K. •
1 ir a 1
con d a gl e ection i i
Tomorrow is election day, isn't it?
By JACKIE MARTINO •
Daily Collegian Staff Writer
Vote. The word is sounded from everywhere at this
time of the year in newspapers, on the radio, from the
candidates themselves. Most students are saturated
with the election by the time the polls open on Nov. 3.
Right?
"I haven't even heard anybody say anything about
it," said Rebecca Brawley (Ist-business administra
tion). "I couldn't tell you who the candidates are; I
haven't seen any information on it at all."
To make students more interested in the election,
Brawley said, the candidates must expose them to more
information.
Brawley is registered to vote at home because qhe is
not informed about local politics, she said.
Gall Allen (Ist-chemical engineering) said neither he
nor any of his friends has discussed the election.
"We're more concerned with the way it is at home,"
Allen said.
Daren Sitoske (4th-recreation and parks) said, "I
talked to my one roommate about (the election)."
However, Sitoske said she discussed the election at her
home, where she is registered to vote.
Sitoske said she does not see the candidates making
enough of an effort to inform the students, and sug
gested increasing candidate visibility as a possible way
to make students more aware.
"Maybe handing out pamphlets on College Avenue,"
Sitoske said. "Or maybe just being on College Avenue"
Irene Kerklo (10th-quantitative business analysis)
said, "I haven't heard too much about it. A lot of people
I know vote absentee (ballot)."
Candidates
on student issues
Also, students are often more concerned with Univer
sity politics than with State College government, Kerklo
said.
"Students definitely tend to be apathetic (about the
local election)," she said.
Kerklo said, however, that local government officials,
as well as students, do not realize the effect they have on
each other.
"I think it's kind of a mutual thing between the
students and the government up here," she said.
"More effort, in addition to informing students and
getting the issues out there," must be made for students
to become interested in the election, Kerklo said.
However, Robert Stuber (4th-political science) said
candidate effort is not the problem.
"They've made an effort," Stuber said. "I don't think
the students really care."
But, he said a more extensive•campaign in the future
could increase student involvement.
"Mainly activate them to get them to vote and make.
them feel that they play an important part of what goes
on in the area," Stuber said.
Bill Cluck, Undergraduate Student Government presi
dent, said, "I think that as many students as usual (as
compared to previous elections) are involved or con
cerned with the local election."
The State College Municipal Council should not have
to "wave banners" trying to get students to become
involved, Cluck said.
Although the council should try to become involved
with student concerns, Cluck •said, "I think it's up to
students to become involved.
"I think that too many students think that the local
tested
By ANNE CONNERS
Daily Collegian Staff Writer
Knowledge of student issues by State
College Municipal Council and Centre
County district attorney candidates was
tested at a recent candidates night spon
sored by the Undergraduate Student
Government's department of political'
affairs.
Six of the seven municipal council
candidates Republican Ralph W. Way
did not attend the candidates night
answered seven questions about student
issues.
Candidates were asked to list what
,they thought the top three issues affect
ing students at the University were.
Ray Boyle, Consumer Party candi
date, ranked housing availability and
liveability, representation concerning
town legislation spending and campus
reapportionment as the top three issues.
- James Deeslie, incumbent Democratic
candidate, listed education, housing and
town development as the top three is
sues.
John Dombroski, Republican candi-
election doesn't have any effect on them."
Even though students are generally a transient group,
Cluck said, the local election still has an impact on their
lives.
"I think the local government affects the students as
much as it affects any local citizen," he said.
Cluck said students are affected by many issues being
considered by the council' a shortage of parking
downtown as well as a lack of bike lanes, for example.
Agreeing with some students who said the candidates
have not been available during the election this year,
Cluck said, "The candidates can always make a bette
reffort."
He added, however, "Some of the candidates have
been accessible."
Student involvement with the local government can
not begin only at election time, Cluck said. Instead,
students must receive information on a weekly or daily
basis about what is happening with State College
politics:
• Cluck said local governemt will become increasingly
more important in the future, because it will have to
make up for a lack of state and federal funding because
of Reagan's budget cuts. '
. Local government must look toward the future, he
said, but, "I'm not so sure local government does know
where they want to go in the next 10 years," he said.
USG has been trying to increase student involvement
in the local election through a Candidates Night, held on
Oct. 21, and a voter registration drive, Cluck said.
date, ranked housing, transportation and
parking, and education as the top three'
issues. -
Felica Lewis, incumbent Democratic
candidate, rated costs, housing and jobs
as the top three issues.
Grove Spearly, Democratic candidate,
listed the cost of education, living facili
ties and transportation as the top three
issues.
