Oct 27, 2012 2 min read

I am a senior citizen and have been writing letters most of my adult life trying to help the public make informed choices when they go to the polls. I’d like to put this in the context of a horse race. When making a wager on a horse race, a person generally checks the past performance of the horses competing in the race. They then place their wager on the horse they believe will perform in the same manner. If we look at the past performance of our candidates, we definitely have an idea how they will perform in office. After reading last Sunday’s Observer-Reporter, there are two articles that prompted me to write: “Counties prepare wish lists ahead of gas impact fees” and “Reports: Marcellus reserves much larger than expected.” In the former article it also stated that the local share account, which comes from gambling revenue from the Meadows Reacetrack & Casino, generates about $8 million for municipal and county projects. I would like to ask county commissioners to perhaps look for a better way to use these “extra” dollars. Instead of looking for ways to spend on various projects, maybe try to lower the debt. Or why not consider doing something that, to my knowledge, has never been done – lower taxes. In closing, I would like to urge everyone to make sure your vote is counted on Election Day. Be a good citizen – go and vote for the person of your choice. Harry Sabatasse Burgettstown