COMMISSIONER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

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 Personal Property Tax Relief: In 1992, as an assistant County solicitor, wrote the legal brief that ended the unconstitutional personal property tax upon investments thus benefiting retirees.

 Pottstown landfill litigation: In 1996, initiated litigation opposing an expansion resulting in a 3.6 million dollar settlement for County used to support local zoning and to acquire the Colebrookdale Railroad at no cost to taxpayers.

 Farmland Preservation: In l998, proposed the first bond issue to support purchase of development rights, ultimately propelling Berks County to third in the nation status.

 Acquisition and Demolition Programs: In 2002, with former Commissioner Reiver, established program that acquired and demolished over 200 blighted properties in Reading preventing crime and further urban decay.

 Berks Heim: l999-2005, insisted upon construction of an entirely new, attractive and efficient Heim building at appropriate 420 bed capacity, thereby, dramatically improving resident living conditions, marketability, and financial performance.

 Antietam Lake Park: Between 2005-2007, performed legal research and advocated successful taking of 560 acre Antietam property from City of Reading, by eminent domain, thus preventing its development and preserving it as the County’s largest park.

 Pension Fund Management: In 2008, successfully advocated change of management format thereby reducing fees, enhancing returns, and reducing risk. Fund grew from 140 to 460 million dollars between 2009 and 2018.

 Pension Fund Refinancing: in 2012 recommended issuance of pension obligation bond at interest rate below expected rate of returns of fund investments. Ensuing excess returns saved County taxpayers 27 million dollars over six years.

 Voted against last three tax increases in 2007, 2012, and 2017 which raised County taxes a total of almost 50 percent.

 Colebrookdale Railroad: Identified the 2008 pending abandonment and scrapping of this historic 1869 railroad from Boyertown to Pottstown. Successfully advocated County acquisition of track and real estate which began the renaissance of Pennsylvania’s most successful tourist railway and revitalized Boyertown Borough.

 Municipal Corruption: From 1999 to 2010 initiated County Funded forensic investigations into official corruption resulting in guilty pleas or verdicts involving the Coroner Office, Prison Society, Airport Authority and the former Recorder of Deeds.

 Mayor Spencer Investigation: Years prior to FBI investigation of Reading’s former mayor, conducted Board of Elections investigation into campaign contribution improprieties in concert with the Philadelphia Ethics
Commission regarding use of Spencer campaign committee as a conduit to provide prohibited IBEW Local 98 contributions to two Philadelphia politicians. Report referred to Pennsylvania Attorney General.

 Laddered Investment of County Reserves: Successfully proposed staggering of County short term investments to include longer maturities of treasury obligations thereby adding over $600,000 annually in excess interest earnings.

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 Ended Sale of Berks Heim: Suspended support for sale of Berks Heim in July 2018 in favor of negotiating more reasonable labor agreements to prevent losses. Wrote 15 page memo including analysis and recommendations which formed the basis for a successful 2019 compromise whereby Berks Heim remains in County hands while taxpayers save 2 million dollars annually.