- An ordinance that gives Council better oversight of contracts and the City’s finances. The law requires Council to receive monthly financial reports in a form that it approves, establishes a specific dollar limit for contracts to receive Council approval and mandates that all contracts signed by the Mayor be filed with the City Clerk for easy review by Council and the public.
- An ordinance that has helped spur redevelopment in the City by phasing in assessments for residential property improvements and construction over 10 years. Further, I worked with members of the School Board and County Commissioners to have those boards also enact this legislation. This change helped bring about various important projects, including the Lofts on North George Street, Monarch Mills rehabilitation off Maryland Avenue, upscale townhouses on Linden Avenue and the Elm Street Project townhouses on East Princess Street.
- A right-to-know policy that guarantees the public quick and easy access to city public records.
- Ordinances that rewrote the Housing Code to improve fire safety in the City of York and to properly regulate group homes and rental properties.
- The Nuisance Abatement ordinance that holds slum and absentee landlords accountable for failing to oversee and maintain problem properties and gives the City the power to take action against rental properties riddled with drug dealing, prostitution, violence and other neighborhood destruction-type problems.
- A Noise ordinance that police officers can actually enforce.
- An updated Residential Parking Permit Area ordinance that helps residents solve parking problems in their neighborhoods.
- A Downtown night-time peddlers ordinance that can help boost tourism and the economy in the City of York.
- An ordinance that allows the City Police Commissioner to wear a uniform, carry a weapon and hold all police powers as other officers. This law helps put another trained police officer on the street ready to assist the force that he or she oversees.
- A reworked and renegotiated Cable Television Franchise ordinance. This law can help build a regional community access television station. That project can help the City, school districts and other municipalities raise additional revenue. It can promote tourism, economic development and job retraining in the area. It can boost educational efforts and keep the public better informed about the community.
- Rules and Procedures for Council meetings that ensures Council can tackle the business at hand, but gives the public the full opportunity to participate in the meetings.
- An ordinance on yard sales that protects the quality of life in neighborhoods.
- A redrafted school crossing guard ordinance that helps the City protect school students as they must walk to school and back home.
Most importantly, I have worked with the Mayor and the rest of Council every year to pass a budget that holds down taxes and ensures that the City can provide the services – police and fire – that families, senior citizens, businesses, churches and the rest of the community absolutely need.
Over the past four years, we had to make some very tough decisions that have led to reducing the City workforce by about 50 positions, but have guaranteed that our police and fire departments have necessary staffing, equipment and training to protect the entire community and themselves.
We have worked to cut costs. We also have come up with creative means to find revenue so that we can serve the public good and ensure the City can continue to operate.
Helped Create Jobs, and Improve the Quality of Life in York:
On City Council, I have worked with Mayor John Brenner and others to rebuild the City economically. It is quickly rebuilding thanks to these efforts and the following projects:
- Outdoor Recreation Facility (baseball stadium), which we have worked to move forward through the process. It will likely become a reality next year and help bring in visitors from all over the region into the City. The project will create more than 300 jobs. Additionally, the City will receive thousands upon thousands of dollars of additional revenue from the project thanks to a payment-in-lieu of tax agreement that is among the strongest financially involving a ball park. The City also will yield other revenue through permit fees for the construction and admissions fees while it operates.
- Decisions we made to help bring downtown new restaurants, nightclubs, sidewalk cafes and other entertainment facilities. These changes have sprung York back to life. They made it a destination point for the young, middle age and old alike, and help create many jobs.
- Work we did to help renovate and create the Greenway Tech Centre on South George Street, which will help the City retain and create hundreds of jobs.
- Work that will soon begin on the Northwest Triangle Project that can create up to 500 jobs and bring in up to $1.5 million in new revenue to the City.
- Work on the Elm Street Project around the East Princess area that includes construction of nine new townhouses and the revitalization of a key City neighborhood.
- Leadership we provided to bring about the rehabilitation of the former Monarch Mills industrial plant just off Maryland Avenue, construction of the Lofts along North George Street and Linden Avenue and the YMCA’s Fairmount Project along Beaver Street and rehabilitation of an abandoned industrial plant on South Pine Street into student housing.
All these efforts and more have created jobs and improved the City’s overall quality of life. All these efforts occurred in part through the teamwork of Representative Stetler, Mayor Brenner and we on the City Council.
