Hylton and His Friends of Montgomery County

POTTSTOWN, PA – A little while back, I did a posting on the connection between Tom Hylton and Friends of Montgomery County (a registered PAC headed up by Hylton’s ex-Pottstown Planning Commission buddy Scott Exley).

The other day in the mail I received a rather large collection of papers from Montgomery County with some revealing information.

Let’s set the wayback machine again to 2007.  As you recall, 2007 was the year Hylton got his current school board cronies elected to office under the dubious moniker “The Neighborhood Schools Team”.  The Neighborhood Schools Team consists of Rick Huss, Dennis Wausnock, Nat White, Julia Wilson and Michele Pargeon.

According to records filed with the County, Hylton was again spending big bucks to “Git R Done” – in the amount of $2,850.

Yes – that’s right – in 2007 Hylton gave $2,850 to Friends of Montgomery County to get his current All Star line up elected to the Pottstown School Board.  And bear in mind that this $2,850 is in addition to the $6,730 that Hylton himself contributed to Pottstown Citizens for Responsible Government in 2007.  So, in 2007, Hylton spent close to $10,000 to get his hand picked “Neighborhood Schools Team” elected, thus turning out of office the previous progressively-minded school board members who were helping to bring Pottstown into the 21st century by promoting the centers concept and the slew of new funding that accompanied it.

The majority of these Friends of Montgomery County funds ($2,250) was donated during the primary election season months of 2007, the remaining $600 was donated in November of 2007 (I guess that was for the champagne and bologna plates at Hylton’s election day party).

So, it’s easy to connect the dots to Hylton being financially responsible for giving the taxpayers of Pottstown THE SHAFT in 2007 (and in the years to come).  I will say, on record, that of the five members elected that year to the Pottstown School Board, only Michele Pargeon has redeemed herself by being responsible to the taxpayers of Pottstown and publicly speaking out against Hylton and his cherry-picked distortions.  Good for you Michele!  Keep up the great work and DON’T EVER stop questioning Hylton…especially in a public forum.

As for the other four members – grow up and get your acts together!  You were elected to your positions by the good taxpayers of Pottstown – start acting financially responsible to them and stop listening to Tom Hylton and his neighborhood schools nonsense!

The Dead End Avenue of Yellow Journalism

POTTSTOWN, PA – One of the comments from a Save Pottstown!! reader got me thinking.

How many other newspapers publish paid advertisements on their opinion page?

So I did a little researching.  I also enjoyed some email correspondence with the editorial divisions of some of the major US newspapers.  The ONLY newspaper that turned up in a Google search (when using the search terms “paid advertising” and “opinion page” was The Mercury.

Here’s the article in question (which happens to be in a blog from Mercury Editor Nancy March) back in December of 2008:

http://www3.allaroundphilly.com/blogs/pottstown/nancym/2008/12/new-avenue-of-opinions-opens.html

And guess which genius came up with the brilliant idea to accept paid advertisements on The Mercury’s opinion’s page?

Tom Hylton – Pottstown’s own infomercial!!

As March states in her blog: “The idea was brought to us by former Mercury editorial writer Tom Hylton, whose opinions about matters in town can arrive with more flair and frequency than the average Readers’ View writer.“

Really!  Mr. Man About Town Tom Hylton!  Mr. Infomercial!

Although…I think the only flair that can be associated with Hylton is in the fashion faux pas department.

Do you think other legitimate US newspapers accept paid advertising on their op-ed page?  The New York Times?  Nope.  The Philadelphia Inquirer?  Negatory.  The Chicago Tribune?  Nada.  The Washington Post?  Zilch.  The LA Times?  Never.

The Chicago Tribune even posts its editorial ethics policy online:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/chi-ethicscode,0,5293962.story

So…where is The Mercury’s ethics policy?  Why isn’t it posted online??

