the comments.