ELECTION 2023: Changes in store for Mercer county commissioners

Oct. 19—MERCER — There will be at least two new faces on the Mercer County board of commissioners next year, the board's first changes since 2016.

With both Republican incumbents, Scott Boyd and Chairman Matt McConnell, declining to seek re-election to what would have been Boyd's third term and McConnell's fourth, three newcomers are joining incumbent Timothy McGonigle on the ballot.

McGonigle and newcomer Jim McLusky are Democratic nominees. Republican candidates are newcomers Ann Coleman and William Finley Jr.

Two nominees from each party will appear on the November ballot. The board is comprised of three members, and only two may be from the same party.

Republicans

Ann Coleman

Coleman said her main priorities as county commissioner would be keeping taxes low by controlling costs at the county level, encouraging economic development by protecting and growing jobs, and using all of the community resources to fight the opioid crisis.

"We need to make sure we address the opioid crisis with more education," Coleman said. "Using our resources to make sure people are getting the resources they need."

Coleman said everyone is talking about the reassessment project.

She said while state law requires that reassessment be revenue-neutral, some property owners' taxes may increase, others may decrease and some will remain the same.

"We need to make sure it's done fairly and equably," Coleman said.

Coleman said she brings to the seat 25 years of experience in the public sector.

"I have the ability to collaborate with local government and agencies to make sure we're providing services our community needs," Coleman said. "And because of previous experience, I understand the diverse communities in Mercer County and respect their priorities."

Coleman, 52, lives in Hermitage with her husband, Randy, and they have two adult children. She is a part-time professor at Thiel College, teaching political science, gender in politics and international relations. She has worked for the state legislature.

Coleman serves on the Shenango Valley Samaritans board, the Buhl Day committee, the Mercer County Farm Bureau, the Community Library of the Shenango Valley and the Mercer County Regional Planning Commission. She is the vice president of the Kiwanis of Shenango Valley and represents Mercer County on the America 250 Pennsylvania Committee.

William Finley Jr.

Finley said his top priorities as commissioner would first be connecting people with jobs.

"I learned during the campaign that there's a lot of job opportunities and I'd like to make that connection," Finley said. "We need to try to stop the decline in our population."

Fighting the opioid epidemic is another priority.

"I want to work with the coroner's office and district attorney's office to see what to do with the opioid money to have the best impact on young people," Finley said.

As a longtime firefighter and chief of East End Volunteer Fire Department in Mercer, Finley wants to evaluate the county's public safety services and see what their unmet needs are.

Finley, 45, has served two 4-year terms on Mercer Borough Council. He is married with three daughters.

As he goes through his campaign, Finley notices people are talking about the property reassessment project.

"We need to make sure we get a clear and accurate message out to the people about what that's about," Finley said. "I would tell them it's to make sure there aren't inequities among the properties."

He said the reassessment process, now underway, can't be stopped.

"We would pay penalties," Finley said. "The best we can do is manage it properly and make sure our people are treated fairly."

Finley said he brings to the seat a vast knowledge in public safety and thinks the municipalities need to work together.

Democrats

Timothy McGonigle

McGonigle, 56, is the only incumbent and has served eight years as a county commissioner.

McGonigle's first priority would be greeting the two newly-elected commissioners and acclimating them to the current county projects and introducing them to department heads and their employees.

"I'm looking forward to sharing my knowledge and experience in order to create a seamless transition for our continued success," McGonigle said.

His second priority would be finishing the county tax reassessment through 2027.

"Having worked to hold the line on county real estate taxes over the past eight years, I want to remain in the commissioners' office to ensure continued sound fiscal governance as we continue to hold the line on taxes."

McGonigle's third priority is finishing the multi-year, $18 million county radio project that he worked hard to initiate in 2023.

"As liaison to our Emergency Management Agency and as a former EMT, I believe that my EMS experience is instrumental in working with our local police, fire, and private ambulance services," McGonigle said. "Establishing this new system is crucial as we strive to protect our first responders and our community at large."

McGonigle said residents have told him that they are concerned that there is a possibility of losing all three commissioners at once.

"If all three commissioners leave the office at once with nobody in the office to guide them in their reorganization," McGonigle said. "Mercer County will surely feel the consequences. It is imperative that we continue the eight years of success achieved by our current board."

McGonigle said it takes many relationships to achieve great success and those relationships take years to establish.

"To lose those important and valuable connections here and across the state would surely impede the success of the next board of commissioners," McGonigle said.

McGonigle said in his eight years as commissioner, his experience and ability to work well with others has been his greatest asset.

"I have developed hundreds of relationships that I call on daily and I share all that knowledge with my fellow board members at the county," McGonigle said. "I have been active at the state and federal level including my recent appointment as chairman to the Workforce Development Committee of the National Association of Counties."