It’s obvious The Mercury doesn’t have an ethics policy…because none of their writers or content seem to adhere to any resemblance of ethics.  Nancy March’s comments confirm that fact – why else would a respectable newspaper accept paid advertising on their op-ed page??  The fact that Mercury reporter Evan Brandt didn’t recuse himself from writing demonizing articles on the proposed centers concept for the Pottstown School  District is a big ethical blunder in my book.

How about at least a disclaimer that the reporter has a child in the school district – at one of the schools that would have been affected??

So, how is it that The Mercury can ethically justify accepting paid advertising on its op-ed page…but every other real newspaper in the US will not condone the practice?

Hmmm.  I find ethics lacking at The Mercury.  Another Tom Hylton “Git R Done” special.

Why am I not surprised?

No wonder their paid subscription numbers are in the toilet.  Who wants to read a paper stuffed with advertising – and one that glorifies its advertisers in stories and articles?  No thanks.  Other truthful and unbiased news sources are readily available.

The way I see it is that Tom Hylton is desperately trying to save the two things that has defined his “purpose” over the past 36+ years: The Mercury and Neighborhood Schools.

Both are going the way of the dinosaur in Pottstown.  They’re both outdated and serve no purpose in Pottstown….kinda like Hylton.

Pondering the Future of Pottstown Schools

POTTSTOWN, PA – A straightforward and thoughtful letter was published today in both the print and online editions of The Mercury.  The online edition does not reference the author’s name, but it was written by long time Pottstown resident Helen Mackewicz.

http://www.pottsmerc.com/articles/2010/01/01/opinion/srv0000007200066.txt

It’ll be interesting to see if Hylton, through one of his several online aliases, posts a comment to debunk the letter.  Let’s see…maybe he’ll post as “Had Enough” or “Maplemissy”…

Yes indeed.  Hylton and his cronies do need to take a walk through of the Borough without those rose colored glasses (funny hats are optional though).

Mr. and Mrs. Moneybags

POTTSTOWN, PA – While I really despise the end of the year news cycle between Christmas and New Year’s (especially this year since it marks the end of a decade), I thought I would shamelessly seize the moment and take a look back at 2009 in the life of our favorite fringe political activist group that is Pottstown Citizens for Responsible Government (PCFRG).

PCFRG is a political action committee that Tom Hylton and his retired Pottstown School District teacher/wife Frances personally fund.  If you need a good laugh…check out the website:  www.pottstowncitizens.org

According to records filed with Montgomery County, 2009 was a busy year for the Hyltons and their PAC (the child they never had!).  And since this information was absentmindedly omitted from the open government section of PCFRG’s website, I thought I would include it here for all my online friends to enjoy!

Here’s a summary of how much the Hyltons spent on their PAC in 2009:

Mercury Advertisements:  $10,585.39 (a total of 33 ads run @ approximately $320.77 per ad)

The Drawing Board (web site design): $2,295

Pottstown Borough (Right to Know Copy Fees): $19.75

Weil’s Odd Jobs: $872.73 (NOTE: Karen Weil currently sits with Hylton on the Pottstown Planning Commission and serves on the board of directors of Trees, Inc.   She is employed as an administrative assistant at The Hill School.)

Pottstown School District (Right to Know Copy Fees): $200

Addison Technologies (web site hosting): $466.20

Boyertown Publishing (flier printing): $5,190.26

PA Mailers (mailing fliers): $3,806.62

USPS Stamps: $2,758

Montgomery County (voter list): $42.40

As a side note (and definitely worth mentioning here), Hylton also contributed $10,500 in 2009 to Trees, Inc., of which he serves as the secretary-treasurer.    

So, all in all, the Hyltons personally funded upwards of $35,000+ this year alone for their PAC and Trees, Inc.  The running total since the PAC’s 2007 inception has been close to $40,000.  Wow – $35,000 is very close to the median household for borough residents (it’s actually $35,785).  So, the Hylton’s disposable income for this year matches what the average borough household makes.  That’s pretty sad folks.  I bet even Hylton’s tenants (who live in his triplex rental property at 222 Chestnut Street) wish they could make that much in a single year!

