Bradford Mayor Tom Riel spoke Tuesday at a conference attended by Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, educators, and elected officials from across the state. The conference discussed plans to enact a school funding formula law that invests at least $2.6 billion over the next six years to help close the school funding shortfall identified in the legislature’s Costing-Out Report.

Riel told the conference, “Failure to act has real economic costs. As a locally elected official, I understand that if the state refuses to live up to its responsibility, then the burden falls to local taxpayers – which in turn hinders our economic growth. The best strategy for long-term property tax relief is for the state to increase funding for our schools.”

At the podium Riel also stressed how important it is for the General Assembly to cooperate to find a solution to the funding shortfall.

Related:

GOVERNOR RENDELL’S 2008-09 EDUCATION PROPOSED BUDGET

The Bradford City Report for March 2008 has been published. This contains the City’s March budget report as well as departmental budget summaries as presented to City Counsel.

Find all 2008 City Reports here.

Open government is a foundation of our democracy. In the spirit of open government, Bradford-Online.com has obtained the City’s monthly Revenues & Expenditures reports. The reports include departmental summaries of City departments and detailed budget, revenue, and expenditure information. We plan to publish each month’s report as they become available.

Click here to view the available reports.

The line item detail can be daunting at first glance when you open these reports. Keep in mind that these are the same reports the Mayor and City Council members receive. These reports are great tools for better understanding of how the City works.

If you have questions about the numbers, plan on attending a City Council meeting and asking questions. City Council holds regular meetings the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month at 7:30pm on the 3rd floor of City Hall on Kennedy Street.

Local news sources are reporting the Tom Riel has defeated Bob Onuffer in the Bradford Mayoral race. The vote was reported as 785-527 in Riel’s favor.

Both men are Bradford City Council members. Onuffer still has two years on his current term. Riel will resign his position and Council will appoint a replacement.

Riel congratulated his opponent on running a clean race, saying that is “something to be proud of”.

This year’s race marked a milestone. It is the first time local political candidates have issued statements to an Internet publication, Bradford-Online.com, as part of their campaigns. Both statements can be found in our community forum, TalkAboutBradford.com.

Congratulations to Tom Riel!

In the race for McKean County Commissioner, former Commissioner Al Pingie from Bradford, has been re-elected. Pingie and other Commissioners lost a previous race to the three member “New Directions Team”. Clifford Lane, the last member of the team, garnered the lowest vote count and will leave office at the end of this term.

Congratulations to Al Pingie!

The races are over. We look forward to seeing cooperation in our local government to move the City and County forward.

Additional details here:

WESB.com
Bradfordera.com

Bradford’s Full-time Mayor

In a nut shell, I’m a family man. I’ve been married to my wonderful wife for 29 years. I have 5 children and 8 grandchildren and I enjoy being involved in their activities as they relate to the community. I am currently serving on Bradford City Council as DPW director. I am also a member of the advisory committee for the Elm Street Revitalization Project and recently became a member of the Kiwanis Club of Bradford. I am active in my local church as a Bible study leader. I also recently retired from Dresser Piping Specialties, where I worked for over 30 years. I’ve been a resident of Bradford for 50 years, I have a heart to see this beautiful city prosper and grow to its true potential.

Would you like to have a voice in how your city is run and be a part of putting government back into the hands of the people?

It is time for the people to take back the government and stop electing people who refuse to listen to them. It takes all of us to run Bradford, not just a few who are lucky enough to be in positions of authority. We all need to get involved in the decision-making process. To paraphrase John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what Bradford can do for you, ask what you can do for Bradford.”

If I am elected mayor, I will be visible, available, and approachable. I will be a public servant who will have time for any of our citizens, regardless of their status, to voice their concerns, complaints, or ideas.

I will govern with the people, not over them. I will spend time in the mayor’s office on a regular basis; hours will be posted so anyone can come at a time suitable to them.

If you want to help take back our city for the people, then please vote for Bob Onuffer on November 6, 2007. Let us work together to make a better and brighter future for Bradford.

As mayor I will be overseeing the police department, working with the chief and spending time on all shifts with the officers. My objective will be to understand their needs and the difficulties they encounter.

I will also continue to be involved with the OECD, not only with city developments, but also working with surrounding municipalities. I’m a firm believer in continuing the Council of Governments to improve the cooperation of all the local governments. Along with that, the “Master Plan Development” is long overdue and needs our full support for the future growth of the Bradford area

Like you, I am tired of government officials who are more concerned about their own agenda and not the ones of the people they are supposed to be working for.

I will be working for and with the people of Bradford to make this a better place for all of us to work, shop, do business, and live. We are responsible for the future of our city.

Bob Onuffer
Bradford, PA

Phone: 814-362-6371
Email: nonuffer@atlanticbb.net