In 2014 our three commissioners decided to avoid lawsuits in our prison system by allowing a watered-down sanctuary status. In 2019 and 2023, I ran for county commissioner and spent $102,000 of my retirement money to wake Westmoreland up on a number of issues. I mailed 140,000 flyers to every Republican home. Repealing our sanctuary status was the second item on my campaign. The commissioners had 10 years to write a policy and fix this but didn’t, until an illegal was caught filming people in a restaurant women’s restroom and sanctuary became an issue.

That’s just one of the issues West­moreland County has:

• Two police chiefs arrested for dealing drugs.

• A 32.5% property tax increase.

• A commissioner who lied about donations and can’t fill out his financials.

• A commissioner administrator who works from Florida.

• Officials who barely show up for work.

• A 48% water rate increase in six years. Good-paying Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County jobs for compliant officials’ wives and a huge pay increase for the solicitor.

• Westmoreland County Republican Committee Chair Bill Bretz not wanting residents to select their primary candidates and suing and losing to stop two candidates.

• Mail-in ballots passed by every local Republican legislator.

• A Republican state representative who votes for a Democratic speaker of the House.

• Not funding Westmoreland County Community College and wondering why young people move away.

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John Ventre

Hempfield

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