Meet Your Candidates: Kathy Sugarman

Name: Kathy Sugarman

Occupation: Homemaker, Student,

Length of time living in the Township: 18 years

What organizations and activities are you involved with locally?
I am involved with the Delaware River Keepers, working towards a moratorium imposed on Fracking until further studies can be conducted to ensure that gas is extracted safely with no harm to our environment. I am an Equestrian and own a horse that I keep locally. I am involved in my daughter’s school and volunteer my time there.

What are the main issues facing Buckingham?

Open Space, Transparency, Taxes, Integrity and Credibility

Our taxes have been steadily increasing and our services steadily decreasing. Roads and bridges are in deplorable condition, no plowing or late snow plowing has become the norm. I also know that when the housing market recovers, that Mr. Forest will be back where he was prior to the housing collapse, that being, approving huge developments in back room deals, i.e. Victoria Park and Toll/Feeney.

I am also concerned about residents, churches and schools being charged exorbitant fees by the Township Engineer for reviews and approvals. Those costs are passed on to us in increased school taxes. Projects taking 12 years to complete instead of the normal 2-3. We filed a Right to Know Request for engineering billing information and were denied. We have appealed. Why would the township not want this public information made public? Why would they spend our tax dollars to fight a citizens Right to Know? For what they are spending to fight our request, we could have had the information already.

The other issue of equal if not greater importance facing Buckingham Township is the integrity and credibility of Mr. Forest. Recently when Mr. Forest, on being confronted with the allegation of shooting his neighbor's dog, blatantly lied about the entire incident. His version of the event has been completely contradicted by the dog’s owner and witnesses to this act of brutality to a little dog that was doing nothing more than running around with two collie puppies (having the time of his life as one witness said). I think the act itself speaks volumes about one's character, but to then make light of it with such a ridiculous story gives us insight into Mr. Forest’s values, judgment, and moral conscience.

What other issues would you focus on if you were elected?
Renewable Energy, Alternative Revenue sources, Sustainable Growth, Updating the antiquated video taping of the Board of Supervisors meetings.

Why should residents vote for me?
My 19 years of working for land preservation in Buckingham. Organizing grassroots neighborhood groups to protect open space and winning. We stopped Heritage from building 3,500 apartments on New Hope Rd. We stopped the Rash/Forest plan for developments in Lower Buckingham and Mechanicsville. We stopped Quarry truck traffic from destroying the village of Wycombe.

I have 20 years of business experience, and worked with my husband, environmental attorney Robert J. Sugarman, on a wealth of social and environmental issues. I will ensure that our residents are treated respectfully on all matters pertaining to the township and are relieved of the vindictive and divisive atmosphere that pervades the current board and move Buckingham into the future!