Press and News

Press Release: September 22, 2007

USW Local 10-1 Endorses Three Democratic Candidates for Delaware County Council

On Thursday, September 20, 2007, the membership of United Steelworkers Local 10-1 unanimously voted to endorse John Innelli, David Landau, and Ann O’Keefe for Delaware County Council.

The three Democratic candidates for Delaware County Council addressed the membership of USW Local 10-1 on Thursday evening at their monthly membership meeting after receiving their endorsement by a unanimous vote. The meeting was held at the USW Union Hall in Lower Chichester.

The candidates’ comments addressing the economic challenges facing Delaware County and transparency in county government received a warm reception from the union members. The union membership was particularly disturbed by the recent callous reaction of Andrew Reilly, current County Council Chairman, to the plant closure announced at the Foamex plant in Eddystone. The Foamex workers are represented by USW Local 10-714.
 

CLICK HERE for the complete press release (PDF)
 

Delaware County Daily Times, Sat, Sept 1, 2007

Letter to the Editor: End culture of cronyism, ‘one-party rule’ in Delco

By Lana Sheer
(Lana Sheer is the recording secretary of the Chadds Ford Democratic Party.)
 

To the Times:

David Landau, Ann O’Keefe and John Innelli, Democratic candidates for county council, are making corruption and lack of transparency major themes of their campaigns.

David has put it succinctly: “I am running to end the culture of corruption which wastes millions of our tax dollars every year. Thirty years of one-party rule has led to a system of patronage, no-show jobs, and no-bid contracts reserved for insiders. This activity results in a loss of faith in county government and corrodes the very fabric of our system. As a member of county council, I will demand an end to this wasteful patronage system and a renewed focus on the important issues facing our communities today.”

And from Ann: “I will demand that ‘best business practice’ be the standard for all government contracts. As an example, I recently requested that county council receive constituent input before entering into a final agreement with the Drexel University School of Public Health for a study of Delaware County’s current health-delivery system. Rather than spend $150,000 on questions to which we already know the answers, I want to make sure that the parameters for this study are such that our tax dollars are being spent for a thorough public review of our county health system.”

The Republican candidates are posing as conservatives dedicated to smaller government. They trumpet the fact that we have not had a county tax increase in three years, while ignoring the fact that we have a budget and payroll which are grossly in excess of those of the surrounding counties.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Chadds Ford Post, Posted on Wed, Aug 29, 2007

Delaware County is a corrosive Republican oligarchy
By Lana Sheer
(Lana Sheer is the recording secretary of the Chadds Ford Democratic Party.)
 

This year, Delaware County Council will spend about $560 million of your federal, state and county taxes. The county has more than 3,600 employees. There are 67 counties in Pennsylvania; with the exception of a very small county in the north, we are the only one that does not have two-party representation.

Bucks and Montgomery counties have a two-party system. It appears the organization that has controlled Delaware County for 32 years, with no "checks and balances", have served us ill. The population figures, the number of employees and the budgets of the three counties are all posted online. The numbers speak for themselves.

The Republican candidates are posing as conservatives dedicated to smaller government. They trumpet the fact that we have not had a county tax increase in three years, while ignoring the fact that we have a budget and payroll which is grossly in excess of those of the surrounding bipartisan counties. Most of our taxes are going on county jobs; patronage jobs which help further entrench the Republican oligarchy. And you pay for it.

Bucks and Montgomery Counties each spend about $100 million less than Delaware County. In addition Bucks and Montgomery have tens of thousands more residents. At the same time, Delaware County has many hundreds more county employees.

Thirty-two years of one party rule have embedded a system of patronage, corruption, nepotism and cronyism. Where are the checks and balances when millions are spent on no-bid contracts?. Are we getting the lowest and most responsible contract in each case? Allowing this to continue will further entrench the system of big government and waste.

In addition to receiving $50,000 for their part-time positions on county council, the five Republican members hold more than 20 solicitorships with township administrations and school boards across the county. This is a clear conflict of interest; additionally, we are paying for those positions.

What does all this have to do with the upcoming local elections in Chadds Ford? While cronyism is rampant in Chadds Ford, it does seem that corruption is at a lower level than in some areas of the county.

However, the Chadds Ford Republicans are joined at the hip with County Council Chairman Andy Reilly and his minions. Eighty percent of the local Republican Party fund raising this year ($12,500 total) has come from outside the township - with Reilly prominent among the donors.

The members of our local Republican Party are enablers for Andy Reilly and the county Republican power structure; they are, thereby, also enablers of the widespread corruption and cronyism in Delaware County.

How much of the county budget is being sluiced straight down the drain? Judging by the comparison with surrounding counties it could be as much as $100 million. Our local candidates congratulate themselves on holding down township taxes; there is not much point in holding down local taxes when we are being taken to the cleaners in Media.

We need to bring democracy, accountability and transparency to the Chadds Ford and to the Delaware County governments in November.

CLICK HERE for the link to this letter.

Delaware County Daily Times, Tuesday, July 31, 2007

County council should seek public input on health-study parameters

To The Times:

Delaware County remains the largest county in the United States without a county public health department. Delaware County relies upon a Department of Intercommunity Health staffed with four people … county employees dedicated to their job, but who are not certified in public health or have a medical background.

Last year, Delaware County Council established a Health Advisory Committee. All Advisory Committee meetings are kept closed to the public with no reporting or minutes available for public review. It is important for this working group to keep the public apprized of outstanding health and safety issues facing Delaware County. Providing information is a good thing --- especially when it relates to public health concerns.

County Council’s recent decision to seek outside professional, medical, and academic help in evaluating how health services are provided is a “healthy” and positive step. By contracting with Drexel University’s School of Public Health, County Council may finally have the data needed to determine whether Delaware County is prepared for a pandemic and other possible health and safety issues. It is time for residents to receive factual information about the pros and cons relating to a County health department. For any study to be worth the expense, the study’s purpose must be clearly defined prior to signing on the dotted line. Will Drexel be restricted to a review of the County’s current health delivery system or will the study also analyze the viability of establishing a County health department? What health issues will be reviewed and will the County’s current system for reporting, monitoring and targeting health concerns be fully assessed? When will the study be completed? And, will Drexel’s complete, unabridged report be made available for public review?

Council must be diligent with its contract review. It would be prudent for Council to solicit public input for the study’s parameters. Let us not exclude the taxpayers of Delaware County in this process.

This is one public concern where politics must be set aside. Delaware County must be prepared as best as possible for any public health situation and health safety emergency. The health, safety and welfare of Delaware County residents must remain the top priority for Delaware County Council.

ANN M. O’KEEFE
Haverford