And Gary Wiser, Republican candi
date, listed housing, tuition and the loss
of student aid as the top three issues.
Candidates were also asked the cost of
tuition for in-state and out-of-state stu
dents. Tuition . for in-state students is $616
per term and $1,237 'for out-of-state stu
dents.
Boyle said: $6OO-$6lO for in-state stu
dents and $1,200 for out-of-state students.
Deeslie said: $525 for in-state students
and $1,075 for out-of-state students.
Spearly said: $532 for in-state students
and $1,022 for out-of-state students.
Wiser said: $9O per credit for in-state
students and $270 per credit for out-of
state students.
Throughoht the night tomorrow, election workers will tally returns . at the
Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte. Returns from student districts are
often the first to arrive at the courthouse when a local election occurs or are
often the last when the election is national in scope.
Dombroski and Lewis did not answer
the question.
Because many students are concerned
about off-campus housing, the question
naire asked the candidates what the 1980
vacancy rate for apartments in State
College was.
Boyle was the only candidate to answer
the question correctly with the figure of 0
percent.
Deeslie and Lewis said 5 percent,
Domborski said 1.5 percent and Wiser
said 6 to 8 percent. Spearly did not
answer the question.
Candidates were also asked if they
favored . the annexation of East Halls
residence halls Stone, Stuart, Hastings
and Snyder back to State College. The
dorms are now a part of College Town
ship. Thus, students in these four dorms
vote in College Township.
Boyle said the issue would need to be
studied and Wiser said the dorms should
not be annexed back to State College.
Deeslie, Dombroski, Lewis and Spear
ly said the dorms should be a part of
State College.
College Township
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Whether State College should accept
federal funds as a result of its desig
nation as a Standard Metropolitan Stasti
cal Area was also asked on the
questionnaire.
Since students make up a large per
centage of the low-income population of
State College, some of the community
development funds may go to aid low
income students.
While all candidates said State College
should accept the funds, Dombroski and
Spearly expressed reservations.
Since students often get around town
by bus, candidates were also asked how
much the Centre Area Transportation
Authority's 55- c ent fare was during the
day and night.
Boyle and Lewis answered the question
correctly; Deeslie, Wiser and Spearly
said 50 cents and Dombroski did not
answer the question.
And the candidates unanimously
agreed that students should participate
in the A, B and Cs of local government.
PATTON TOWNSHIP:
1. North HI Recreation Center of
Cedarcourt Townhouses, 701 Crickle
wood Drive.
2: North #2 Matternville Elementary
School, Route 322.
3. South #1 Park Forest Village,
Methodist Church, 1833 Park Forest Ave.
4. South 112 Woodycrest United Meth
odist Church, Clearview Avenue.
South ii 3 (not numbered on map)
Trinity Lutheran Church, 2221 North Oak
Lane.
COLLEGE TOWNSHIP:
p. West College Township Municipal
Building, 1481 E. College Ave.
7. East Elementary School, 675 Elm
wood St.
8. North Houserville Elementary
School, 217 Scholl St.
9. South South Ridge Motor Inn, 1830
S. Atherton St.
n Church, 1760 W. College Ave..
FERGUSON TOWNSHIP:
10. Feguson North #1 Lutheran
Church, 1760 W. College Ave., Pine Hall.
H. North #2 and Northeast #1 Room
22 and 16, Radio Park School, Circleville
Road.
12. Northeast #2 Howard Johnson's
Restaurant, 1272 S. Atherton St.
13. East Presbyterian Church, Route
45, Pine Grove Rd., Pine Grove Mills.
West (not numbered on map) Com
munity Building, Main Street, Bai
leyville.
STATE COLLEGE:
14. North Church of Christ, 405
Hillcrest Ave.
15. Northeast College Heights
School, 721 N. Atherton St.
16. Northwest YMCA, 412 W. College
Ave.
17. South #1 and South I/2 Main
entrance, State College Area Interme
diate High School, 650 Westerly Park
way.
18. Southeast Elementary School,
234 Easterly Parkway.
19. South Central #1 State College
Area Senior High School, 653 Westerly
Parkway.
20. South Central /12
Church, Easterly Parkway.
21. East fil Findlay recreation room,
East Halls.
22. East #2 Stephens Hall, South
Halls.
23. East #3 Grace Lutheran Church,
South Garner Street and Beaver Avenue.
24. East #4 129 Pollock Dining Hall.
25. East Central #1 Wesley Founda
tion, 256 E. College Ave.
26. East Central #2 Zeta Psi fraterni
ty, 225 E. Foster Ave.
27. East Central #3 Phi Sigma Kappa
fraternity, 501 S. Allen St.
