A Man Of and For the People

We have always found Commissioner Tom Gajewski to be accessible to his constituents. His open door and open mind make him a fine public servant. We are pleased to present this interview to our readers.

CS2: What should our readers know about your background and experience before you became a commissioner?

GAJEWSKI: People probably don’t know that for about three years I worked as an auto mechanic for Suburban Dodge, from 1969 through 1971. I could fix cars then, but I can’t fix them now. They’re far too complicated.

I might be the only candidate for county commissioner who has served on the local, county, state, and federal levels of government. I worked as a Reading City Councilman and as Director of Accounts and Finance. This put me in charge of approximately 65 people in seven departments and included the responsibility of preparing budgets for six years. I was Berks County Prothonotary (chief clerk of the civil division of the courts) for seven years. Congressman Tim Holden asked me to serve as his Chief of Staff which I did for five years until 1998. I served as PA Sen. Mike O’Pake’s executive assistant for five years.

On a personal note, I’ve been married for 25 years (Oct.2) to my wife, Wendy (Feinauer). We have two great kids. Our son T.J. will be graduating from Penn State with a bachelor’s degree in Business and Finance in December of this year. Our daughter Katie is a tenth grade student at Wyomissing High School.

CS2: Happy Silver Anniversary, Wendy and Tom!

CS2: You are nearing the end of your first four-year term as commissioner. What do you consider your greatest accomplishments?

GAJEWSKI: I am very proud that we were able to save Antietam Lake from development. We’ve preserved a total of more than 50,000 acres of farmland and open space. We also created the Environmental Advisory Council.

In my first campaign I promised to work for a reduction of crime, for economic development, better jobs, and to keep the cost of government in check. In each of the years that I’ve been a commissioner, we allocated approximately $3 million toward fighting crime. We invested in equipment and additional detectives. We supported central processing which allows police to drop off their suspect for processing of paperwork so the police can return to the streets more quickly. This saves about 30-45 minutes per suspect, the equivalent of putting two police on the streets of Reading alone.

I serve on the board of Berks Economic Partnership and regularly attend meetings of the Industrial Development Authority. I have personally assisted in moving some economic projects forward. We are working to bring more family-sustaining jobs to Berks County.

CS2: One of your opponents has focused on a 2005 tax increase of 34% passed by Commissioner Judy Schwank and you. What was the rationale for that increase?

GAJEWSKI: We inherited the problem from the previous Republican-controlled administration. Although the budget was presented as being balanced, by June of 2004 we actually had an $11 million deficit. The commissioners approved my recommendation to freeze spending, hiring, and attendance at conferences and conventions. That cut the deficit for the rest of 2004 but was not enough to cover the existing $11 million deficit and the huge hole in the next year’s budget. After making all the cuts we could, we still needed additional revenue. We needed to ask for more income rather than throwing open the doors to the prison, shutting down the courts, closing our parks, throwing senior citizens out of Berks Heim (the county nursing home), failing to maintain county bridges, or cutting other essential services.

CS2: Once you cleaned up that mess, have you voted for any other tax increases during your term?

GAJEWSKI: No. And there will be no tax increase for 2008.

CS2: Commissioner Mark Scott has raised the prospect of privatizing (outsourcing) some county jobs at Berks Heim, the county nursing home. How do you feel about that idea?

GAJEWSKI: I think it’s a bad idea because now the emphasis is on quality service for the residents. The emphasis for a private company will be to cut service and increase profits.

CS2: How do you feel about the privatization of public services in general and the privatization of farmland preservation in particular, as one of your opponents, Christian Leinbach, seems to favor?

GAJEWSKI: Except for professional services that are needed on an occasional basis, I do not favor privatization. Government management assures accountability directly to the voters.

CS2: Crime is an issue of importance to the citizens of Berks County. What could the board of commissioners have done regarding crime, and what can you do in the future to reduce crime in Berks County?

GAJEWSKI: Along with the warden and a task force, I spearheaded an effort to establish a community corrections center. Right now, unfortunately, approximately 60% of Berks County Prison inmates return to BCP after committing a second crime. Community corrections has proven to reduce recidivism (repeat offenders) in other communities where it has been implemented. The Berks County Community Corrections Center is scheduled to open before the end of this year. Incarceration of prisoners costs the taxpayers more than $20,000 per prisoner per year. Reducing the number of repeat offenses will cut costs and reduce crime.

We can continue to allocate approximately $3 million in resources for equipment and personnel in the crime-fighting effort. We can continue to look for new and more effective ways to fight crime.

CS2: The environment is also an issue of concern.What are some initiatives that you’ve promoted to keep Berks clean and green?

GAJEWSKI: I supported the creation of the first Environmental Advisory Council in Berks County history. This enables us to be proactive in stopping environmental problems rather than spending money on litigation to correct them after the fact.

Specifically, I helped save Antietam Lake from development. I also led the charge to fight expansion of a quarry on prime farmland in Richmond Township. As I mentioned before, we preserved a total of more than 50,000 acres of farmland and open space, making Berks County third in the nation and first in the state for the number of farmland and open space acres preserved. We also assisted Union Township in its fight against an automobile racing track that would have disrupted a peaceful part of Berks County.

CS2: What is your vision for a bright future for Berks County?

GAJEWSKI: We need to continue to work to improve the quality of life in Berks County. Specifically, we need good, family-sustaining jobs. We need safe streets and secure neighborhoods throughout the county. And we need to preserve our valuable resources such as farmland and open space and be good stewards of the environment. We also need to provide attractive recreational opportunities. We need to be ever mindful that we need to protect Berks County for future generations.

CS2: Any closing thoughts?

GAJEWSKI: My approach to any public position that I have held is that any power that goes with the position should be used to benefit the community and/or its residents.

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