Who Gets Your Vote in Ward 13: Louis Barson or C. Brian McGuire?

The race to represent 's Ward 13 on the Board of Commissioners pits Democratic incumbent C. Brian McGuire, appointed to the seat in January, against Republican challenger Louis Barson.

Ward 13 includes parts of Bala Cynwyd and Merion, roughly bounded by Montgomery Avenue, Old Lancaster Road, Highland Avenue, Conshohocken State Road and several road segments on the edge of Penn Valley. (A ward-by-ward map of the township is attached to this article.)

To learn more about the candidates ahead of Tuesday's election, Patch asked both the same questions, via email. Their answers, edited only for Patch editorial style, are below.

McGuire and Barson also faced off in election forums and .

Once you've read the candidates' positions, add your comment about which is the better choice.

PERSONAL

• Louis Barson, 45, of Winding Way in Merion
• C. Brian McGuire, 52, of Princeton Road in Bala Cynwyd

OCCUPATION

• BARSON: I own and operate Hymie’s Restaurant & Deli (for 22 years) along with operating 12 other food operations. I employ about 125 employees.
• McGUIRE: Associate State Director, AARP

What’s the most important issue that is specific to your ward?

• BARSON: After knocking on about 800 doors, these are the things of most concern: the Bala Library, the Mega City Ave Zoning and Redevelopment Proposal, the Bala Village and the growing property Tax Burden.
• McGUIRE: It's difficult to single out one issue, but Ward 13 residents would probably respond by highlighting the completion of the Cynwyd Heritage Trail, including enhanced landscaping, historical signage and train station renovations—as well as the Manayunk Bridge connection across the Schuylkill River. With the first phase of the project now completed, the trail is already providing important new open space and recreational opportunities for residents. Studies of similar projects, including the Radnor Trail, show that home values will increase. Likewise, our trail should help revitalize the struggling businesses along Bala Avenue. Volunteer work and public-private partnerships will continue to be critical, with leadership from the Board of Commissioners a key element to its ultimate success.

What’s your opinion of the township’s current financial situation?

• BARSON: Repaying our debt now requires 16.7 percent of our annual budget and total employee compensation and benefits exceeds 67 percent of our budget—that doesn’t leave a lot left to take care of everything else in this township.
  We are continuing on a trend of deficit spending (spending more than we take in)—as stated in this year’s budget by Manager Cleland. He also goes on to say THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT SUSTAINABLE.
  
• McGUIRE: Lower Merion enjoys a rare and coveted double-AAA bond rating, which the rating agencies say reflects "strong financial management", and a "sound financial position"—including "very strong reserves".
  Over the years, we have kept up with maintenance of infrastructure and major equipment, while taking advantage of opportunities to enhance our park and library systems. With most of our more costly capital improvements made over the last decade, and borrowing costs at historical lows, our township total net debt is now actually decreasing—from $113.5 million in 2010, to $105.4 million in 2011, to $100.3 million in 2012. By finding efficiencies and enhancing productivity, we have maintained a high level of municipal services with 12 percent fewer employees as compared to three years ago. I will be supporting a 2012 budget which includes no increase in the real estate tax rate and believe that with continued strong management and oversight by the Board of Commissioners, we may be able to avoid an increase in 2013 as well.

What is the township funding too much or too little?

• BARSON: We are funding the insurance companies too much by paying over $24,000 in insurance premiums for employee family medical plans with $2 copays instead of having a more realistic plan in today’s economic environment. We are funding 60 paid sick days per year (12 weeks paid sick time!) instead of a more realistic plan. Debt service is too high—thereby not allowing us to continue to work on the capital projects that need attention in our township. Are the residents aware that the township has only improved two intersections in 20 years (that is simply not acceptable)? If we negotiate and institute better business practices we can do many more capital projects.
• McGUIRE: I believe the township has not properly attended to the slowly worsening traffic problems along Conshohocken State Road, Old Lancaster Road, Belmont Avenue, City Avenue, and other thoroughfares in the township. I am working with other officers of the Finance Committee to make sure we have the capital and operational funds needed to start addressing some of the more problematic intersections next year. We are also aggressively pursuing state and federal funds, and private traffic fees will now be collected on any new development within the City Avenue corridor (thanks to a recent measure passed with strong bipartisan support by the Board of Commissioners).
  In the area of township services, public safety is the issue I hear most about from residents. In that regard, I believe we should fill recent police officer and fire inspection vacancies. We also should fill critical open positions in road maintenance, park maintenance and tree trimming.
  In terms of areas in which we are spending too much, I am concerned about the potential cost of completely replacing our emergency communications system. While this is necessary, I have joined other Commissioners in seeking a less expensive solution than that currently envisioned. I also believe the deer culling program is far too expensive and benefits mainly a handful of large private property owners in the western part of the township.