28. West #1 Elementary School, 235
Corl St.
29. West #2 Our Lady of Victory
School, 800 Westerly Parkway.
30. West Central #i Dining Room C,
Waring Hall, West Halls.
31. West Central #2 State College
Municipal Building, 118 S. Fraser St.
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Collegian photo
Christian
Municipal
Council
candidates
John A. Dombroski
SMSA funds: a dream come true?
By KATHY ANDREWS
and DIANNE GARYANTES
Daily Collegian Staff Writers
Most •of the candidates for State
College Municipal Council agree that
the municipality has a housing prob
lem which could be resolved with the
money the area is eligible to receive
from the federal government.
State College has been designated a
Standard Metropiilitan Statistical
Area as of the 1980 Census and is
eligible for $2.3 million in Community
Development Block Grants.
Candidate James Deeslie, an incum
bent Democrat, said SMSA funds could
be used to buy land on West College
Avenue.
"We have problems on West Col
lege," Deeslie said. "We, as council,
cannot buy buildings, but we can accu
mulate land and sell."
However, Deeslie said council can
only make recommendations about the
appearance of buildings, not dictate
aesthetics.
The candidate also said he supports
putting money into hiring more code
enforcement officers.
Deeslie said he would like to see the
bloc grant money to first go to senior
citizen housing.
"I want to complete the senior citi
zens housing project on Bellaire Ave
nue," he said. "We're never had
enough money to complete it and it
certainly applies in this case."
Deeslie also said he supports pro
grams that would benefit the region,
such as code enforcement and public
works programs, specifically road im
provements. This would benefit the
entire area and keep taxes down, he
said.
Republican John Dombroski said it
is difficult to comment on how the
SMSA money can be spent.
"We haven't so far identified who the
low- and moderate-income people are
in State College and how we can use
that money according to regulations,"
he said. "It pays to be cautious when
dealing with federal funds.
Dombroski said council should find
out from other communities what they
have done with SMSA funding and
should get citizen input on the matter.
Dombroski said SMSA money can be
used for housing if there is a problem,
but the regulations on how the money
Candidates divided on cab company ownership
By KATHY ANDREWS
Daily Collegian Staff Writer
State College Municipal Council candidates
favor the services the Centre Area Transportation
Authority provides to the riders of the municipali
ty, however not all of them 'favor the municipali
ty's ownership of the cab company.
James Deeslie, an incumbent Democrat, said
he is pleased with the successful ridership CATA
is providing and is also delighted to see what is
happening with the cab company.
Deeslie said he was a member of the council
that voted to maintain the ownership of the cab
company and said he would like to see it break
even by the end of the year.
The Centre Cab Co. was purchased from the
Golden Cab Co. in 1979 and turned over to CATA
for operation. Because the company was running
at a deficit, CATA asked to be relieved of respon
sibility for the cabs. The council then voted to
State
College
is to be spent must be carefully fol
lowed.
He said he does not know if the SMSA
funds could be used to improve the
substandard housing on West College
Avenue, since that is a private busi
ness.
Grove A. Spearly, Jr., a Democratic
candidate, said he thinks citizen inptit
should decide how the SMSA money is
spent.
"We need to understand why we
qualify for the funds. We should get
input from (low- and moderate-in
come) people, add our own ideas and
go from there," he said. "I don't think
me, as an individual, should make the
decision. We need input from others."
Spearly said he. thinks student hous
ing should be on the priority list.
"Students' houses is one of the multi
tude of problems we should look at,"
he said. "That cannot be too far down
on the list from what I've seen and
heard."
Spearly said he is concerned with the
off-campus housing situation and said
students should become deeply in
volved by forming pressure groups to
let landlords know that they are just
inside of the law.
The candidate also said the area
should implement stricter code en
forcement and that the council should
coordinate student housing with the
University.
Spearly said SMSA money should
also go for streets, street repairs and
curbing for the disabled.
"Again, these are just ideas," he
said. "The low-income people should
say 'These are things we need.' "
Ray Boyle, Consumer Party candi
date, said he supports using the SMSA
funds for housing and weatherization
programs for those who cannot afford
energy costs.
"That's probably where I'd like to
see the money go first setting up a
weatherization program for the lower
income people and the elderly," he
said. "This won't cost much money."
Energy costs are simply too high for
these people, the third-party candidate
said.
"People on a fixed income some
times spend as much as 30 percent of
their total earned income on heating
and electric bills," Boyle said.
"It's dangerous to say (to elderly
keep the company for at least a year on a trial
basis, with a review after six months. This review
will come at the end of October.
Deeslie said the advantage of keeping a munici
pally owned cab company is that it provides
services to the elderly and the handicapped.