Professional Experience
04/90 – Present Pennsylvania House of Representatives, House Post Office Box 202020, Harrisburg, Pa., 17120. 4/90-3/91: Legislative Information Specialist, Legislative Information Office; 3/91-3/99: Executive Director, Central & Southeast Democratic Caucus; 3/99-2/01, Senior Research Analyst to State Rep. Stephen H. Stetler/House Member Services; 2/01-3/04: Senior Research Specialist, House Democratic Member Services; 3/04-2/06: Acting Director/Senior Research Specialist, House Democratic Member Services; 2/06-Present: Senior Research Specialist, House Democratic Policy Committee & Rep. Stephen H. Stetler
4/90 – Present: Campaign Consulting, Managed Campaigns of Abe Amoros for York City Council, 1991; Ken Shaffer for State House, 1992; Charlie Robertson for York Mayor, 1993 and ‘97; Ruth Rudy for Lieutenant Governor & State House, 1994; Marilu Beier for York City Council, Primary 1995; Zane Phoenix for Harrisburg City Council, 1995; Toni Smith for York City Council, General Election 1995 & ‘99; Steve Stetler for State Representative, 1998 & 2000; Phyllis Harmon for Mifflin County Commissioner, Primary 1999; Jack Sommer for York County Commissioner, 1999; Jack Sommer/Shirley Glass/Democratic Party Coordinated 1999 Campaign; Gregg Williams for School Board, 2001. Coordinator/field organizer & researcher/writer for numerous other campaigns, including Ruth Rudy for Congress, 1996, Keith Bierly for State House 1996; Mike Bortner for State Senate, 1990; Steve Stetler for State House 1990, ’92, ’94 & ’96; and the House Democratic Campaign Committee.
1/89 – 4/90: Political, Investigative & Special Projects Writer, York Daily Record, 122 S. George St., P.O. Box 15122, York, Pa., 17405.
10/85 – 12/88: Political & Investigative Writer, Anderson Independent-Mail, 1000 Williamston Road, Anderson, S.C., 29621.
1/84 – 10/85: Police, Political, Investigative, General Assignment Reporter, Columnist, Photographer, Pottsville Republican, 111 Mahantongo Street, Pottsville, Pa., 17901.
5/83 – 1/84: General Assignment Reporter, Intern, Columnist, Photographer, The Pocono Record, 511 Lenox Street, Stroudsburg, Pa., 18360.
6/74 – 1/84: Landscaper, Work Crew Foreman & Laborer, Pocono Landscape Ltd., Route 191, Cresco, Pa., 18326.
Elected Offices
1/01 – Present: Member, York City Council, Elected 2001, Re-elected 2005. Elected President 2004; Re-elected 2006. Chairman: Police Committee, Rules & Administrative Code Committee, Cable Review & Cable Negotiations committees. Member: Police Chief/Commissioner Search, Business Administration and Fire & Rescue Services committees.
12/95 – Present: Member, Board of School Directors, School District of the City of York, Served as Chairman of the Finance and Cafeteria and Food Service committees. Elected November 1995. Re-elected November 1999. Served on the Personnel, General Policies, Athletics, Finance & Strategic Planning committees & on the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, Founded the Parental & Community Involvement Committee.
5/94 – 5/98: York County At-Large Member, Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee, 510 N. Third Street, Harrisburg, Pa., 17120. Elected May 1994.
Education
9/80-12/83: Bachelor’s of Arts Degree, Journalism & Communications, Point Park University,
201 Wood Street, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15222. Graduated in December 1983. GPA: 3.1. Listed on Dean’s List & Who’s Who in America’s Colleges & Universities.
Community Service
1/94 – Present: Independent Producer (Aim High, Shoot Low Productions) White Rose Community Television & York Community Access Television (YCAT), Served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the YCAT Board of Directors 1997-1999. Served on the YCAT Board of Directors 1995-1999. Producer & Host of “In The Center” with Cameron Texter, which airs each Friday since October 1995 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 3:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on Channel 16 on the Suscom system.
12/02 – 4/02: Staff Coordinator, Governor Ed Rendell’s Judicial Issues Transition Committee
06/0 – Present: Member of the Board of Directors, Community Progress Council
4/93 – 12/01: Member & Vice Chairman, City of York Zoning Hearing Board of Appeals, City of York
1/03 – Present: Member: York County Community Against Racism
9/00 – Present: Co-founder & Past President, Devers Area Neighborhood Association
01/98 – Present: Volunteer, York County District Attorney’s & Mother’s Against Drunk Drivers DUI Impact Panels
1/94 – 12/94: Commissioner, City of York’s Human Relations Commission
11/93 – Present: Member, School District of the City of York’s Strategic Planning Committee, Past Chairman of the Parent Involvement Action Plan Team
4/91 – 5/98: Member, York County Democratic Party Executive Board; Elected Democratic Committeeman, 14th Ward, 2nd Precinct, 1991-Present
9/91 – Present: Volunteer, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of York County
1/91 – Present: Member, Democratic Society of York. Served as President in 1995, Treasurer 1991-1994, Trustee 1996-2003, Currently Vice President
10/90 – 1/96: Member, Young Democrats of York County, Served as President in 1992, Treasurer 1990-1991
AWARDS
Democratic Society of York’s
James S.A. Bentzel Democrat of the Year, 2004; York County Chamber of Commerce
Outstanding School Board Service Award, 2001; City of York Outstanding Community Service Resolution – 2000
YCAT Outstanding Leadership Award – 1999
Mount Rose Lions Club Outstanding Community Service Award – 1996
Anderson Independent-Mail United Way Most Funds Raised Award – 1988
Best Spot News Story, Harte Hanks Inc. – 1987
Best Spot News Story, South Carolina Press Association – 1987
Second Place, Best News Story, Pennsylvania Newspaper Publishers Association – 1986
Nominated by the Pottsville Republican newspaper for Pulitzer Prize – 1985
Cameron Texter, Member of Council
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