Marseglia: Webb is a Democrat

An article appearing in LevittownNow.com . . .

Dozens of supporters crowded the Penndel Fire Company Saturday night to support Democratic Candidate Ritchie Webb Sr.  for State Represenative in 142nd district.

Bucks County Commissioner Diane Marseglia attended  the campaign event.

Marseglia addressed the issue of Webb running as a Democrat.

“Mr Webb is a Democrat. Always knew he was a Democrat in his heart,” said Marseglia.

She explained why she’s endorsing Webb in his campaign to represent the redistricted 142nd, which will cover Langhorne, Lower Southampton, Upper Southampton and part of Levittown.

“I came  to the Neshaminy School Board last year about the Sanctuary Room and the  need to take care of our teenagers who are struggling and he (Webb) understood and worked with me on  it with me.” she said

The Sanctuary room is a program offered to the NHS students dealing with social and or  emotional  challenges.  The Bucks County Commissioners helped to secure funding for the program  to bring it back for students, according to the county website last year.

Marseglia said Webb helped to meet with county officials to develop a partnership for a way to help the kids and develop the Sanctuary Room without complete reliance on Neshaminy Taxpayers.

“We were able to work together on something important  for both us and taxpayers, and more importantly the students” she said. 

Marseglia, the top female Democrat at the county level, has been criticized for her helping to recruit Webb and endorsing his candidacy as  Democrat. 

Webb Supporters sign up to volunteer for his state house run.

Credit: Jeff Bohen LevittownNow.com

Webb has been attacked for his choice to run as a Democrat by supporters of his opponent attorney Gina Kiley, who lives in Middletown. Webb has said he’s not a beholden to party, but to the constituents of the district.

Webb has been called “a wolf in Democrat’s clothing” in  an op-ed run penned by Suzi Drake, a member of the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers Union (NFT), in March.

Webb said  Saturday night after the campaign event: “I think I’m a moderate and when people check my voting record I’ve always been a moderate and if you checked my voting record on the school  board there have been times I’ve sided with a democrat against Republicans. ”

Webb drew a picture of contrast between his experience in local government and as a business owner  with his primary opponent  Kiley. 

“I’ve been responsible for putting together big budgets while serving as Neshaminy School Board President and that’s something that comes with experience, he said. 

“No disrespect to my opponent, but she doesn’t have that experience to offer voters,” he said. 

Webb said depicting him some kind of of Tea Party candidate is factually incorrect. “I vote on issues not based on party politics,” he said. 

Come out and meet Ritchie Webb on April 26th!

Webb critic failed to reveal union membership (Courier Times Guest Opinion, 4/4/2014)

Suzi Drake’s March 11th letter “Wolf in Democrats’ Clothing” seeks to discredit Ritchie Webb as a candidate for state representative by using wild and unfair accusations. What Ms. Drake didn’t tell you is that she is a member of the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers (NFT) which was in a five-year contract battle with the school board. The NFT had refused to pay toward health care and sought to increase their existing pay and perks during the worst recession in our lifetime. During this lengthy contract battle, Ms. Drake showed her unwavering support of her union’s unaffordable demands by bringing the battle to the students and their parents by working to contract, picketing at Back to School night, and striking.
Taking out her frustrations on school children — is that really the example Suzi Drake wants to set as a model Democrat?
Another thing Ms. Drake conveniently leaves out of her letter is that eventually the NFT had to concede to the school board’s offer, and this resulted in savings of millions of dollars to the bottom line. Now this money can go toward classroom education, possibly toward the funding of a full-day kindergarten program next school year. All this was accomplished by Ritchie Webb and the school board without a tax increase to burden Neshaminy homeowners.
For the 10 years that Mr. Webb was on the Neshaminy School Board, he was the voice of reason working with members from both parties for the good of the community. Throughout his tenure, he never allowed his membership in the Republican Party to interfere, and he will never do so as a Democrat.
His voting record and accomplishments on the Neshaminy School Board speak for themselves. Ritchie Webb is all about doing the right thing and he is greatly disappointed with the Republican Party in Pennsylvania for not doing the right thing, in particular the Pennsylvania School Employee Retirement Fund (PSERS), which will have a direct financial impact on every school district and taxpayer if not addressed.
Mr. Webb also believes that Harrisburg has failed its citizens by raising the gasoline tax and not doing enough to stimulate the economy to create jobs during a time when people are struggling to make ends meet.
Ms. Drake tries to spin that Mr. Webb is a business person with connections to the billionaire Koch brothers and other extreme conservatives, but nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, as long as I have known him, he has worked a full-time job, and along with his wife operated a small catering business (now closed), tax service and food safety training service in his spare time. I’m not sure why a good work ethic doesn’t fit in with Suzi Drake’s core values, but I believe voters will see Mr. Webb’s hard work as a strength instead of a weakness.
Ritchie Webb comes from a very humble background, from the hills and hollows of West Virginia, the son of a union coal miner (something he is very proud of). He is the father of five children, two of which are union workers, including myself, a dues paying member of the Carpenters union, Local 1462. Mr. Webb is the treasurer of a PSEA meet-and-discuss group, and his union dues are deducted from his paycheck (which is something Ms. Drake falsely accuses him of opposing).
No doubt people like Suzi Drake want to paint Ritchie Webb in a bad light because he doesn’t serve their special interests. I believe the community knows Ritchie Webb as someone who will fight for taxpayers and their families. As for me, I am proud to call him my Dad.
Aaron Webb, Lower Southampton
Member of Carpenters Union Local 1462

A glimpse at the future of Harrisburg

Ritchie Webb with gubernatorial candidate Tom Wolf