Bucks commissioner candidates spar ahead of election season as county government at stake

When the Bucks County Salary Board and Sheriff Fred Harran decided to provide Central Bucks West High School with a school resource officer last week, it was a moment of agreement for both Democratic and Republican officials in the county.

But the decision wasn't without political overtones with this year's election season fast approaching and all four candidates for county commissioner serving on the salary board which had to approve the officer's appointment.

Interest is already brewing in this year's county election as the Democrats won the majority on the board for the first time in decades four years ago and Republicans in the county are itching to take back control before next year's presidential and Congressional election.

The salary board is comprised of the three current county commissioners, Democrats Bob Harvie and Diane Ellis-Marseglia and Republican Gene DiGirolamo, who are all seeking re-election. DiGirolamo's running mate is Republican Pamela Van Blunk, the county's elected controller, whose current position places her on the salary board with the three commissioners.

The political temperature in the room rose as Van Blunk pointed out that officers working with children both in municipalities and in school districts are needed because the number of youths in detention in Bucks has risen from 165 to 225 in the past year.

Harran said that the Sheriff's Office providing the SRO was a "win-win for protecting children...There's no debate in protecting children."

More: Bucks County Sheriff to provide school resource officer to Central Bucks West

Van Blunk replied, "Agreed. No debate when it comes to that."

Harvie then commented, "Protecting all the kids, Central Bucks has a little bit of an issue with that."

The Central Bucks School District has, in fact, faced divisive debates over the past few years over the rights of students, including those in the LGBTQ+ community, as well as the effects of the pandemic, vaccines and masking on children. The debate has spilled into the county commissioners' meetings, beginning with county recommendations on masking during the pandemic and how, and who, made those guidelines.

After addressing Van Blunk's "commercial" for law enforcement, Marseglia then replied that it was ironic that the people who showed up at the county commissioners' meetings each week criticizing the board for having any involvement with the schools were now asking the commissioners' assistance.

Marseglia said the commissioners shouldn't be involved in the schools but they had to step up when the Central Bucks Regional Police Commission could not. "Who would not support the safety of our children," she asked.

She then said that she was happy the bipartisan salary board could work together on this issue because school violence is the No. 1 concern of teenagers today.

"I am proud today we have unanimously supported law enforcement and our children in one vote," Marseglia said as the meeting ended.

But Marseglia earlier this summer criticized Van Blunk in a social media post, taking her to task for taking a vacation in early July when a salary board vote was being taken over the need for more personnel in the district attorney's office.

"Pamela Van Blunk talks about safety yet missed multiple votes to fund law enforcement positions to vacation in Italy. We voted yes on those jobs and have increased law enforcement funding by $1 million...Pam talks about doing the job, we get it done."

In a phone interview, Van Blunk said she was only gone eight working days and made sure her deputy controller attended the meeting and voted yes for the increase in the number of detectives and other positions District Attorney Matt Weintraub needed filled.

"It's really silly," she said about Marseglia's comments.

But Marseglia, who has been a county commissioner for 15 years, said in a separate interview that Van Blunk knew at the end of last year when the salary board meetings would take place. "She went to Italy. I never missed a commissioners', salary board or retirement board meeting. We advertise them. You know in December (of the previous year) when the meetings are, to plan your vacation accordingly."

"Where I live in Bucks County, there aren't that many people who can go to Italy when they go on vacation," she added. Marseglia lives in Middletown; Van Blunk recently moved from Lower Makefield to Doylestown Township.

The political sparring has come early, ahead of the traditional Labor Day start given what's at stake -- county government and its $458 million budget -- this year.

How the election will turn out may depend on the county's large number of independent or non-affiliated voters. As of June, the board of elections reported 469,938 registered voters in Bucks County.

Of those, 198,457 are Democrat, 193,109 are Republican, and 78,372 are listed as either independent or non-affiliated.

The League of Women Voters of Bucks County has invited the four candidates to a debate this fall, and is awaiting their responses due at the end of next week. If at least one from each party agrees to a debate, it will be set up at Doylestown Borough Hall but the date and time has not been established as yet, said league spokesperson Liz Fritsch.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Bucks County Commissioner race to decide control of county, budget