To the editor:
In her letter to the editor and campaign slogan, Democrat Julie Blake claims to listen to the public. Let’s look at the evidence, which is overwhelmingly to the contrary.
- Allowed the largest development in the history of Hopewell Township without a single public work session. That’s not listening. That’s just deceiving.
- Gave a tax break to the multi-billion (with a “B”) dollar developer of the Zaitz Tract, excluding the schools from any Zaitz tax revenue, without a single public work session. That’s not listening. That’s just deceiving.
- Planned to put an intersection in the middle of Diverty Road without first involving the residents. That’s not listening. That’s just deceiving.
- Allows the public only two 3 minute opportunities to speak at any township committee meeting. That’s not listening. That’s just deceiving.
- On October 9, left the township meeting after the first two hours, without letting the public speak before she left. That’s not listening. That’s just deceiving.
Likewise, Ms. Blake’s vocal supporters are equally deceptive. In his letter to the editor, Ray Disch portrays himself as a local entrepreneur instead of revealing that he is the long-time municipal chair of the Hopewell Township Democratic County Committee. That’s not impartial. That’s just deceiving.
In her letter to the editor, Linda Rogers claims to “usually avoid politics,” instead of revealing that she is a Hopewell Township Democratic County Committee District 1 representative. That’s not impartial. That’s just deceiving.
In her letter to the editor, Amie Rukenstein claims that the PILOT agreement won’t take money from our schools. She not only fails to reveal that she is a Hopewell Township Democratic County Committee District 3 representative, but also misrepresents the effect that the PILOT will have on the schools. She is neither impartial nor accurate, just deceiving. Simply stated, the schools are entitled to a portion of every tax dollar. The PILOT prevents the schools from receiving any tax revenue from the Zaitz tract. Therefore, the PILOT takes money from the schools. Period.
Finally, in their letter, the trustees of the Hopewell Valley Democratic Club make blatantly false claims about their candidate, Ms. Blake, particularly regarding public participation and debt. On the former, the facts are set forth above. Regarding the latter, Ms. Blake has put the township into new debt on all three yearly budgets on which she has voted.
Such is the truth about Julie Blake, her vocal supporters and public deception.
Harvey Lester
Titusville