Listening to the people

I had an opportunity to spend some time with Dr. Joseph Leonardi who is seeking the Republican nomination for Congress in the 11th District of Pennsylvania. I'm paraphasing.

The last time I talked with you you said you will be listening, what have you heard?

A lot of discontent out there with not just with the congressman but with a lot of local stuff in general. The crime rate in W-B. What we need to do is find the areas that are having a problem. What I liked to see done locally is especially is this . Get some money for a gang task force. For infrastructure and regionalized police police forces.

"As a congressman I will try I will try to get money for more important things instead of a dam or a $13 mil bus stop."

I went to the Daniel J. Flood Elementary School and Joe has some good objections to that name:

"I don't like naming of buildings after official while they are in office. I find that offensive as a tax payer. It should go against their campaign spending. It's a billboard for an incumbent."



"I don't see the point of building a bus stop and consider it being economic development. The most important thing W-B can do is get rid of the crime."

"There is no economic development as long is there is crime. "

He favors consolidating local police forces to reduce overhead such as multiple buildings and administration. Then use the savings to put more police officers on the street. He believes the W-B police chief is very capable but his department doesn't have the manpower, resources or training to deal with the problem. If he wins he wants to do economic development the "right way." Take some of the money that has been earmarked for the area to fight gangs and expanded SBA loans. "Instead of taking money into what I consider Silliness, a dam.....It's ridiculous to dam up a cesspool, it's insanity."



More to come.