How would an extra $35,000 per year affect your life?  How do you think it would affect the life of the average Pottstonian?  So how do you think the Hyltons can even possibly, even remotely, relate to the average Pottstonian???  How can they possibly even begin to imagine the struggles the average Pottstonian deals with on a daily basis???  They can’t.  Let’s face it – Tom and Frances Hylton are elitists.

These two should not be dictating ANYTHING to the average hard working Pottstonian taxpayer…they are elitists plain and simple.  And as most elitists tend to be…are definitely out of touch with any thoughts or opinions of the average hardworking Pottstonian taxpayer.

Isn’t it amazing that a retired newspaper reporter and his retired school teacher wife can liberally toss around this kind of money?  Basically, just to get himself elected to public office?  Kinda makes you wonder where all the money comes from…doesn’t it???

Happy New Year!! (keep those happy thoughts foremost in your mind!)

Looking forward to a revealing 2010!!

The Czar of Pottstown

POTTSTOWN, PA – Since the end of 2009 is quickly approaching, I was doing a little year-end reflecting and thinking about the comments Harry Price made earlier this year when speaking of our favorite elected official: “…somehow Mr. Hylton knows more about education and running the borough”…“Why don’t we just name him the ‘czar of education’ in Pottstown and head of Pottstown government?“

Indeed.

For those of you who may not know who Harry Price is, he is a highly respected former Pottstown Borough Councilman, former school board member and faculty emeritus of The Hill School.  Definitely a smart and knowledgeable guy…and well liked.

So, when someone with that much working knowledge of the borough speaks…I listen and take note…because I respect his opinion…because he’s been there and done that.

And what are Tom Hylton’s credentials?  Well…he’s never held an elected position before this year (even though he claims to have devoted his life to public service). And he only holds an undergrad history degree from Kutztown.  No education degree, no planning degree, no agricultural degree, no public administration degree, no architectural degree, no information technology degree, no renewable energy degree.  He’s a retired newspaper reporter who dabbles in subjects…never fully understanding the depths of any one subject.

Hylton would probably get a lot more cooperation from others if he wasn’t so arrogant, derogatory, spiteful and just plain unpleasant.  Who wants to help someone like that?  You say no to him and he screams and belittles you – and if you’re one of the lucky ones – he threatens to sue you.  No thanks…I’ll have to pass on that.  Life’s too short to deal with those very childish antics.  I wonder if he graduated from that private Long Island Christian boarding school when he was a kid?  If he acted anyway as a kid like he does now as an adult, I would think acting in such a non-Christian manner would have gotten him kicked out of school.

Here’s my favorite Harry Price quote: “You know, God has played a funny joke on us all…it seems he gave all the answers to the people who don’t have to make the decisions.“

Well, now Hylton’s in place to make all the decisions…everything everyone has done wrong in Pottstown Tom Hylton now has the “power” to correct.  36+ years worth of mistakes to fix…that should keep him busy.  No more time for long walks in the snow down by the river.

Hylton likes to hold everyone accountable even though he seldom practices what he preaches.  It’s funny that he still clings to his ex-Pottstown school teacher wife’s pension and benefits…even though…by Tom’s standards…she failed the children by not being accountable…and still made an “excellent” salary.

And now that Hylton’s an elected official, it’s time to hold him accountable to his words and actions – all of them.  And thank goodness all those words and actions are available 24 hours a day via the Internet (and if you’re Hylton you can check both Internets).  And if you can’t find his “words of wisdom” online, stop by the Pottstown Library and look up his Mercury rants on microfilm.  So, do a little researching my friends and prepare for the next time you attend a school board or borough council meeting….because Hylton has left a long trail of destruction (oops…I mean evidence) since the 1970s.

