ELECTION 587 Winand: Town ambiance means more to voters By MAUREEN QUINN Collegian Staff Writer Preserving the ambiance of the State Col lege community is an issue voters will proba bly find more important than those related to the University in the upcoming Borough Council election, Councilman Fremont D. Winand said. Winand, who is not running for reelection. said he believed many of the neighborhood associations would like to see an ordinance that controls the amount of new apartment buildings creeping into the area. "Pleasing residents and neighbors is a big Referendum to aid Pa. farmers By MAUREEN QUINN Collegian Staff Writer State farmers will be able to sell development rights to their land and still grow crops on it if voters pass a farmland bond referendum in this Tuesday's election. The $lOO million bond issue, if ap proved, will be used to purchase conservation easements ( devel opment rights) from farm owners in agricultural security districts to pro mote the planned preservation of farmland throughout Pennsylvania. This land could not be used for non farm purposes. "The only legacy I can leave my family is land," said Ronald Houtz. an area farmer and vice president of Student By MAUREEN QUINN Collegian Staff Writer University student Patrick Paul has launched a last-minute write-in campaign for the State Col lege Borough Council race. Paul, a senior majoring in political science, is currently president of the University's North Halls. He said he decided to run for office as a student because he feels students could be better served by having a representative on the council. "I believe. . . that only a student can adequately represent students," he said at a press conference yesterday at which he officially announced his candidacy. "There are experiences which stu dents share that others beyond student life do not.- Paul said he was encouraged by some council members' understanding of student needs but Commissioner candidates KEITH BIERLY Democrat Occupation: District Justice for 12 years. Resigned to run for commis sioner Experience: As magistrate tried about 10,000 cases ranging from parking offenses to homocide. Ex perience with court related offices. Age: 38 By LISA NURNBERGER Collegian Staff Writer Bierly has worked as a District Justice for the past 12 years in State College, Bellefonte and Centre Hall. He has presided over about 10,000 hearings on charges ranging from summary offenses to the most se rious felonies, including homicides. Bierly, who has served on the Centre County Youth Service Bu reau board of directors, and the Centre County Mental Health-Men tal Retardation Agency, said he has seen changes that need to be made in the county commissioner posi tion. "The commissioners need a new openess." he said. adding that they VICKI BUMBARGER Republican Occupation: Licensed realtor, for mer Centre County chief clerk and administrative officer Experience: Ten years in county government: nine years as chief clerk/administrative offier: helped devlop computerization of voter registration and election support system: supervised administrative operation of all Centre County gov ernment offices and departments. Age: 44 By LISA NURNBERGER Collegian Staff Writer Bumbarger served as chief clerk and administrative officer for four Boards of Commissioners. During that time, she researched many major issues, prepared annual bud gets, and supervised all county gov ernment offices and departments. "I was able to see what worked Bumbarger said. She said the next commissioners must deal with tax reform. Another issue of concern is the Centre County recycling project. issue, - he said. "State College residents don't really see town and gown (University) rela tions as an issue." Councilwoman Mary Ann Haas said the council receives many complaints because of the construction of buildings some residents perceive to be unattractive. The council tries to inspire developers to create attractive buildings, she said, but the problem lies in developers trying to get the most for their money. Town-gown issues such as noise ordinance violations by student apartment-dwellers and fraternity houses are, however, important to borough voters. Winand said. the Centre County Farmer Associa tion. "Everything else is perishable." Houtz said he can not sell devel opment rights to his land because it is not located in an agricultural security district, an area where farmers own ing 500 acres or more receive pro tected zoning status. The state lost 900,000 acres of farm land between 1975 and 1985, a loss of 90,000 acres per year. Given the pop ulation growth worldwide, farmland becomes even more precious, said Judith Johnsrud, area resident and member of the Environmental Fo rum of Centre County. "Either people will have less to eat or the quality of food produced from inferior lands will decrease either way. the future population will suf fer,- Johnsrud said. bids for sometimes believed that council members did not understand students' mentality. However, Paul said he would not forget his responsibility to the borough of State College while serving students. While he said he had not at tended many borough council meetings, he has researched and formed opinions on many of the issues facing the community. Paul said he would like to see recycling become a statewide program and that, as a council mem ber, he would support any progress in that area. Implementing recycling in State College may be difficult due to the high turnover rate of students, he said, and he recommended a three-stage plan that would culminate in a complete recycling program for the borough. Paul said he is very much against the proposed extra $lO fee on downtown apartment rentals because effects on students are not considered. need to be more in touch with the people. Bierly said he favors the farm land referendum because he would like to see the county land remain diverse and the referendum will ensure its preservation. He said he favors the county providing shelter for the homeless. As district magistrate Bierly had to jail homeless people who were breaking laws to survive, he said. which she said will extend the life of the Snow Shoe landfill. Bumbarger said she doesn't favor the farmland referendum. - We're giving all benefits to farmers whose land is in danger of development.