Some Pennsylvania voters recently received judicial retention political mailers for the Nov. 4 election falsely accusing Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices of politically “gerrymandering the map for Democrats.” We’d like to set that record straight.
The PA Supreme Court did not gerrymander a map. It followed the law to protect voters, and declared the 2011 PA congressional map unconstitutional for violating the state’s guarantee of free and equal elections. The current disinformation mailer campaign, funded by billionaires, abuses our election system. They should pull these mailers and apologize to voters.
The mailers suggest the Court acted politically when in reality it ruled on a lawsuit against the 2011 map brought by voters in all of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, and the non-partisan League of Women Voters PA. That 2011 US congressional map, drawn by the legislature, favored one party 13 to 5, though the 2018 congressional votes were nearly evenly split. More info is at palwv.org/2025-judicial-elections-1.
Voters are rightly confused by these mailers, some thinking the League is telling people how to vote, which we never do. Disregard these mailers. Campaigning is fine, but false information weakens our elections.
To avoid election disinformation, consider your sources. Trusted, non-partisan, community-based organizations like LWV struggle to compete with ultra-wealthy individuals, but unbiased information about judges up for retention on Nov. 4 is at LWV’s Vote411.org website, PALWV.org, and from the PA Bar Association. Elect judges on whether they are following the law, not billionaire political masters.
Kathy Cox,
Bellefonte
Bonnie Goble,
Boalsburg
Kathy Cox and Bonnie Goble are co-vice presidents of the League of Women Voters of Centre County.
Be Informed About Casino
The Happy Valley Casino website encourages folks to join their team and enroll now in their 12-week paid free Dealer School training courses starting soon at the mall in mid-December. That is a convenient time, right?
Before deciding to sign up for that job at the casino, make sure you first review the paper trail of facts posted at all three of the separate websites focused on the Happy Valley Casino:
- The PA Gaming Control Board website.
- The Casino Information section of the College Township website.
- The unprecedented and locally crafted SayNoCasino.org website.
Then discuss your planned casino career decision with your friends and family members and ask them for their candid feedback about your plan to join the Happy Valley Casino team.
Only then can your decision to apply for employment at the casino be a truly informed one. Ask yourself how realistically popular and busy the 24/7 casino at the mall will be during the daylight hours of the workweek here in Happy Valley.
Finally, factor in the planned realistic table game minimums (maybe $10 to $25 per hand or spin). Remember that most of us will not hesitate to drive 10 miles around here to save 20 cents on a gallon of gas. That represents just $3 for the average 15-gallon fill-up.
Make your informed career decision to sign up for Dealer School at the mall only when you can confidently choose to do so. It will be more than casino patrons choosing to roll the dice.
Dan Materna,
Howard
Second Homes Are Damaging Our Communities
Second homes are hollowing out communities, excessively inflating home prices and eliminating opportunities for families to live and grow. I’ll start by saying I get why people want a second home here. It’s a wonderful place, and for someone living outside the area with a lot of disposable income, having a vacation home here is a dream come true. Until I lived here full-time, however, I had no comprehension of the damage that these properties were doing to formerly vibrant neighborhoods.
Here in College Heights, a casual stroll may fool you into thinking that the tree-lined streets and century old homes still foster an abundance of community, but swing by on Halloween night and you’ll see scarcely a house with their lights on, and trick-or-treaters few and far between. The neighborhood is becoming more of a ghost town (and not in a fun, spooky way) every day due to an influx of second homes, a wave of aimless and shameless vanity and a total disregard for community by out-of-towners and local officials alike.
McKee Street has become a thoroughfare marred by contractor vehicles and landscaper trailers, busy upgrading and maintaining vacant homes while the rest of society navigates the congested street on bikes, scooters and skateboards, commuting from their distant affordable homes to school and work. For over four years, a McKee Street home has been under construction by two different owners, neither with any intention of ever residing there. It has exploded from one of the most affordable homes in the desirable neighborhood at $375k to now a $2.1M walled off monstrosity encapsulating everything wrong with our vanishing community. There’s no going back for that property; its target buyer does not (and will not) live in State College. It’s essentially been eliminated from housing anyone that would contribute to the fabric of the community.
To think this is one-off is downright naïve. There’s nothing preventing this from happening again and again, continuing the current transition from an idyllic place to raise a family with easy access to work, schools and nature to a vacant second-home ward devoid of residents, character and charm.
The good news is that this scourge, amplifying our affordable housing crisis, can be stemmed with policies used elsewhere in the state and country, and it starts with prioritizing local residents over out-of-towners. I’m hopeful our local governments recognize this as a serious issue and do something meaningful…and quickly.
Lest I come off as just a whiner, some preliminary ideas:
• Introduce additional real-estate taxes for second homes whose owners are already avoiding the local income tax.