However, if a private company cotild continue to
provide top service to the municipality, Deeslie
said, then it would be a good idea to sell it.
As it stands now, Deeslie said, there are five
clean and dependable cabs operating out of the
Centre Regional Bus Depot, which is opened 24
hours a day. A big plus in that is the cabs can
service the bus passengers at any time through
out the day, he said.
Deeslie also said the 30-minute waiting time for
a cab has now been reduced to 12 minutes.
John Dombroski, a Republican, said he is in
favor of the continuation of CATA, but said he
believes the cab company should be in the hands
Gary A. Wiser
people), 'turn your thermostat
down,' " he said. "This will not solve
the problem —hypothermia could set
in."
the SMSA funds on smaller projects.
"It's not a lot of money," he said
The council "could develop small pro
• grams and small projects that could
end when the money ends.
"I'd like to see small-scale, commu
nity-based housing projects, such as
five people to a house," he said. "It
could even be inter-generational, not
just housing for the elderly."
"People would pay to maintain what
is already provided for them."
Boyle also said citizen input on the
SMSA issue would be important.
"It's going to take a lot of commu
nity input. The decision-makers do not
have a feel for what the needs are," he
said. "That's when it'll be important
for students and the elderly to come
forth and state their needs."'
Boyle said the SMSA money could be
used for making improvements. in
existing housing, such as better insula
tion and weather stripping.
He also said pressure by the commu
nity to make it publicly known who the
bad landlords are is another measure
that could control high rents. '
' Boyle said students should establish
committees to review whether rent
increases by landlords are justifiable.
"Students are victimized by housing
and that's a crime," he said.
Felicia Lewis, a Democratic incum
bent candidate, said SMSA money
should be spent on public works pro
jects, such as street repairs and light
ing, for the first of The three years the
borough would receive funds.
"For years two and three, we could
plan carefully for the rest of the
funds," she said.
"I'm personally more oriented to
ward social problems what can be
done for the elderly, improving public
meeting facilities and county funding
for human service programs."
Lewis said more houses are being
rented to students because private
owners are finding it difficult to sell
their homes. This presents the danger
of lowering the integrity of the resi
dential neighborhoods, she said.
"While our downtown is vital and
growing, we have this periphery on the
Ray , Boyle
Boyle said the council should spend
of private owners.
• "When private enterprise operates something,
tax money is generated," Dombroski said. "When
government operates something, you spend mon
ey."
Dombroski said he believes the cab company
can be privately operated since he has talked to
private owners who are interested in purchasing
t 4 cabs.
Grove Spearly, a Democrat, agreed with Dom
broski, in saying that CATA proVides good serv
ices. But the government should not get involved
in a private industry with the cab company,
Spearly said.
If a private industry would take over the own
ership of the cab company, more jobs would be
provided to citizens of the borough, Spearly said.
Gary Wiser, a Republican, said he would like to
see CATA transferred to the Centre Region Coun
cil of Governments instead of it being a munici-
outside that is also growing," she said.
South Pugh Street, West Beaver
Avenue and West College Avenue are
all examples of a deteriorating periph
ery, she said.
Lewis said the substandard housing
on West College Avenue is an affront to
the residents who have valued the
traditional appearance of State Col
lege streets. She said she has also
learned through her campaigning that
there is a great deal of resentment in
the residential community towards the
development of West College Avenue.
Lewis also said the municipality
should offer incentives for young fami
lies to buy deteriorating houses.
"We want to arrest deterioration
without reducing the housing avail
able," the candidate said.
Lewis, like many other candidates,
said code enforcement should be more
strict and that the University should
take some responsibilty for housing
students.
Gary Wiser, Republican candidate,
said West College Avenue . is a
"blighted area" and council could pos
sibly create a zone that would help
correct the problem.
"It's obvious that the zoning hasn't
worked and codes haven't had enough
power," Wiser said. "Maybe what we
need is some redevelopment ordinance
—not residential and not commercial.
This may be a possibility that would
stem the blight."
Wiser also suggested modifying
housing codes for the area.
"It doesn't matter what comes in as
long as it eliminates the blighted
area," he said. "Whatever it takes to
correct that condition is what council
should look at."
Wiser also said housing was an im
portant cnsideration for the SMSA
funding and that the council must
comply with the federal regulations or
disallowance of costs results.
Disallowance of costs would be if the
funds were spent for the wrong pur
poses and the government would take
away the funding, Wiser said. Then
taxpayers would have to foot the bill,
he said.
Ralph A. Way, a Republican, re
quested not to be interviewed.
Grove Spearly Jr.
James. Deeslie
pally run authority.
