Politics, the drama is draining. We weren’t getting involved. However, doing research and verifying facts, available on Liberty Township website and through Right to Know, of one candidate’s statements we found them to be misleading, some simply false. More alarming is some of his followers are taking them at face value. Many people don’t have time or know the processes of Fact Verification, this is why we are writing this letter.
We have come a long way in discrimination to take a step back. He feels you need to be a property owner to hold a supervisor position. An heir and/or renter of property having lived in Liberty Township most or all their lives, DO have an invested interest in the township. Decisions, in the end, will affect all of us. Next, will we start putting one’s ability on the size and value of their property? Although there should be a minimum of years lived in the township as well as the candidate should have no previous criminal record and be able to handle their own finances.
He wants to cut our police force or dissolve it and let the State be on call. He believes we had one officer thirty years ago so one should be able to do the job today, has society not changed? He makes the misleading statement, “We have five police officers,” but fails to state four are part-time.
He posts to social media to accuse our police of just “generating revenue”. If you look at the evidence, our police are stopping dangerous activity such as driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. This is imperative as it saves innocent lives.
He doesn’t like Liberty’s agreement with Freedom and Hamiltonban to provide policing; however, while policing these other townships, they are paying for those hours and equipment, and at the same time, if a Liberty resident has a call for police, they will respond. Meaning Liberty residents get coverage while the other township is paying and vice versa. It truly is a win-win situation for everyone. If you have never needed the police, then you may not see their value. If you have, and are from this area, when our police are not on duty, PA State Police (normally Gettysburg) will respond. PA State police can take an hour or more to arrive at your home. Now think about if you have an emergency.
Holding a supervisor position is not going to pay the bills. There are two reasons a person runs for a Supervisor position in our opinion. Firstly, you care about the township residents wanting to keep the township orderly, peaceful, and prospering. Secondly, you have a personal agenda. You have something you want passed or changed and the current administration does not agree with you that the township residents should foot the bill. One of the candidates is running under the premises that he can better the township. He is looking at every way to cut costs, one of which is defunding the police. At the same time, he talks about the condition of the roads in the development where he bought his home, years after the developer filed for bankruptcy. As a result of the developer filing bankruptcy, the roads in the development were never completed years ago. We have no problem with the township taking over the private roads he lives upon; however, before doing so, they need to be brought up to code to be adopted but not at the residents of Liberty townships dime. Those private roads could take hundreds of thousands of dollars if not more to bring up to code. We feel this is not “better” management of township resources.
We should not settle for one whose maturity of name-calling, demeaning of others, and intimidating characteristics put shame and will increase cost upon the great citizens of Liberty Township only because you don’t see eye to eye with the current administration.
We know who Walter Barlow is. He has served the community for years. He is not hostile, does not call names, and has never taken to social media or otherwise to attack other candidates or anyone. Do we agree with all his decision-making? No. None of us will ever agree with every decision of someone holding a political title. We will be voting Walter “Mickey” Barlow for Liberty Township Supervisor on May 16, 2023, and hope you do as well.