• Prohibit non-primary residences from being short-term rentals. This is done all over the country, inherently reduces demand for second homes, and increases resident occupancy.
• Association and zoning boards need to grow a spine and restrict second home modifications so that situations like what we are witnessing in College Heights do not repeat.
Rudolf Hersh,
State College
Vote ‘Yes‘ for Judicial Retention
Are you looking for a law-and-order judge who has been endorsed by the PA State Troopers Association; the Fraternal Order of the Police, State Lodge; the County Detectives Association of PA; and the PA Sheriffs’ Association Action PAC?
If so, vote “Yes” to retain Supreme Court Justice Kevin Dougherty and all his colleagues on the ballot this year who have been recommended for retention by the nonpartisan PA State Bar Association: Christine Donohue, David Wecht, Alice Beck Dubow, and Michael Wojcik.
It’s not clear why Philadelphia billionaire Jeff Yass is spending big bucks to unseat these judges, but maybe it’s because he doesn’t like judges who will hold him and his cronies to the same standards as the rest of us.
Don Wilver, Jr.,
New Columbia
Rely on Truth for High-Stakes Judicial Retention Election
Judicial retention elections in Pennsylvania are usually quiet, nonpartisan affairs. This year is different. What is normally a routine vote has become a high-stakes political battle over control of the state’s highest court, fueled by national attention, outside money and a flood of deceptive advertising.
The question before voters is straightforward: Should three Supreme Court Justices—Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty and David Wecht—be retained for another 10 years? The answer should rest on truth, not misinformation.
Retention elections are simple: a “YES” or “NO” vote. Justices have no opponents, and political affiliations are not listed. The process is designed to keep judges independent while holding them accountable. Nonpartisan groups, including the Pennsylvania Bar Association, recommend retaining all three justices, citing their strong qualifications and judicial integrity.
Unfortunately, voters are being misled by a well-funded campaign backed by billionaire donors and political action committees. Mailers falsely claim the justices “gerrymandered districts to help Democrats,” when in fact the map in question was drawn by Republican legislators and struck down by the court as unconstitutional. Other ads distort the justices’ records on reproductive rights and election law. Spotlight PA has called these mailers “incredibly dishonest,” and The Philadelphia Inquirer depicts them as materially misleading.
The stakes are high. If justices aren’t retained, vacancies could paralyze the court and jeopardize rulings on voting rights, reproductive rights, education and more.
Reject the lies. Vote YES to retain Pennsylvania’s judges. A vote for retention is a vote for truth, transparency and judicial independence.
Nancy Chiswick,
State College
Make Your Voice Heard on Proposed Sign Ordinance Changes
In June, College Township (CT) was asked by Penn State Athletics to consider revising the ordinances—the local laws—that regulate signs on large event venues such as Beaver Stadium and the Bryce Jordan Center. While no specific proposal has been made public, the request could allow for major changes in both the size and types of signage permitted at these venues.
The CT Planning Commission and CT Council are now in the process of deciding whether, and how, to change these local laws. The outcome could affect signage not only at Penn State, but possibly throughout the township, including the area near the mall.
Whether you support or oppose the issue, don’t sit this one out. Whether you speak in person at a public meeting, join by Zoom or write a letter to decision-makers, it’s important that the public’s voice is heard and made part of the public record.
Too often residents learn about proposals only after decisions are made, when it’s too late to have an impact. It’s crucial to comment while decisions are under review.
You don’t need to be a CT resident to speak. Regarding the casino development and changes to ordinances, it was those who participated—in person, on Zoom or through letters—who shaped the outcome. Silence leaves decisions to others.
The CT Planning Commission meets the first and third Tuesday evenings, and the CT Council on the first and third Thursday evenings.
Agendas and minutes are posted at http://www.collegetownship.org/AgendaCenter.
Zoom links are at http://www.collegetownship.org/229/Participating-in-Upcoming-Meetings.
Send written comments to council@collegetownship.org.
Don’t leave the future to others. Make your voice part of the process.
Martha Young,
State College
Community Doesn’t Need Casino
Many Happy Valley residents hope the casino will save the dying Nittany Mall, right?
If the mall’s owners, Namdar Realty Group, share that hope, why did they ignore the opportunity to publicly endorse the casino that will save the mall? The silence from the mall’s owners is deafening.
After our community members pause long enough to quickly look for Namdar Realty Group’s Wikipedia page, the reasons for their silence become clear.
Namdar does not hold out hope for the mall will bounce back to success. They have never praised or spoken favorably about the future casino that is often cited as the last possible hope to save their Nittany Mall.
Namdar even clashed with College Township government over repair of the recent sinkhole on the mall’s property. They will never be good stewards regarding anything. Take a look at their well-known reputation here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namdar_Realty_Group.
Joan M. Bouchard,
Patton Township