How would you approach your job in the upcoming term, if elected?

• BARSON: If I were elected I would dedicate myself to rolling up my sleeves to analyze and understand how the township ACTUALLY works. I would do what I do in my business—I would spend time in the various departments so I can understand what is actually happening. I think too many of the commissioners don’t have a real grasp about what happens in the different township departments and how they operate. You can’t improve something if you don’t know how it works.
• McGUIRE: I will continue, as I have, to reach out proactively to residents through my quarterly newsletter, email updates, and regular attendance at community and civic association meetings—listening to their concerns and seeking their input on issues. I will also continue to be accessible and provide timely and responsive assistance to individual residents seeking help with township-related matters.

What makes you a better choice than your opponent?

• BARSON: I am the better choice than my opponent because I am a successful business man, who can roll up his sleeves and get the job done. I negotiate collective bargaining agreements, handle purchasing agreements, and do budgets. The fact that I would be the only active business person on the board if elected makes me the clear choice. I am also not a political insider or lobbyist like my opponent. I would come to the board room without any political agenda, but rather the agenda to improve thetownship for it residents.
• McGUIRE: There is a stark contrast between my opponent and myself with regard to background, expertise and ideology. Unlike my opponent, who has never been involved to any significant degree in civic or government life, I have a great deal of experience in public policy over the last 24 years, and with Lower Merion issues in the last several years. Prior to joining the Board over ten months ago, I was closely involved in township issues, including particularly the annual budget. Likewise, unlike my opponent, who has never attended a meeting of his own civic association, I have been active in the Neighborhood Club of Bala Cynwyd, the Lower Merion Conservancy, and the Friends of the Cynwyd Heritage Trail. At a minimum, I believe an engaged citizen should vote. I have only missed a couple of elections over my entire life. My opponent, again in contrast, didn't find it important to vote in four of the five elections prior to becoming a candidate for this office several months ago.
  With regard to our positions on issues, my opponent clearly believes in a much smaller role for government, which is at odds with the views of the vast majority of Bala Cynwyd and Merion Park residents.  As an example, he opposes the Bala Cynwyd Library project as recently approved by the Board, supporting only a scaled-down version.  If his position were to prevail when bids (which are substantially under budget) are considered in the coming weeks, we would literally have to go back to the drawing board, delaying the project for as much as a year, and giving residents a facility that will not meet the needs of our fast-growing allegiance of users.  Likewise, my opponent has lambasted the idea of maintaining the "status quo" that township residents know and appreciate. Instead, he is hyper-focused on taxes and debt, despite the fact that our tax burden is low compared to other area municipalities (household real estate tax bills average about $120 per month, and we are one of only two municipalities in Montgomery County with no earned income tax). He seems to take a Wisconsin-like approach to government employees, criticizing our new Workers Association contract that, remarkably, increases township costs by only one percent over four years.

Contrast the job performances of the board’s Democratic and Republican blocs in the past couple years.

• BARSON: I will answer this like I did in my debate – there is no place for partisan politics on the Lower Merion Board of Commissioners. I will refer back to Hymie’s—when you come to my restaurant I don’t hand you a Republican menu or a Democrat menu … you get a menu. There isn’t an “R” way or a “D” way to fix the streets or build a library—there is only the proper way and that is what we have to do.
• McGUIRE: It is easy to be critical of members affiliated with the other party in this regard. I have tried to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and have done so when possible in the areas of land use, open government and some aspects of the budget. With the hope of more success in this regard going forward, and with the belief that most of the issues we address should not be made partisan, I will respectfully pass on this question.

What’s the most positive aspect of Lower Merion Township?

• BARSON: This answer could be a small book. My wife & I have lived here our entire lives. Lower Merion has so much to offer, be it our parks, trails, police dept, township services, trees (shade tree), stores & businesses, theaters, restaurants, etc … it is all great. We just need to get our “house in order” so it stays that way.
• McGUIRE: As I have said repeatedly, with most residents heartily concurring, Lower Merion is probably the best inner suburb in the United States. We enjoy substantial and unique historical resources, beautiful and accessible open spaces, lovely homes in walkable neighborhoods, charming town centers, and very good access to public transit into Philadelphia and up the Main Line.  What's not to be proud of?