Yardley Mayoral Candidate Defends Herself, While On Vacation

YARDLEY BOROUGH, PA — Borough Council President Caroline Thompson is speaking out —while on vacation — after stating that several Yardley Borough Council meetings have become "hyper-focused on me and my alleged viewpoints."

Thompson posted a long Facebook message to "make a few statements before more time passes," saying she normally keeps election campaign updates on her campaign page and borough business on her councilwoman page.

"People are free to like me or not like me, to vote for me or not vote for me. I love serving Yardley Borough, but my compass in life is guided by many things beyond being a councilwoman," she said.

Thompson, who is running for mayor in the November general election, said her statements are of her own and not representative of the governing body or the municipality of Yardley Borough.

"Criticism comes with the territory, voice your concerns if you must, but please recognize the difference between opinion and fact," Thompson said. "I trust Yardley residents to weigh facts, form their own opinions, and see through personal attacks that lack substance. Differences of opinion are part of America’s melting pot, but distortion and misinformation are not healthy for our community."

Thompson said the criticism is coming over the future of the borough's police department.

Former Police Chief Joseph Kelly III left the borough to accept the same post with the Lower Makefield Township Police Department. Meanwhile, the police department is now overseen by an interim police chief.

Talk of consolidation or elimination of the police department has also cropped up over recent years as borough officials said that the department's costs are 40 percent of the borough's overall budget.

"As in my last two campaigns, I pledge to run a zero-negativity campaign," Thompson said. "You will not see a mailer or post from me that attacks my opponents. Local leadership is about being for something. A one-square-mile town cannot be governed on a platform of division alone. I am grateful to the many residents (friends, acquaintances, and even strangers) who have spoken up when false information circulates. Thank you."

Thompson stated that she has no issues if people disagree with her or oppose her candidacy.

"But I believe campaigns should not cross into callousness toward public servants who are not and have never been on the ballot," she said. "It saddens me to hear borough employees called 'idiots' by keyboard warriors or officers who took bullets for this town labeled as 'corrupt.' That is not acceptable, and it saddens me and my family greatly."