2010 should be a very interesting year for Pottstown now that the king holds the keys to the kingdom.

Why Does Hylton Continue to Align Himself with Out of Towners?

Tom Hylton and Dennis Wausnock

POTTSTOWN, PA – Riddle me this Batman…why does Tom Hylton continue to do business with and recruit activists that don’t live/operate in Pottstown? Right up there with Stonehenge, one of the big mysteries of the universe is Hylton and his lovefest with the Wausnock brothers (George and Dennis).  What’s up with that?  I just don’t get it.  Dennis Wausnock is the current VP of the Pottstown School Board and “chairman” of Pottstown Citizens for Responsible Government, a small fringe political activist group that Hylton and his retired Pottstown School District teacher/wife personally fund (to the tune of $40,000+ according to records filed with Montgomery County).  If you’re feeling particularly responsible and political…check out the Citizen’s website: www.pottstowncitizens.org.

Dennis is the third chairman of the group (following former chairs…recently defeated Pottstown Councilman David Garner and former District Justice Charles Dasch).  What exactly does Dennis bring to the table for the Citizens group?  I have no clue.  My guess is lending the Wausnock name to the group.  George probably nixed the use of himself as chair…since he’s busy serving Hylton on two fronts: Preservation Pottstown and Hylton’s Save Our Lands board of directors.  So, I can understand that George is a pretty busy guy…thank goodness there’s Dennis.

Even though Dennis owns property in Pottstown, it seems that he spends the majority of his time living in Boyertown with his girlfriend (who works for the Boyertown School District).

Through his numerous Right to Know requests (that you and I as taxpayers are footing the bill for)…Hylton likes to whine that the Pottstown School District is staffed by those not living in Pottstown.  For a refresher of Hylton’s opinion on the matter, check out the paid op-ed advertisement run in The Mercury earlier this year:

http://www.pottstowncitizens.org/pdf/2009-1-29%20Pottstown%20Schools%20commuters.pdf

Isn’t it ironic that Hylton continually chooses to align himself with individuals who choose not to live in Pottstown?  And there’s also the businesses Hylton supports through his Citizens group: Boyertown Publishing (located in Boyertown), Smash Designs (located in Chester Springs), Jane Dunlap (who does work for Hylton and lives in East Coventry Township), The Drawing Board (located in Reading), National Penn Bank (located in Boyertown) and PA Mailers (located in Boyertown).  Hylton better hook up that extra large saddle bag to his bike…that’s a lot of riding across the county line to Boyertown!

As Hylton himself demands of others…he should be encouraged to use businesses and political activists that live/operate in Pottstown, because they add value to our community and help make it a better place to live (isn’t that how you phrased it Tom?).

The reason Hylton uses non-Pottstown businesses and activists is obvious.  Because he chooses to.

Hylton’s Costs to Taxpayers Add Up!

I ALWAYS get the information I'm looking for...

POTTSTOWN, PA – Finally!  The Pottstown Mercury has finally published an article pulling the curtain away…and exposing the TRUTH!  The Mercury published the following article, “Taxpayer costs add up in disputes over records,” on December 24:

http://www.pottsmerc.com/articles/2009/12/24/news/srv0000007157971.txt

As so many SavePottstown readers already know, Tom Hylton has been keeping his own personal Right to Know tab on the taxpayer’s dime.  Linda Adams, the Pottstown School District Business Administrator, confirmed the fact that in the past year the cost of RTK requests for the district was $13,217 and that Hylton was responsible for close to $11,000 of that amount (and as the article noted…the $13,217 amount is ONLY legal fees – which doesn’t include time stolen from the school district to respond to Hylton’s requests).

