Commissioners outline goals for new year
The three leaders shared their visions for the upcoming year at an annual Greater Reading Chamber Alliance event
BERKS COUNTY
The Berks County commissioners have a plan.
Or, to be more accurate, plans.
As a new year begins, the commissioners spent some time Friday morning, Jan. 5, addressing the local business community at the annual breakfast forum hosted by the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Reading. Each of the three — Republicans Christian Leinbach and Michael Rivera and newly-elected Democrat Dante Santoni Jr. — shared their outlook on 2004, laying out their top priorities.
After all, they said, success is hard to come by without a solid plan.
“If everything is a priority then nothing is a priority,” Leinbach said.
Leinbach focused on finances and transportation
Practicing fiscal responsibility: Leinbach said the county leadership team has done its best to craft reasonable spending plans that highlight the priorities of the county.
While no one wants to raise taxes, he said implementing incremental increases like the nearly 9% one in the 2024 budget is more responsible than kicking the can down the road and eventually having to have a massive hike.
Leinbach said he believes the recent tax increase is necessary. He pointed out that since he first took office in 2008 the rate of inflation has increased by a little over 45% and the county has raised taxes by just under 20% during that same time.
“We understand this is taxpayer money and we need to take good care of it,” he said.
GROWING THE READING REGIONAL AIRPORT >> Leinbach said he wants to make the Bern Township airfield the best general aviation airport in the commonwealth.
He said the airport authority took the first step toward making that a reality this week by becoming the sole provider of fuel and other services at the airfield — a move it is allowed to make based on Federal Aviation Administration regulations.
Leinbach noted a recent study conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation that found the Reading airport generates a total annual economic impact of about $78 million. But, he said, that figure could be even better with the moves they are making to attract commercial aviation and create more leasable hangar space.
RESTORING PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE >> Leinbach said the effort to restore passenger rail service from Reading to Philadelphia is rolling steadily forward.
“This is about connecting Berks County to the world beyond,” he said.
He said the announcement in December that the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority had been admitted into the federal Corridor Identification and Development Program will increase the likelihood that service will be successfully implemented. The program will provide funding for the development of a service plan and allow for the start of negotiations with Amtrak and Norfolk Southern about using existing tracks.
Rivera looking at finances and state initiatives
Focusing on fiscal responsibility: Rivera said the reality is that costs have risen sharply over the last several years, making it essential that the county leaders find ways to save money where they can and improve efficiency as much as possible.
He noted that he leads the Savings and Efficiency Team, which examines what can be done differently to make a positive financial impact now and in the future. The goal, he said, is to ensure that taxpayer money is being spent wisely.
ADVOCATING FOR STATE INITIATIVES >> Rivera, who was elected by his peers throughout the state to serve as the president of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, said he will spend much of his time addressing the challenges facing all counties throughout the commonwealth.
Those challenges include the rising number of people with mental health issues in county prisons, the need to expand broadband internet access, the increasing financial burden to offer programs for residents with mental health issues, the need to help children who have behavioral health issues and the promotion of election integrity.
“All of these things affect Berks County, and the good thing about CCAP is that all the counties come together to work as one voice to tell our legislators what is important,” he said. “That’s why this is such a big focus for me.”
PROMOTING ELECTION INTEGRITY >> Rivera said that as the chairman of the elections board, he will be focused on ensuring that elections are secure and accurate. He believes the best way to do that is to provide workers in the elections office with the resources they need and educate voters about the voting process.
“We need to help restore voter confidence in our elections,” he said. “When you have people from both the left and the right spreading misinformation about our elections it continues to fuel the mistrust in the system.”
He said he will also work to advocate for election reforms that will provide clarity to the 2019 law that allowed the widespread use of mail ballots and give counties additional time to process those mail ballots.
Santoni concentrated on new post
Getting to know his way around: Santoni, who acknowledged he had only spent a few days in his new role, said he will spend the next few months meeting with the leaders of county departments and visiting county properties in an effort to have a better understanding of the challenges ahead.
“I’m looking forward to learning what the issues are and working with these two gentlemen to find solutions,” he said.
WORKING WITH READING LEADERS >> Santoni said he wants to focus his attention on promoting economic development in communities throughout the county, with a particular emphasis on helping to revitalize the city.
He said that he believes that a more vibrant city will help make the entire county a more attractive place to live and work.
“The city is the core of our county, and when the city is doing well that will spill over its borders to the surrounding communities,” he said.
ENHANCING THE HEALTH OF RESIDENTS >> Santoni said he will advocate for the implementation of recommendations contained in a county-commissioned study unveiled this past spring about enhancing the delivery of health services in Berks.
He said he supports the recommendations made in the study like hiring a county health director, developing a health advisory panel, supporting the establishment of a Healthy Berks Coalition and adding a county health analyst position.