PirocchiOASB At-Large

By Dominic J. Pirocchi

Why I am not the Republican Endorsed Candidate

Why do I support at-large. At-large is used by over 60% of the 500 school districts in Pennsylvania. It is simply a different way of conducting elections than we in the OASD have had in the past. Think of it this way, at-large like a race for the Senate where the whole state gets to vote for its Senators. Think of regional as the House of Representatives where you vote for you local representative and there are many representatives from different regions. Both are good systems. Both have their places. In large governments like at the state and federal level we have both. We have both a Senate and a House. We are represented both ways in the large governments and that is a good thing. In smaller governments like the County, Township, Borough, and School District we have to pick one type. Please note that the size of the government matters in choosing what type of elections voters prefer. So, in our case the size of our school district is larger than the townships and the Borough that make up the OASD. Both Lower Oxford and the Borough of Oxford have both East and West precincts. Yet, each of those use at-large for selecting their supervisors and council members. They do not have selected seats just for: Lower Oxford +East, Lower Oxford +West, Borough of Oxford +East, & Borough of Oxford +West, that only a person that lives there can run for. Now admittedly those governments are smaller than the OASD. Let's look at Chester County a government much larger than OASD. Chester County has three commissioners and they are all elected at-large they can live anywhere within Chester County and represent all of us. While you can make a strong case that the areas of Chester County differ greatly. Great Valley and Tredyffrin with all the office buildings are different for the rural and farming areas of Southern Chester County both are different from Coatesville and West Chester. The values of the people may indeed differ greatly within Chester County.

OASD is made up of six smaller governments: Borough of Oxford, Lower Oxford, Upper Oxford, East Nottingham, West Nottingham, and Elk Township. You probably have friends and know people in all of them. There are people you probably agree with and others that you do not. More than likely you agree with some of a person's ideas and not others. How many of those ideas are based on where they live? If you believe that only people that live in your township can serve you on the school board then at-large is not for you. If you believe that you wish to vote for a person based solely on their ideas and positions on the issues that you agree with regardless of where they happen to live within the District then you too are a supporter of at-large elections.

Finally, I believe in choice that the greater choice voters have the better representation we will get. At-large would have given you a greater choice in this and future elections.

IF we had at-large in this election, voters would have had a choice of here are six names pick the four that you agree with most. That would have been a much greater choice than the leaders of both parties forced upon by opposing at-large in the courts. The judge handed down a hybrid of three members being at-large with the other six being chosen by region, two directors from each of the three regions. While this compromise is better than only getting to choose three members of your school board it still greatly limits your choices. You may only vote for two of the four seats this election and five of the nine seats overall once the 2015 elections are completed.

Here are your choices this primary:

Region I + A registered Democrat that is unopposed in the primary and will most likely be unopposed in the General election. This is one of your new school board directors you have no choice in the matter. She has not posted her positions on smartvoter.org as there is no need.

Region II + Two incumbent school directors both are register Republicans. I am one and the only one that never voted to raise your school taxes while in office. I am asking for you vote here. As of this writing my opponent has not posted his potions on smartvoter.org.

Region III two new comers both Republicans. I support Shannon Wells in this race. Both of them have posted their positions on smartvoter.org

At-Large + Two Republicans of which I am one. Both of us have posted our positions. I have given you far more than just bullet points. I am asking for your vote here.

Thank you and regardless of where you stand on the issues please come out on Tuesday May 21, 2013 and exercise one of the greatest right you have in this great country. Your right to vote.