Surprised?  Now wait a minute….you thought Hylton only cost the taxpayers $5,000 for RTK requests?  Well…actually…that was Hylton’s own incorrect conservative estimate, as he personally stated during the school board’s December 3^rd meeting: “I keep hearing how I cost the school district more than $5,000 with Right to Know requests, but it should have cost nothing at all.“  To read more about that ton of fun meeting…check out The Mercury article:

http://www.pottsmerc.com/articles/2009/12/06/news/srv0000007009420.txt

Hylton, who couldn’t be reached for comment because he’s currently on vacation in “Entitlement Land” (that’s the Disney park that doesn’t get much press), has cost the taxpayers so much more than $11,000 in his 36+ year stay in Pottstown.  The previous school district administration granted Hylton whatever info he wanted…whenever he wanted…no holds barred.  As long as Hylton has been working for The Mercury (and we’re talking close to 40 years folks) he’s always been able to pull confidential information, with little to no resistance, from the school district.  And now that Pennsylvania muscled up its Right to Know law earlier this year, Hylton’s well has run dry…and he ain’t a happy camper:

“When Jim Bush was business manager, he would give me just about any information I asked for and in great detail,” Hylton said this week. “I never went to the Right to Know law when Jim Bush was here, and as a result there were no lawyers involved, because I always got the information I was looking for.”

Of course you always got the info you were looking for.  Jim Bush was not supposed to release that information to you Tom.  You were not entitled to that information.  If Hylton actually requested that info through the proper legal channel (the PA’s previous RTK law), he would have been turned down.  Which is exactly why he continued to pester the previous administration until he got what he wanted – because he knew he could.  How long did this behavior of Hylton’s go on for?  And how many taxpayer dollars has Hylton wasted for the past 40 years???  If he cost the taxpayers $11,000 in just ONE year…let’s see….40 times $11,000…..hmmm.  Gee – that’s close to a half a million dollars.  And yes – Hylton can’t pin that on the previous school board…he can’t pin that on the district solicitor…he can’t pin that on the administration…he himself can only take responsibility for that.

Don’t hold you breath folks…Hylton never admits when he’s wrong….he only points fingers towards others to throw you off the money trail.

Are you beginning to see the pattern here?

A Visit from the Taxpayers

A Visit from the Taxpayers
(my apologizes to Clement Clark Moore)

A look into Pottstown’s Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come…

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through Hyltonville
Not a creature was stirring, not even The Mercury’s best known shrill;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that the new lower tax bill soon would be there;
The ill-informed voters were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of refurbished neighborhood schools danced in their heads;
And Frances in her ’kerchief, and Tom with his bike,
If they could just brainwash the rest of the taxbase to prepare for the next big tax hike,
When out on Chestnut Street there arose such a clatter
Tom sprang from his latest paid op-ed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window Tom flew like a flash,
Looked into his peep mirror – saw it was safe – and then threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the week-old snow
Was making his pesky neighbors visible (they’re so annoying you know),
When, what to Tom’s arrogant eyes should appear,
A group of boisterous taxpayers, wearing protester headgear,
With several irate taxpayers, so tired and sick,
Tom knew in a moment it must be some kind of trick.
More rapid than eagles his detractors they came,
And they whistled, and shouted, and called Tom by name;
“Where are my low taxes? Where are they Tom?”
“You’ve tricked us with words for the last time, we won’t remain calm!”
They stood on his porch!  They stood near his wall!
And Tom belittled, “Now go away! go away! go away all!”
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with angry taxpayer’s scorn, a truth even Tom cannot deny;
The crowd continued to fill the street, and Tom wished them to bid adieu,
Yelling and clutching with tax bills in hand, the scene was quickly becoming a zoo.
And then, in a twinkling, Tom heard on the street
The rage and shouting of every Hyltonville taxpayer…calling Tom a cheat.
As Tom drew in his head, and was turning around,
Down Chestnut Street the SWAT team came with a bound.
They were dressed all in gear, from their head to their feet,
And their uniforms were all tarnished from too many taxpayers crowding the street;
The SWAT team came armed ready for an attack,
And Tom only wished then he could give the crowd their tax monies back.
Tom’s body—how it squiggled! his posture how obvious!
His arrogance on full display, his egocentric actions so heinous!
Tom’s dried little mouth was drawn up with a scowl
And the look on his face was priceless…what a howl;
The taxpayers how he treated them with such disdain,
And they so looked forward to sending Tom back to Wyomissing on the next train;
The lies that he told about the neighborhood schools,
Every taxpayer knew then and there that Tom took them all for fools.
Tom misled the public, in promotion of himself,
And the taxpayers suffered the most…me, my neighbors and yourself;
A stroke of Tom’s pen and a twist of the facts,
Soon gave the taxpayers truthful knowledge of Tom’s dastardly acts;
As the SWAT team led Tom away, his paid op-ed a half-finished work,
Every taxpayer was satisfied, because they knew that indeed Tom was a jerk,
And as Tom sat in the SWAT van, lawyers looked through his non profit escrows,
And also they did investigate Tom’s money funneling of the boroughs;
The taxpayers rejoiced in the street, to the SWAT team they did whistle,
And away the van drove, flying down the street like the down of a thistle,
But the taxpayers heard Tom exclaim, ere the van drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.”

