The Daily Salvo is once again taking a field trip to Chester County, PA. Specifically, West Vincent Township. How very interesting.
Daily Salvo can also be heard on News Talk 1180 WFYL.com
The three pigs visual is darn funny. Don’t know if Supervisor David Brown, formerly of Lawyer Merion, err Lower Merion Township will find it as amusing, but here’s wondering if Daily Salvo finds his political “roots” amusing? After all given the time line, he must have had some crossover with one of the attempting fathers of eminent domain in Lower Merion Township, Ken Davis, right? Can it be said if you follow poitics that some of the “old guard” in Lower Merion nearly not only destroyed Republican politics in Lower Merion, but Montgomery County as well? So you always wonder where people go when they disapear off your local scene, right?
And isn’t it so cute that Lower Merion’s old David Brown is now what he seems he always wanted to be, as in a local politician in West Vincent? Gotta give a guy credit for sticking to goals, right?
Check out an article from the Inquirer archives from 1997 and below that 1991:
Commissioner Seeks To Oust Foe From Nov. Ballot The Lower Merion Official Said Gloria L. Agre Moved Too Recently.
LOWER MERION — Township Commissioner Kenneth E. Davis, a Republican representing Gladwyne, is seeking to disqualify his Democratic challenger, Gloria L. Agre, charging that she moved to the ward too recently to qualify as a candidate.
Democrats yesterday confirmed that Agre moved to the ward about a month before the May 20 primary but said they were still looking into whether that would disqualify her.
In a complaint filed Monday in Montgomery County Court, Davis cites the First Class Township Code as saying that candidates for commissioner for a given ward must have lived in that ward for at least a year before election…..
A state-issued Township Commissioners Handbook states the same requirement.
“It’s kind of a monumental screw-up,” said David P. Brown 3d, an attorney who filed the complaint on Davis’ behalf. “It’s not an obscure point of law.
“It’s either ignorance of the law or they’re playing fast and loose with it, and I’m not going to characterize which,” he added.
A Night Of Clashing Candidates. Brown Queried On Tax Troubles
By the time the Lower Merion commissioners got around to interviewing candidates for a seat on their board Wednesday night, only a handful of townspeople were left to watch……First up was David P. Brown, endorsed by the leaders of the Republican party and former Ward 2 Commissioner Calvin S. Drayer, who resigned late in November. The board plans to appoint a commissioner to complete Drayer’s unexpired term on Wednesday.
Democratic Commissioner Alan C. Kessler wasted no time in raising the issue of federal tax liens against Brown worth more than $37,000.
“I’m sure you would agree that the township needs to be fiscally responsible,” Kessler said, referring to the $170 trash fee passed recently to help balance the township’s 1992 budget.
“In the face of the tax liens against you, do you feel you are the best person to serve the township?” asked Kessler.
Brown replied that during the course of his recent divorce, his lawyer had advised him that if he paid the taxes, “there would be a tactical disadvantage.”
He added, “These problems are a one-time situation. I don’t think they reflect on my commitment to the community or on my integrity.”…
Brown also said that he had just paid off hundreds of dollars in overdue business privilege taxes last week.
“I discovered in preparation for this interview that they had not been paid for several years now,” Brown said adding that the taxes and penalties incurred have now been paid in full.
“In other words,” said Kessler, “you thought that before running for commissioner, it might be a good idea to pay your taxes.”
After the interview, Brown said that his failure to pay the business privilege tax was a simple oversight.
“I was not expecting the kind of highly partisan attack that occurred,” Brown said. “The liens are public information and I am expecting to get them cleaned up in the next month. I would say the situation is unfortunate, personally embarrassing to me. I resent the political use of it, and I am still very much a candidate.”….Finally, Kenneth E. Davis was called before the board. Davis said he had been encouraged by Republican leaders to seek the Ward 2 seat when Drayer resigned. But he was then informed that the party would be supporting Brown instead, so he withdrew the application. He rejoined the field hours before the interviews were held…..Manko told the board, “If David Brown is picked, it stinks,”
But the thing is this West Vincent, politics on the most local level should be about the individual, not if they are a mini-me version of politics on a larger scale. And sometimes people present a good face as candidates and once they are in office they pretty much suck.
Seriously, local yokel politicians only have as much power over you as you allow. And remember ultimately they work for you thew residents, which means you can fire them with the power of your vote.
All I know is reading all this stuff from the outside, I wonder how long it will take for West Vincent government to implode upon itself? A beautiful place that seems to hide a lot of inner turmoil and ugliness? So sad.
FYI, it was Mr. Brown, who put his bio out there – and here is his poitical resume:
POLITICAL ACTIVITY
- Republican Committee of Lower Merion & Narberth Committeeman 1976 – 1990 Counsel to Committee 1990 – 2004 Member Executive Committee 1990 – 2004 Former Solicitor to Montgomery County Controller
- Republican Committee of Chester County Committeeman 2006 – present
So now that Mr. Brown is a Supervisor in West Vincent, here’s hoping he does the right thing by all residents, yes?
The last word is check out today’s The Mercury – there is an editorial called “Why should West Vincent taxpayers pay for official’s health care?”
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