Eachus Uses Public Meeting to Grandstand

EACHUS USES PUBLIC MEETING TO GRANDSTAND

Tarah Toohil attended the Public Informational Meeting on August 31, 2010 regarding a Permit Application by Hazleton Creek Properties in order to listen to the concerns and opinions of the many members of the community who attended the meeting. Toohil stated, “As a member of this community, I have been following this project for a long time now. I have serious concerns with the environmental impact of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum and other materials on our generation and future generations. I will fight to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the families in my district.”Toohil was “thoroughly unimpressed with the DEP representatives and their inability to answer the community’s questions whether general or specific. It is insulting that DEP would come to our community without bringing any research or facts. DEP did not even bring a copy of the permit application for the public to view.”

Toohil’s opponent Representative Eachus also attended the meeting and attempted to distance himself from Governor Rendell. Toohil described Representative Eachus’s attempt to distance himself from Governor Rendell as “laughable considering his history of being lock-step with the Governor on nearly every issue.”

Toohil described Representative Eachus’s time at the podium as time spent “grandstanding” and his subsequent attack on Toohil as “political opportunism.” “I went to the meeting to listen to the people not as a political maneuver or a way to get my name in the news as Mr. Eachus is doing. I attended the Public Hearing in order to gather information and facts on the new permit application, listen to the concerns of the citizens, and answer their questions.”

Toohil stated that, “The job of a State Representative is to listen to the community’s concerns and to answer the questions of all of the people in the community whether he agrees with their opinions or not. Mr. Eachus’s attitude towards one constituent in particular was arrogant and disrespectful. When elected, I promise to never treat a constituent in such a way as he did last night.”