Recently Pennsylvania Governor Wolf
appointed two Washington County Commissioners to committees serving the entire
Commonwealth. This is no small accomplishment
and deserves to be recognized by all Washington County residents. First, Commissioner Harlan Shober was placed
on the Pennsylvania Local Government Advisory Committee. Second, Commissioner Larry Maggi was chosen to
serve on the state wide County Probation and Parole Officers’ Firearm Education
and Training Committee. In addition to these appointments Commissioner Shober
is in the middle of his term as President of the County Commissioners
Association of Pennsylvania.
These appointments are not ceremonial
and require hard work on the part of our Commissioners. Pennsylvania has 67
counties, many with larger populations than Washington. There is much effort involved in gaining a consensus
on important issues across the Commonwealth.
The needs and prospective of
Pennsylvania counties are as diverse as the entire country and span all
demographics from urban, to growing bedroom communities to farmland to low
populated forested areas. Too often Philadelphia and Allegheny counties
monopolize the state wide boards, committees and commissions. This leaves less urban areas with limited
voice in setting the state wide agenda or in formulating policy.
Our Commissioners have been chosen because of
their singular talents and ability to bring a unique point of view to the
table. County governments have special
needs that are often ignored by our elected state representatives. Property taxes, funding the court system and
Marcellus Shale Act 13 funding are among these pressing issues. Both Washington County and the Commonwealth
are well served by these appointments and our Commissioners should be
congratulated.
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