Meet the Candidates: Kimberly Rose

Name: Dr Kimberly Rose     

Occupation: Chiropractor/ Developer and teacher of "Seniorcize" Northampton Senior Center    

Length of time living in Northampton: 21 years    

What organizations and activities are you involved with locally? 

Former Team Mom/Doctor for the Northampton Indians. I was an after school CCD Teacher at St. Andrews Parish in Newtown. I was also a longtime member of the Council Rock PTO, and a proud Marching “band Mom” at Council Rock North.  In addition, I developed and continue to teach the popular “Seniorcize” aerobics program at the Northampton Senior Center which helps keep our seniors fit and healthy, and I volunteer many additional hours helping with their other senior activities as well.  And most recently, I have accepted a kind invitation to join the Board of Council Rock Coalition for Healthy Youth, which develops and sponsors drug & alcohol awareness, safe driving, and smart decision-making programs for our precious youth.

Taxes are always of interest to residents, especially in these tough economic times.  What suggestions do you have to improve the efficiency of the township to save tax dollars?  

• Cut unnecessary spending and make township government more efficient. 
• Audit supervisor and township staff expenses to prevent further instances of embezzlement. 
• Implement a zero-based budgeting initiative requiring all programs to justify their necessity for continued funding. This is imperative and my mission, as my opponent has raised Northampton taxes 138 percent in his first five years in office.  
• Lastly, I would require developers to pay impact fees for new infrastructure like roads and sewers instead of forcing residents to pay these costs.  As such I most strongly oppose the $1.8M giveaway to Toll Bros. that is being championed by my opponent and our Sewer Authority for which he is the Board Liasion. Specifically, the Sewer Authority recently agreed to spend $1.6M of existing ratepayers’ money to build 2.4 miles of sewer pipes that Toll Bros. needs for a 40-home development to be built at Hatboro and Pulinski Roads. The Sewer Authority also agreed to waive all tapping fees for the 40-homes at a cost of another $100,000; and they agreed to pay for all the engineering costs for the sewer upgrades and extension valued at yet another $100,000 cost to existing ratepayers. This $1.8 M ratepayer bailout for Toll Bros. is so wrong on so many levels. Developers should be required to pay their own impact fees and not have the existing ratepayers pick up the tab. 

The Davis Pontiac issue is one example of the struggle over whether to bring more large business to Richboro and try to cultivate a "downtown" feel or preserve the small town charm so many people fell in love with 30 years ago. Where do you think is the best direction for the town to go? 

I am opposed to the Big-Box Giant development. During the recent Board of Supervisors’ Meetings, the Twp’s independently-retained Traffic Engineer confirmed the following: 1) traffic volumes exiting the site during peak evening times would exceed several hundred vehicles per hour; 2) that given this great increase in traffic volume, PennDOT regulations would typically mandate that a Red Light be installed by the north exit abutting Ohev Shalom to allow traffic to safely enter and exit the Giant;  3) that PennDOT would never approve the placement of a traffic light at the north Ohev Shalom exit because it would be too close to the existing red lights at Bustleton and 2nd Street Pikes and the other at 2nd Street and Almshouse Road; 4) that traffic que-lengths backing up at these intersections would double and triple from their already excessive lengths; 5) wait times at these intersections will increase two, three and in some turning lanes up to four times their often current unbearable wait-times; 6) that Giant’s traffic engineer proposes “mitigating” the existing traffic nightmare by taking away the inside dedicated northbound lane and make it a “Two-Way Suicide Lane”, where traffic will be free to travel either northbound or southbound in the same lane and make either left or right turns at their choosing. The simple but inconvenient truth is that any Big-Box development at the Davis Pontiac site that generates hundreds of additional vehicle trips per hour is too an intensive development for this site. We should re-focus our efforts on promoting smarter community-friendly development, and foster creation of an attractive sustainable town center.    

What other issues would you like to see come to the forefront if you are elected to the Board of Supervisors?   

First, that our hardworking taxpayers wouldn’t have to endure a 138 percent tax hike during my first term in office, as we suffered through during my opponent’s current term. Second, I would stop wasteful spending, crony contracts, and the current “pay-to-play” politics which only add unnecessary tax burdens on our residents and seniors. Third, I would competitively bid all projects even when not required by PA law. On any major purchases in our own lives, we “shop around” and “get quotes” to ensure we’re getting the best price possible. We should do no less for our taxpayers. Fourth, make local government more honest and transparent, so that residents and ratepayers can better learn of insider, sweetheart deals such as our Northampton Sewer Authority’s outrageous $1.8 M recent giveaway to Toll Bros. for its 40-home planned development at Hatboro and Pulinski Roads. Fifth, I would work to lessen the redtape and unnecessary burdens on our local businesses. One recent longtime beverage distributor in Richboro decided to build a new stand-alone store across the street. Beautiful design and received a 5-0 Vote recommending approval from the Planning Commission. Board of Supervisors’ Chairman ruled by imperial fiat that storeowner needed to re-do his entire plan – this greatly delayed construction start date and increased costs to local business owner of nearly $100,000.  Construction not possible to complete prior to lease end, and owner soon to be without a store pending final construction. Total travesty. Need to work and encourage local businesses, and not erect unnecessary roadblocks especially in this difficult economy. Need a better public-private partnership mentality so we can re-start our redevelopment in Holland and Richboro areas. Sixth, as to recently revealed water contamination in Township’s western end, must inform public of all known contamination, widen testing areas of known poisoned wells, and aggressively work with DEP to remediate and monitor water quality to ensure clean drinking water for our families.    

In 50 words or less, why should residents vote for you?  

I tell the truth, am honest, fiercely independent, hardworking wife, mother and small-business owner. My professional experience and life-long volunteer work give me combined focus on watching the "bottom line" but with commitment to cooperation and listening to our community. I have dedicated my entire life to serving others.