Press releases

November 16, 2000

Shamokin RD 1: In reading Ed Gosciminski's letter to the editor referring to the Brush Valley prison site, he states, "Let the taxpayers decide what is best for Northumberland County." He also said "the issue could be resolved by a referendum on the next voting ballot."

At a recent county commissioners meeting, I asked the commissioners if they would consider putting a referendum on the ballot regarding building a prison in Brush Valley. Commissioner Chairman Allen Cwalina said "no." It appears that the majority county commissioners feel they were elected to be our leaders and the decision should rest with them. However, I feel that two people should not be making the decision for 96,771 people (last Census figures).

The only fair way to settle the matter, in my opinion, is a referendum on the ballot. It's the taxpayers' $4.7 million that the commissioners are planning to use to purchase the land, so the decision should be made by the taxpayers as to whether or not they want the prison in Brush Valley or an alternate site.

While it appears that Northumberland County raised our taxes so they could spend almost $5 million of taxpayers' money to purchase pristine Brush Valley and then destroy its pristine beauty by building a federal prison there, other counties such as Bucks and Chester have voted on a referendum to have their taxes increased so they could preserve open space and, closer to home, Snyder County voted to preserve open space. Why won't our commissioners let the voters decide if we want a federal prison in Brush Valley?

Eleanor Kuhns