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Candidates for local offices speak on issues

Three candidates running in the November election took turns addressing the Williamsport Rotary Club about issues facing the city and county Monday.

Lycoming County Commissioner Tony Mussare is a Republican seeking re-election. Derek Slaughter, a Williamsport City councilman, is a Democrat running for Williamsport mayor, while Adam Yoder is seeking a city council seat.

Mussare noted his experience as a commissioner.

“It’s a demanding job, but really rewarding as well,” he said.

It’s a job, Mussare said, that requires working with all municipalities of the county.

Meeting the requirements of the Cheseapeake Bay initiative, he said, is an unfunded government mandate that is tasking all municipalities.

“We need common sense regulations,” he said. “Let’s identify the benefits versus the costs.”

Mussare asked what the specific benchmarks are for communities for compliance.

He noted that much of the stream and stormwater runoff adversely impacting the Chesapeake may be coming from elsewhere.

“I’m a big advocate for reasonable regulations,” he said.

Mussare called for a countywide tax reassessment, a measure that hasn’t been taken since 2004.

“Everytime we delay it, we are taxing seniors more. Something has to be done,” he said. “We have to protect our most vulnerable people.”

Slaughter, a native of Williamsport and a teacher in the Williamsport Area School District, said he never intended to run for mayor, but changed his mind after sitting on council.

City government, he said, is in need of better efficiency and transparency.

“We need to get our financial house in order,” he said.

Slaughter noted the infrastructure problems of the City Hall building and the question of whether to move government operations elsewhere.

“I think we should go,” he said.

Slaughter called for the assessment of all city buildings and for a decision about which ones the city should keep or rehabilitate.

He called for updating city zoning and making room for more development in Williamsport.

Attracting people and new businesses to the city is important.

And, Slaughter noted that the city needs to continue addressing issues surrounding Grafius Run and stormwater.

Yoder said he’s running for city council because he’s frustrated — like a lot of citizens.

Decisions made by city council, he said, have much impact not only on the city but the entire county.

He said the city needs better accountability and to change how it conducts its business.

“We need to look at the fiscal health of the city,” he said, while calling for an examination of how tax dollars are spent.

Yoder also called for collaboration among all local governments.

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