Letters: Vote yes on judicial retention; Bernier brings deep knowledge, commitment

Vote yes on judicial retention

Since Pennsylvania’s constitution and its laws protect many of our rights better than their federal counterparts, it is essential that we have judges and justices in our state courts that protect those rights. In the Nov. 4 election three Supreme Court Justices — Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty and David Wecht — Superior Court judge Alice Dubow and Commonwealth Court Judge Michael Wojcik are up for retention. I enthusiastically recommend yes votes for all five as well as Court of Common Pleas judge Katie Oliver and Magisterial District judges Donald Hahn and Steven Lachman. Oliver, Hahn and Lachman are smart, fair and judicious. Our statewide judges and justices have defended our rights, here I speak of voting rights.

The Supreme Court’s decisions on redistricting, both for U.S. Congress and for two Houses of our legislature, have made it so that our elected representatives are more accountable to their voters. Before these decisions, our congressional and legislative districts were heavily gerrymandered and left too many Pennsylvania voters with representatives who ignored their interests. Other decisions have preserved our right to mail-in voting which has worked quite well and had previously worked well in states as diverse as Oregon and Utah.

All of this has occurred as the Justice Department and the U.S. Supreme court have all but abandoned voting rights. Please vote yes to retain all judges and justices up for retention.

Jesse Barlow, State College. The author is a State College Area School District board member who’s on Tuesday’s ballot.

Bernier brings deep knowledge, commitment

As someone who has served with Eric Bernier on College Township Council, I have seen the value of his steady leadership and commitment to this community. Eric’s family has lived in the Centre Region for four generations. He raised his children here, and now his grandchildren are growing up here. That connection shapes the way he approaches issues — with care for today’s residents and future generations. Eric has served 13 years on Council, including three elected terms and an earlier appointment to fill a vacancy. Before that, he spent 15 years on the Planning Commission. His long service gives him deep knowledge of our ordinances and history, while remaining forward-looking. He has supported efforts to expand workforce housing so more families can afford to live and work in College Township. He also brings expertise from his career at CATA, where he developed knowledge of transportation issues. That perspective has been important in Council discussions about growth, infrastructure and regional cooperation. One of the most challenging issues during his time on Council was the casino decision. College Township was the only Centre Region municipality where zoning allowed a casino. Opting out would have meant giving up any say over its location or impact. By not opting out, Council kept the ability to influence where it could be located and how impacts would be addressed. Eric supported a local impact study so decisions will be guided by data and community input. I encourage residents to re-elect Eric Bernier to College Township Council.

Susan Trainor, State College. The author is a College Township Council member.

Judge retention — choosing America’s future

Tuesday’s ballot includes choices about whether to retain our current Justices on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Each involves an important decision. Perhaps the most critical choice, however, is the one that guides those decisions. It is the choice we are making about the kind of America we want to live in.

Are we a people who still value our civil rights? How important to us is living in a democracy with free and fair elections? How invested are we in ensuring that everyone has access to basic health care? Is it OK if our elected leaders are blatantly corrupt? Above the law? Are we willing to accept a military/paramilitary presence used against us in our streets? Do we care if our national security is at risk because prominent government positions have been filled with inexperienced and incompetent leaders?

Granted, state courts are not the first to deal with what we generally consider to be “federal” issues. However, many federal issues end up having ramifications which have to be addressed in state courts. So ... the quality of the professionals on those courts is very, very important.

PA Supreme Court rulings directly impact our daily lives, our health and well-being, and our freedoms. The nonpartisan American Bar Association has recommended that all three be retained, variously referring to them as professional, respectful, fair and open-minded. In a time of monumental crises, why wouldn’t we keep justices who have served us honorably and competently for the last ten years? Our future is at stake.

Ron Williams, Pennsylvania Furnace

Research ‘Dealer School’ before enrolling

The Happy Valley Casino website encourages folks to join their team and enroll now in their 12-week paid free Dealer School training courses starting soon at the mall in mid-December. That is a convenient time, right?

Before deciding to sign up for that job at the casino, make sure you first review the paper trail of facts posted at all three of the separate websites focused on the Happy Valley Casino.

The PA Gaming Control Board website.

The Casino Information section of the College Township website.

The unprecedented and locally crafted SayNoCasino.org website.

Then discuss your planned casino career decision with your friends and family members and ask them for their candid feedback about your plan to join the Happy Valley Casino team.

Only then can your decision to apply for employment at the casino be a truly informed one. Ask yourself how realistically popular and busy the 24/7 casino at the mall will be during the daylight hours of the workweek here in Happy Valley.

Finally, factor in the planned realistic table game minimums (maybe $10 to $25 per hand or spin). Remember that most of us will not hesitate to drive 10 miles around here to save 20 cents on a gallon of gas. That represents just $3 for the average 15-gallon fill-up.

Make your informed career decision to sign up for Dealer School at the mall only when you can confidently choose to do so. It will be more than casino patrons choosing to roll the dice.

Dan Materna, Howard