Does He Know It’s Christmas?

POTTSTOWN, PA – Tom Hylton has placed yet another soppy ad in today’s Pottstown Mercury.  Unfortunately, you can’t read it online (since Hylton is too cheap to pay for online ads) and I guess he didn’t pay his webmaster this month…since it’s not posted on his Pottstown Citizens (www.pottstowncitizens.org) site either.

(NOTE: Just checked on the Pottstown Citizens site and Hylton must have paid that overdue website design bill to the “local” firm he uses – The Drawing Board in Reading…because now the article is posted online…go figure)

My Christmas gift to you, dear beleaguered taxpayers, is the advertisement posted here.

So that brings this month’s total Mercury ad count to four (that’s over $1,000 to those folks keeping financial score at home).

Well…actually…including today’s ad in The Mercury, Hylton has spent close to $11,000 in advertisements this year alone.  That’s 33 ads at roughly $266 an ad (Hylton gets the “It’s my pultizer dammit” Mercury discount).

I don’t know about you, but the only gift from Hylton I’d really enjoy this Christmas is for him to move far and away from Pottstown.  He can join his “Friends of Montgomery County” – those who give give give to Pottstown’s political causes…but don’t live live live anywhere near Pottstown.

After reading Hylton’s gastric advertisement, I wanted to do something special.  I was thinking of donating money to his church (in his name of course).  He must be a member of one of those walkable churches near his house. After all, there are six of them…that’s one of benefits of living in a walkable community you know.

I did a little churching research.  Hmmm.  No Hylton referenced in any of the churches along Hanover Street in Pottstown.  I know his mother was a member of First Presbyterian on Evans Street…but not Tom.  I guess that’s too far of a ride on the bike…especially during the winter months with those pesky “downy flakes” getting in your eyes.

And then I remembered.

How on earth can you worship Jesus when you think you’re God?

But seriously folks.

I want to repeat this again: Hylton spent close to$11,000 in ads for The Mercury this year. Ads just like the one posted here.

I also know that within walking distance of Hylton’s house are many many Pottstown families who will have nothing this Christmas.  No gifts for the children.  No Christmas goose…or ham…or anything.  I hope the Hyltons enjoy their walks in the park and architectural wonder this Christmas season…as they shuffle quickly past their neighbors in need and intentionally look the other way…as visions of Hyltonville dance in their heads.

Delightful.

Hylton Gets Things Done in Pottstown!

Tom Hylton GITS-R-DONE in Pottstown!

POTTSTOWN, PA – These comments bear repeating.  Originally posted online in The Pottstown Mercury’s comments section on December 4, 2009, my hats off to the poster known as “What are you fighting to protect”.   Obviously a seasoned taxpayer of Pottstown, this poster has made some very insightful observations of Tom Hylton and his 20+ year crusade of “Saving Pottstown”.

