October 4, 2023
Phil Calabro and Elen Snyder for Supervisor
by Hal Wright

Phil and Elen serve Newtown Township with skill and integrity. They have earned our enthusiastic support.

Let's be clear: Managing a township is no joke. It's a job for serious, intelligent people with a long-standing and deep commitment to serving their community. Ideally, a township supervisor sees the job as an end in itself and not a stepping stone to something else.

This is precisely what Phil Calabro and Elen Snyder bring to the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors.

Phil is running for his fourth six-year term. Elen was elected in 2021 after playing a pivotal role, along with Phil, in the creation of Roberts Ridge Park. Their platform — with its emphasis on sound fiscal policy, the environment, smart growth, and securing fire services — is specific, because Phil and Elen work hard to understand the needs of our community and to formulate solutions.

Now, democracy is messy, and governance at any level involves difficult choices. It's always possible to tease out details on an issue and put a negative spin on them. Often it seems our politics consists of such misleading statements and little else. Phil's and Elen's opponents have promised not to play these "games," but in recent days they have done exactly that. They are aspiring politicians who promise not to engage in politics. Their platform is generic, devoid of details, because they have no experience to draw upon and no actual solutions to the challenges we face.

Bashing DC for its dysfunction is all the rage in this year's municipal election cycle. But claiming, as their opponents have done, that Phil and Elen are responsible for "infecting" our municipal government with DC politics is silly and unserious. Phil and Elen are laser-focused on the issues that matter to us. And, as recent days have reminded us, their opponents belong to the party of chaos.

Values and character matter. Phil and Elen do not need to run against the values of their party to represent the good citizens of Newtown Township, as their opponents must. Phil and Elen stand up for the environment, for robust public services, and for our individual rights. And with the help of their colleagues, they have put out the fiscal dumpster fire left by their opponents' party while keeping our taxes among the lowest in Bucks County.

On November 7, vote for both Phil Calabro and Elen Snyder. Keep their experience and expertise working for us.