At COG's Oct. 26 meeting, the council approved
a plan that would change CATA from a municipal
authority to a joint regional authority. However,
CATA must still await decision from the five
member municipalities: College, Ferguson, Har
ris, Patton and State College.
If the reorganization is approved, State College
officials would not be solely responsible for
CATA. Instead, the municipalities would share
the responsibility.
Wiser also said he does not think that running
the cab service 24 hours a day will help to offset
the losses of the company.
"I don't think this will make a significant
difference," Wiser said. "I'm not sure what the
demand is during (the night) hours, but I don't
think this will offset the deficit."
Ray Boyle, a Consumer Party candidate, said
CATA is a good service and should be supported
Photo by Kathleen Prince
Over-regulation
viewed by candidates
By KATHY ANDREWS
Daily Collegian Staff Writer
Although some of the State College Municipal Council candidates believe there is
ever-regulation from municipal council as with the sign ordinance and the anti
smoking proposal Felicia L. Lewis, a Democrat and incumbent, said the
existing sign ordinance is a protection for small businessmen who would otherwise
be forced to compete with the size of national franchise signs.
"You cannot have effective planning without effective ordinances," Lewis said.
"This maintains the highest level of quality in State College, which benefits the
citizens and the University."
Lewis said the sign ordinance was established in the late 1960 s and early 1970 s
when national franchises entered the city with large emblems and motifs.
As a result of the sign ordinance, the State College Holiday Inn has one of the
smallest signs in the United States and McDonalds was constructed without any
arches, Lewis said.
Lewis also said she does not believe voluntary compliance from businesses
would work in State College, as other council members have suggested, even
though some businesses have used personal restraint and good taste in going along
with the appearance of the community.
On the State College Board of Health's proposed anti-smoking ordinance, Lewis
said she would like to hear more views from the citizens.
The council listened to a report by the board last month on the possibility of an
ordinance to ban smoking in public places and decided more information was
needed on the enforcement of such an ordinance and a formal definition of public
places.
Unless there was a large number of public support, Lewis said she believed it
would be virtually impossible to enforce such an ordinance in bars. However, she
said it would not be as difficult to enforce in restaurants.
James Deeslie, a Democrat and incumbent, agrees with Lewis in defending the
sign ordinance.
"We have careful zoning and land use control in the borough," Deeslie said. "A
lot of the ordinances should be strengthened and not weakened."
Deeslie said the sign ordinance has done a fantastic job for State College. Tacky
commercial strips with billboards are not seen in State College as a result of the
ordinance, Deeslie said.
John Dombroski, a Republican, said if elected, he would like.to take a look at the
ordinances that have become restrictive. He said some ordinances have been used
to harass the problem and not solve it .
Dombroski said he believes .that instead of a sign ordinance, voluntary •
compliance among the municipal government, the community and the Chamber of
Commerce could control offensive signing in the business area.
Dombroski also said he does not think an anti-smoking ordinance would be easily
enforced in public places. Harassment and a lack of uniform enforcement would
result from such an ordinance, he said.
John Wiser, a Republican, agreed with Dombroski in saying an anti-smoking
ordinance could not be easily enforced.
He said area restaurants should be encouraged to provide separate sections for
smokers and nonsmokers. However, it may not be economically feasible for some
businesses to provide such sections, he said.
Grove Spearly, a Democrat, said he is afraid of over-regulation from the council
and said he is embarrassed about the anti-smoking proposal.
"People who smoke have just as much of a right as nonsmokers," he said.
On the other side, Ray Boyle, a Consumer Party candidate, said he favors an
anti-smoking ordiance as a nonsmoker and for the general health of the public.
Boyle said he realizes what the council is concerned about with a sign ordinance,
since State College is a beautiful town. However, he said he believes the council
should set its priorities on more important issues, such as energy and
transportation.
Ralph Way, a Republican, refused to be interviewed.
The Daily Collegian Monday, Nov. 2, 1981-1
look
at
local
campa►gn
Issues
by the municipality.
"This town bases its transporation on the use of
the car," Boyle said. "I would like to see a more
balanced system of transportation, such as public
transportation, walkways and bikeways."
As for the cab company, Boyle said it is needed
and does not see much harm in it being run by the
municipality. However, if it becomes a problem,
he said he would back the idea of finding ' a
responsible private owner.
Boyle also said the cab company is good be
cause it provides para-transit ridership ,to the
elderly and handicapped, since buses are not
equipped to handle them.
Felicia Lewis, a Democrat incumbent, said she
would like to see CATA become regionally sup
portive.
Ralph Way, a Republican, requested not to be
interviewed.
Felicia Lewis