Northampton has been governed by Republicans until 2013. The 2012 budget for the township was passed by Republicans so the first budget of the Democrats, Frank Rothermel, Jim Cunningham and Dr. Kim Rose was passed in 2012 for the fiscal year 2013. For four of their six years in office any good ideas, programs or solutions proposed by Frank Rothermel and Jim Cunningham were voted down 3 to 2.
For the first four years of their first term, neither Frank nor Jim could get past the majority. All appointments were controlled by Komelasky, Deon, Silver and Freidman who replaced John Long when he passed in May of 2009.
The Cell Tower problem was caused by the Republicans and Frank and Jim were able to fix it. The Republicans lost several battles in court. American Tower began to install towers on private lawns. The residents joined together and Township Attorney Michael Savona successfully fought and won against almost impossible odds. The judge ruled: Towers would not be installed in neighborhoods where utility wires were underground.’ A massive victory that had an impact all across America. as other municipalities learned from the trailblazers Rothermel and Cunningham.
But the Republican majority on the Sewer Board flexed their muscles and installed Solar Panels on the Water and Sewer Authority property, property that probably belongs to the township. The Republicans said the panels “were free”. The record proves that’s wrong. It’s not debatable, it’s wrong. The panels are not free. they are extremely expensive. They are far more expensive than buying electricity from PECO.
Frank Rothermel did some investigation when solar panels were proposed for the Township Library and rejected them as too expensive. Frank saved the residents tens of thousands of dollars by rejecting solar panels. the Republicans on the Sewer Board didn’t and the citizens will pay the price for their mistakes.
The traffic problems in Holland and Richboro were caused by the Republicans who tried to push businesses around an force them to build roads or not get their projects approved. WAWA in Holland is an example. Frank and Jim studied the traffic problems and for the first time Northampton Township has made plans to reduce traffic problems.
Taxes and fees were increased thousands of times by the Republicans. For the past two years Frank and Jim controlled spending and purposely did not increase any taxes or fees. Remember, they only had a chance to control spending for two years and they did a great job. No tax increases. None.
In 2012 during the Republican Rule, two new unions began to organize some of the township employees. Frank and Jim have been negotiating with them for the past two years. They inherited all of the labor problems and they have been working to fairly deal with them.
The Republicans curtailed Free Speech at the Supervisor Meetings. Frank and Jim increased it. The Republicans had sharply stood against free speech except for a brief period before the business of the township was even discussed. The Republican majority still restricts Free Speech at the Sewer Meetings but it’s far different at the Supervisor meetings where residents can speak on any issue and after the discussions but before the votes.
Some of the union officials and some residents who are Municipal workers tried to present their contract positions at the August meeting but Labor Law is clear. Negotiations must be done in private to protect the positions of the parties. this is not a Free Speech issue even though it involves speech. It’s settled labor law that negotiations must be done in private. Negotiations are a special exception to the right to free speech, just like yelling “Fire” in a crowded theatre. Frank and Jim support both free speech and labor law. So do I.
I’ve sued local townships including the Republican regimes in Northampton five times in Federal Court about political signs, signs protected fiercely by the law, and won all five times. I had to sue Komelasky and his Republican lawyers and cohorts twice. I’ll probably have to do it again because the Northampton GOP is against free speech in so many ways. They prefer anonymity where they can snipe from the sidelines without people knowing who they are, the girlie-men. They do not like citizens speaking to them in public. Political speech in America is the most protected speech in the world. I learned a lot about First Amendment law during the five lawsuits but the Northampton GOP still prefers controlled and anonymous speech.
America is exceptional. Freedom is not yet available to millions outside America. Americans have far different and better ideas about freedom, ideas which are just not understood by people in other cultures. It leads Americans to the attitude of not being pushed around. People in other cultures expect to be pushed around so they become compliant and obedient. Not Americans.
These are some of the reasons I support Frank Rothermel and Jim Cunningham for supervisor. In addition I’ve come to know them and to respect them personally. They are the best for Northampton and Northampton deserves the best, especially after being hood-winked for so long.
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