Arkoosh, Lawrence to seek re-election
Democratic Montgomery County Commissioners Valerie A. Arkoosh, and Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr. have announced their joint campaign for re-election to the Board of Commissioners.
In a joint statement, Arkoosh and Lawrence touted a wide range of accomplishments during their tenure.
“It has been an incredible honor to serve the people of Montgomery County in big and small ways,” Arkoosh said. “Having Moody’s Investor Service upgrade the county’s bond rating to the elite Aaa level is obviously significant, but no more so than making sure that our dedicated public health and social service professionals have the freedom and the tools to protect the people of Montgomery County. I look forward to having a robust discussion with the voters this year to learn how we can make Montgomery County even better.”
Arkoosh won election to a full four-year term in November 2015, after being appointed to fill a vacancy on the board in January 2015.
She is the first female chairperson in the history of the board of commissioners and is currently one of the highest-ranking female elected officials in Pennsylvania. She previously served as chairwoman of the Montgomery County Board of Health.
“As a long time Montgomery County resident I was well aware of the vibrancy and the beauty of our county and the strength and industriousness of its people,” Lawrence said, “but as I criss-crossed the county I learned so much more about the immense potential we have. With our strong fiscal status, we will continue to provide efficient and responsive services to our residents, and we will continue to fix our roads and bridges, expand and improve our trail system, and preserve open space and farmland.”
Lawrence, who was appointed commissioner in January 2017 to complete the term of newly elected Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, will be seeking election for the first time.
As the Democratic Party majority on the three-member board, Arkoosh and Lawrence cited their track record, which they said includes:
• strengthening the county’s fiscal standing while holding the line on taxes;
• launching a comprehensive renovation of the county campus in Norristown;
• implementing a new voting system that protects the integrity of the voting process;
• reducing homelessness in the county by 37 percent and eliminating Veteran street homelessness;
• aggressively attacking the opioid crisis in the county;
• and providing a stable, predictable funding stream for Montgomery County Community College, which has resulted in a stabilization of tuition.
Arkoosh and Lawrence will officially kick off their campaign with a rally at noon Sunday, Feb. 24, at the Spring Mill Fire Company in Whitemarsh Township.