- Bumbarger said she favors donat ing county tax dollars to help the homeless as long as there is suffi cient money in the budget. She favors appointing a district attor ney." "Noise problems excite residents," he said. - Then people perceive problems between town and gown. Students are young. noisy and active, and neighborhoods are more reserved." But Winand added that he had nothing but praise for fraternity leaders who recently initiated a hotline to help control fraternity noise. Parking could be a big issue in the Nov. 3 election, and could also affect many students. Winand said. "There's going to be a big move to elimi nate on-street parking, and there is the feel ing that on-street parking is used Farmers who decide to sell their development rights can do so for either 25 years or for perpetuity. Farmers who sell for 25 years will receive 10 percent of the land's as sessed development value, and per manent sellers will be compensated for the full development value of their farm. This option gives farmers serious about their attachment to the land a chance to get a fair return on the it while the land is still productive, Johnsrud said. "Many farmers thought they would be forced into development in order to have something to retire on," she said. A few farmers remain skeptical because other governmental mech- borough council JEFFREY M. BOWER Republican Occupation: Chairman of the Centre County Board of Commis sioners since 1980. attorney Experience: Chairman, commis sioners; executive committee, Pennsylvania Commissioners Asso ciation; Director, National Coun ties Association; Legislative Counsel. Federal Maritime Com m iss ion, 1975-77; partner Eisenstein & Bower: managed 500 employees and a $2l million budget of the Centre County government Age: 30 By LISA NURNBERGER Collegian Staff Writer Bower has served as county com missioner for eight years. He said that during his two terms as commissioner he has reorga nized Centre County Human Serv ices to become a leading system in the state, modernized record keep ing systems and played a large role in economic planning. Bower said he doesn't believe the commissioners should appoint a JOHN SAYLOR Democrat Occupation: County Commissioner Experience: Served as president and board member of SEDA-Coun cil of Governments from 1977 to 1983. Age: 55 By LISA NURNBERGER Collegian Staff Writer Saylor has 12 years experience as Centre County Commissioner, four of them as chairman. - The major issues are the educa tion, experience and demonstrated abilities of the candidate seeking office." Saylor said. Saylor said his accomplishments in his 12 years as commissioner speak for themselves, as he has "exercised good sound judgment in attacking problems." Although county commissioners have the power to designate a dis trict attorney, Saylor said he would hesitate to make that decision be cause it would cost the taxpayers $79,000 for salary. Saylor said he favors the pro- anisms are available that still retain all rights to their land, she added. Although the $lOO million would have to be shared by the state's 50 counties, Houtz and Johnsrud agreed the referendum would represent a start in the fight to preserve land. "If the bond is approved and the money well-spent, it will be an intro duction to much larger programs," Johnsrud said. "I won't deny the need for devel opment," he added, "but I'm not sure we can't ( develop) up and not out," Houtz said, noting how buildings could be built higher instead of wider. Johnsrud said the Commonwealth would pay interest incurred from the bond issue through taxes. "A $lO fee looks like they're charging students to find lodging, - he said. "It's a very, very invalid way to raise money for the borough. - Paul said extending a business privilege tax to University operations, such as the Creamery or the Penn State Bookstore, would also affect stu dents. The University would ultimately pass this extra costs on to students, he said. When questioned about his support of showing pornography on campus, Paul said that Penn State Cinemas, the organization which sponsors the movies, is responsible for fund-raising and show ing pornographic movies was the best way to raise money. "Pornography traditionally has and still does raise more money than anything else," he said. Paul said if elected, he will serve out all of his four-year term. He is scheduled to graduate in January but hopes to attend graduate school . district attorney because neither taxpayers nor the county can afford the salary. Part time employees are doing a district attorney's job adequately, he said. The county's lack of funds also prohibits it from providing shelter for the homeless, he said. He does not support the proposed farmland referendum. because he doesn't think the funds should be stretched across the state. ~ ~ ,~ r posed farmland referendom Saylor said that because the coun ty alone supports homeless State College citizens, they should contin ue to work cooperatively with other organizations. In the upcoming term. commis sioners must work towards estab lishing a local tax reform because the county is limited in the types of taxes, he said. Most of those taxes that are authorized are unfair. predominately by students," he said Student tenants may have trouble finding parking at their apartment building because developers aren't required to include spaces in rental contracts, Winand said. "But if we restrict them, where are student tenants going to move ( their cars)?" Winand asked. Extending a business privilege tax to in clude business enterprises on the University campus, such as the Mid-State Bank. is also an important town-gown issue. "The town doesn't have the capability to support the area the way we have to." Wi nand said. "But the University has a tremen- 5 The Daily Collegian Thursday, Oct. 29, 1987 dous amount of land and resources that are untaxable." Although the business privilege tax won't likely be a major election issue, IVinand said he thinks every candidate should support it. - Once the tax issue is resolved. ( the coun cil r will know better what the borough can or can't tax, - Daniel Chaffee, another council member who is not running for reelection. said. Because students make up a large portion of voters, their vote is important. Mary Ann Haas. another council member not on this year's ballot, said. corn Brad Gibson
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