Support renewal of Mountain Line levy
I am asking you, my friends and neighbors, to support the continuation of the Mountain Line excess property tax levy.
The current levy has allowed Mountain Line the economic benefit of employing over 60 people and supporting 60 families. The monies have been used to purchase 11 new buses, with an additional six presently on order.
Mountain Line has increased service frequencies on selected runs, extended evening and weekend service hours and expanded to new areas including the western end of the county, covering Blacksville and Wadestown. We are also providing service to Suncrest Town Center, Fort Pierpont and West Ridge/Mylan Park. This additional service equals 23,500 new service hours per year. This is a 33% increase over pre-levy service numbers. Mountain Line has maintained the base fare of 75 cents, which makes the transit service as affordable for as many people as possible.
Mountain Line serves 2,600 households who do not own a vehicle. The patrons are lower income residents, local workers, seniors, veterans, students, people with disabilities and their families.
On an individual level, Mountain Line saves money and provides people with choices, freedom and opportunities as they fulfill their daily needs. Without the service, thousands cannot get to jobs, health care, shopping, school and other vital destinations. Mountain Line provided 238,155 rides in the first quarter of this year.
Now, Mountain Line is facing local funds reductions from the City of Morgantown, WVU and West Run. Without the levy renewal, it will be forced to reevaluate the whole system, drastically reducing hours of service and eliminating important routes. These cuts will impact the county and every community, because the county routes connect people with destinations inside municipal boundaries and vice versa.
Your levy investment to keep critical Mountain Line Transit services is under $2 per month per $100,000 of residential property. Renewing the levy is a continuation of the present levy and will not increase your taxes.
Primary voting is happening now, and I respectfully ask for your vote and continued support of our transit services.
Jenn Dinsmore
Mountain Line
Board President
Morgantown
In support of Arlie Campbell for magistrate
If the voters of Monongalia County want a magistrate judge who is impartial, has common sense and will fight for what’s right and not “politically” correct, then they will vote for Arlie Campbell. I have known Mr. Campbell for at least 32 years. There is no one I know who is more passionate about speaking up when someone is wronged, more passionate about fighting for what’s right or more passionate about helping someone in need.
Arlie does not care about a person’s race, the money in a person’s bank account, the friends someone may have in so-called high places — to Arlie, everyone deserves to be on the same playing field.
On June 9, if you want to see someone in the courthouse who will judge any person that comes before him equally, fairly and without any thought of needing to make a decision one way or another because of politics or favors owed, you should vote Arlie Campbell in as Division 4 magistrate judge.
George W. Stephenson
Morgantown
In support of Debra Scudiere for circuit judge
I am writing in support of Chief Judge Debra Scudiere. When an incumbent is a candidate and has opposition, the voters need to look at several items. Is the current officeholder doing a good job and does the opposition have better qualifications for the position?
In the case of a circuit judge, we need to look at how many (if any) cases have been overturned by the Supreme Court. In Chief Judge Scudiere’s case, no cases have been overturned.
The Supreme Court of Appeals appointed Chief Judge Scudiere to the Mass Litigation Panel. As a judge in Monongalia County, she presides over criminal docket/civil lawsuits; Monongalia County Adult Drug Court; abuse and neglect proceedings/juvenile adjudications; and oversees the magistrate’s office.
I believe Chief Judge Scudiere has done an excellent job and has earned the right to serve the residents of Monongalia County as our judge. I hope our voters will look at the Chief Judge Scudiere’s total court room experience and years of practicing law and give their vote to Judge Scudiere.
I strongly urge the voters of Monongalia County to vote for our current Chief Judge Debra Scudiere.
Bob Musick
Star City
