The following letter was published in the September 26th edition of the Bradford Era:

Changes are needed. They should be made if the benefit. Consequences should be clear, costs considered and unsertood.

Counties were initiated by William Penn. There are eight classes. Cmaeron is an eighth class county as it has a population of under 20 thousand people. Lackawanna was the last county established. All have county code governments.

Why does Cameron want to change? An amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution in 1968 provided for home rul government. The home rule plan has not been used in the state.

Sam Adams said, "It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate and tireless minority to set brush fires in people's minds."

We want no brush fires. Reason and facts are determining guides. We should be wise enough to determine the flaws.

People should not lose sovereignty. What is the purpose of the change? Concentrated power nullifies and lessens the people's power.

The borough council members in the county's two boroughs do a very good job. They know the people and the possibilities. Their positions should not be eliminated.

If something is not wanted or needed and is detrimental to the area, such as a dump or a nuclear waste terminal, it could be put in the tpwnship or borough as there would be no council members or township member to speak for them. The board will have the power.

Propoganda is not necessarily the truth. Those in power can remove reason from the discussions. Citizens' representation will be weakened. Cameron will be a renegade county.

Elected officers - those chosen by the voters include the commissioners, mayors, brough council members, tax ollectors and others - will lose their positionsso that a board can be formed. Seven municipal governments will eb eliminated by the home rul charter government. Why would the people qant to eliminate those who really represent them?

Concentration of power in a board will reduce the people's authority. It can become a restrictive government. Cameron may have difficulties cooperating with the other the other 66 Pennsylvania Counties that have a county code government.

-Mary Donovan
Emporium, PA