In addition, McGonigle serves on the board of the Community Action Partnership of Mercer County, is chairman of the board of the Mercer County Regional Council of Governments, and chairman of the board of West Central Job Partnership in Mercer and Lawrence counties. He is also a 20-plus-year member of the board of the ARC of Mercer County.

McGonigle believes his ownership of McGonigle Ambulance Service Inc. gives him experience as the county takes action to stabilize the EMS shortages in the county while fighting the opioid epidemic.

McGonigle addressed concerns over a recent mailer sent to the homes of county residents by fellow Democratic nominee McLusky, warning of a 30% increase for all Mercer County property owners.

"This is simply false and designed to create angst toward the county Mr. McLusky wishes to govern," McGonigle said. "In actuality, the majority of property owners' taxes will remain nearly the same or even lowered after the reassessment."

McGonigle explained that there are property owners paying higher taxes than they should. Those residents will see their taxes go down after the reassessment.

"This tax decrease will benefit these homeowners, including the elderly and working class, greatly," McGonigle said.

He said that Tyler Technologies, the company hired to perform the reassessment, finds that about one-third of property owners may see some form of increase in their taxes.

"It should be noted that these increases will most likely be slight increases, and the county offers payment plans to assist those experiencing tough times," McGonigle said. "Homeowners are also able to take advantage of exemptions to lower the amount of taxes they owe."

McGonigle went on to say that by law, the reassessment is required to be revenue neutral — "meaning that the total amount of taxes collected countywide after the reassessment will be the same as the total collected before the reassessment," McGonigle said.

McGonigle said he has kept every promise he made eight years ago when he announced his candidacy.

"I under-promised and over-delivered," McGonigle said. "I retired from my career to make this my only priority with no personal distractions."

He said he and the current board worked well together and have weathered enormous challenges like COVID-19.

During his tenure, the board has lowered taxes, brought two governor awards back from Harrisburg, restructured the debt while addressing infrastructure needs and has replaced more than three bridges a year on average.

The board has also brought courthouse security to the county seat and brought the Independent Living Center to Farrell. They established two specialty courts — treatment court and mental health court — and have addressed the mental health crisis at the jail by hiring two licensed mental health providers to assist correctional officers.

"We need to keep this train on the right track and with my experience, we can do just that," McGonigle said.

Jim McLusky

McClusky, 60, of Lackawannock Township, is a newcomer to politics.

McClusky said his top priority as county commissioner would be to offset the effect of the county property tax reassessment.

"By pursuing every legal remedy to lower post-assessment taxes," McLusky said. "I think it's our job as the next board of commissioners to offset that burden and deliver help. So I want to make sure that we prioritize all our tax dollars to core government functions."

He said he wants to restrain spending by reviewing all outside county contracts and leases.

McLusky said when he started his campaign for county commissioner, he had five major missions and it's grown into maybe 100.

"There's so much need," McLusky said.

He said there is a need to partner with Mercer County colleges and trade schools to promote homegrown careers.

"And I want to make sure that we're supporting our small businesses," McLusky said. "And our farmers who are struggling."

McLusky said when he started his campaign nine months ago, his number one priority was population loss.

"We're losing young people at a staggering rate," McLusky said.

McLusky said the tax reassessment project is on everyone's mind.

"I've knocked on 1,800 doors in nine months, and reassessment is the number one concern," McLusky said.

McLusky said McGonigle released statement on social media challenging his assertion in a campaign flyer that refers to "a planned 30% tax hike on Mercer County property owners."

"The fact that one-third of Mercer County taxpayers are likely to see a property tax increase is sourced from public communications from Tyler Technologies," McLusky said. "The company has been honest and straightforward, but the political interpretation by some officials is less than forthcoming."

While state law prohibits back-door increases, McLusky said, the tax increase is not revenue neutral for all taxpayers.

"What is being celebrated as a victory for fairness and equity will have the reverse effect for hundreds of fixed-income seniors and first-time homeowners I'm meeting door to door," McLusky said. "A tax hike does nothing to reverse our county's tragic population loss."

He said the next board of commissioners has an obligation to find every efficient and available method to reduce the negative effect of any tax increase.

McLusky believes that his 36 years of business experience gives him a skill set and a value that he could bring to county government.

"I will bring a business-minded, common sense approach," he said. "I'm not doing this as a career, I'm doing this to give something back to the community."

He said nine months in the community and he has met a lot of people like himself — blue collar, conservative Christians.

"It's not about party, it's about principles and people," he said. "We all have so much in common."

The whole reason he said he is doing this is population loss and loss of resources.

"My whole mission is, this is my home. I was born and raised here. My mission is to make Mercer County the very best place to worship, live and raise your family," McLusky said.

Follow Melissa Klaric on twitter @HeraldKlaric or email her at mklaric@sharonherald.com

Follow Melissa Klaric on twitter @HeraldKlaric or email her at mklaric@sharonherald.com