Commissioner candidates outline their visions for Berks County

Sep. 30—With all three Berks County commissioner spots up for grabs this year, the four candidates seeking positions on the board met to share their vision for Berks and stances on issues ranging from economic development to funding for libraries to building a new prison.

Republicans Michael Rivera and Christian Leinbach and Democrats Jess Royer and Dante Santoni highlighted what they could bring to the post and answered a number of questions Saturday morning at a forum hosted by the Wyomissing Public Library.

The forum was a partnership between the library and the League of Women Voters of Berks County, with league member Renee Dietrich moderating the event.

All three commissioner positions are up for election this fall. Two Democrats and two Republicans will appear on the ballot in the general election with the top three vote-getters winning seats.

The forum began with each candidate introducing themselves and sharing what three issues they would focus on if elected to serve.

Santoni, a former state representative, said he would focus his attention on promoting economic development in a number of ways like helping to bring passenger rail service to the county. He would also work to improve infrastructure by working with state and federal officials to get resources and make voting as easy as possible for residents.

Rivera, who's seeking a second term, said fiscal responsibility would remain his top priority by keeping a close eye on spending. He said he would also focus on investing in the parks system and continue to find ways to improve transportation — on the roads, in the air and on the rails.

Royer, a Spring Township supervisor, said he would focus on strengthening democracy by protecting the right to vote and making it easier to vote. He said he would fight back against the invasion of warehouse development throughout the county and invest in public resources like parks and institutions.

Leinbach, who's seeking a sixth term and serves as board chairman, said being responsible stewards of the taxpayer dollars is crucial during this period of high inflation. He added that bringing back passenger rail service, growing the Reading Regional Airport and preserving farmland would also be a focus.

The candidates then fielded a series of questions that covered a variety of topics. Here's what the candidates had to say about a few key areas:

Investing in public spaces

The current board of commissioners passed a nearly $667 million budget in 2023 that maintained certain commitments to public spaces, including $3.9 million for the county park system and $3.7 million for the library system.

The candidates were asked if the county contribution to these public spaces is sufficient or whether more should be invested.

Royer said he would like to see an increase in funding for these resources if the budget would allow for that. But, at the very least, he would try to keep the contributions at the same level because both places are helpful to the health of a community.

"These are prime improvers of public health — both mental health and physical health," he said. "They provide key quality of life aspects for a lot of people."

Rivera said he believes the county is providing the proper investment in these public services, but acknowledged that there are people who think they could do more. He stressed that county leaders are doing the best they can with limited resources.

Leinbach also defended the current investments in these two areas of the budget. He said that Berks County does more to support its partner libraries than most other counties in the commonwealth and that the parks system has grown over his tenure in office.

"If you look at what we've done in the last 15 years with Antietam Lake Park and consider where that was when I first took office," he said. "I'm proud of Gring's Mill, the Heritage Center and Antietam Lake Park. I think they're great community assets."

Santoni said ensuring that the county invests in libraries and parks is something that would be very important to him. He said these resources provide both mental and physical stimulation that enhances the overall quality of life for residents.

Creating a department of health

A study unveiled this past spring, which was authorized by the current board of commissioners, found ways to enhance the delivery of health services in Berks. The study was conducted following calls by the Berks County Medical Society to create a county health department.

The candidates were asked if they would support creating a health department.

Santoni said he would seriously consider implementing the recommendations made in the study like hiring a county health director, developing a health advisory panel and adding a county health analyst position. He would also want to examine the financial costs associated with creating a health department.

"It's a minor, minor investment that I think we need to make at the county level to enhance the health of our community," he said.

Rivera said he doesn't want to jump to any conclusions at this point. He believes further discussion is needed before the county takes any steps to implement the suggestions outlined in the study.

"We want to be able to make the right decisions that will have the biggest impact on the residents of Berks," he said.

Leinbach cautioned that creating a health department would result in an instantaneous and significant tax increase for residents. He also pointed out that having a department would make the county liable for services that are already performed by the state like performing restaurant inspections.

"In Pennsylvania, it's all or nothing," he said. "You don't say we're going to do this part of public health but not that part. This is a big responsibility."

Royer said he would support the creation of a health department, saying that public health should be one of the core services that the county provides for its residents.

"We could use a health department in a lot of ways to make sure the lives of Berks County citizens would be improved," he said. "I'm glad that the next board will have the opportunity to make that decision and I look forward to casting that vote to form a health department."

Building a new prison

The current board of commissioners have placed the construction of a new Berks County Correctional Facility on hold due to serious cost concerns. The most recent projection the county received set the price at more than $300 million — a steep increase from the $200 million estimate the board received before the COVID pandemic.

With the project on pause, candidates were asked to explain what they believe should be the size and scope of the new jail project.

Rivera said that while now is not the right time to build a new jail, he believes that the county should continue to address ways to divert more people who commit nonviolent crimes and those with mental health issues from incarceration.

"We want to make sure we are focusing on getting people out of jail like those with mental health issues," he said. "People with severe mental health issues do not belong in jail. Jail is not the right place to treat those people."

Royer said the county has a responsibility to house inmates appropriately and that the current facility fails to meet that standard. He said there is a need for a new prison that can provide the necessary services, stressing the importance of building the facility with union workers and keeping ownership in the hands of local officials.

Santoni said the county has to be smart about how it moves forward with the construction of a new facility because policies related to crime are changing.

"Being tough on crime is important but we also need to be smart on crime," he said. "The old adage of putting people in jail and throwing away the key is a failed policy. We need to provide the people there with the services they need so they can get better."

Leinbach said the county taxpayers simply cannot afford a project of this magnitude right now. That means the county will have more time to build an infrastructure that ensures those with serious mental health issues are given the help they need before they are put behind bars.

A second forum will take place at Albright College's Memorial Chapel on Tuesday at 7 p.m. It will once again be moderated by volunteers from the League of Women Voters of Berks County.