Read on and enjoy!

“Hylton gets things done:

1. Back-in diagonal parking…. When Penn DOT refused to roll over and let Hylton have his way with them, insisting that diagonal parking was hazardous, Hylton used that brilliant brain of his to come up with a way around it. He devised the concept of BACK-IN DIAGONAL PARKING. And, just like EddieShore says, HE GOT IT DONE! And it has saved our downtown. People flock there now from all corners of the country. Right, EddieShore?

2. EuroParks… When the Borough was able to obtain the lot at the corner of Charlotte and Beech, along with funding for a new park, Hylton insisted the park be “the new EuroPark style.” This was his “Cause du Jour” for SAVING Pottstown: a park with no grass, no benches, nothing but gravel and trees. Like EddieShore says, he GOT IT DONE! Does it beautify the corner? That’s a matter of debate. Depends on whether you see it when the weeds are sprouting up between the gravel or the trash is blowing around between the spindley tree trunks. But HE GOT IT DONE!

3. Street Trees – Yes, he got street trees planted all over town. Yes, they are beautiful in some places…. Others, not so much. The tree in front of my house is unattractive and dirty. It doesn’t bloom. We could have had all lovely, blooming trees that could grow into canopies across the streets, but TOM HYLTON knew better – he had to have the trees HE WANTED, so lots of them are ugly, messy, and hard to maintain. Some people might take issue with the ways he has used trees to hold hostage businesses wanting to move into town and home owners whose sidewalks are being destroyed, creating insurance nightmares. But, hey, EddieShore… You’re right… HE GOT IT DONE!

I remember when Hylton came up with the plan to restore the facades on three homes on a block and he knew – had empirical evidence to PROVE that would turn the entire neighborhood around and create a magnet for YUPPIES. Gosh – that was more than 20 years ago…. Plenty of properties had their facades restored. Where are all those yuppies? Tom GOT IT DONE when it came to spending other people’s money on his pet “Save Our Town” project. But where are the results? Anyone can spend other people’s money. It’s the results I want to see.

Which brings me to this: Don’t credit Tom Hylton for neighborhood schools. Those schools were there long before Hylton ever even heard of Pottstown. Did he save them from being consolidated? Maybe. I’ll give him credit for that… for now. But he is only beginning to find out (as are we all) if he can save them for the long haul. They cost a FORTUNE. The sooner Pottstown voters and taxpayers come to terms with that, the sooner we can begin to discuss improving our schools, our tax base, and our community in real terms instead of through pointed political rhetoric.

It’s funny to me how Hylton won his seat on the school board by telling voters that Pottstown has the PERFECT school situation – stay-at-home moms putting apple pies on the window sills to cool while they walk 20 yards down the block to sweep their golden-haired child from the loving arms of Miss Jean Brody into their own. It was all so perfect…. until he got elected.

Suddenly, Tom’s tune has changed. Now it’s a terrible system run by ogres, too much coddling of children with special needs, too much assistance to teachers, too expensive. But our Lord and Saviour is on the job. Tom Hylton will turn it all around. Because HE GETS THINGS DONE. Right, Eddie Shore?

It is true that Tom Hylton always gets his way. He stamps his feet and beats his head and throws hissy fits and attacks everyone and everything that disagrees with him, lies to people who can help him, lies about people who won’t, and always, always, always has The Mercury to promote his ideas and attack his detractors. He always gets his way. But look at what his way has gotten us so far. If you believe his plans are always in the best interest of the town, if you believe he has always been honest about what we could expect if we went along with him, then you probably feel really good about him going onto our school board.

Forgive the rest of us who want to reserve alcolades for results instead of contests and ideas. “

To read The Mercury article that generated these comments (and so many more!), please check out the following link:

http://www.pottsmerc.com/articles/2009/11/30/news/srv0000006926394.txt