From the Desk of:
Commissioner Candidate Bruce Hollinger

(4/1) Many of you are aware of the immense battles that I have waged with Adams County Officials in my quest to bring truth, transparency and justice to our quaint county. I have fought long and hard to attain tax fairness and helped to give each of you the tools to fight your assessed property values after a horrid, county-wide reassessment through my politically incorrect (yet, brutally honest) website, www.spreadthemustard.com.

The struggle commenced in 2010 and after devoting thousands of hours of research into county affairs, tax law, and assessment data. It is my opinion, that our County of Adams practices a complex, sophisticated, and extensive scheme of real property tax assessment tactics that is unfair and unlawful, depending on what real property you possess. The Pennsylvania Constitution requires that all of us be taxed equally and a Pennsylvania Statute requires that a strict construction of the law be applied (regarding taxation) to each and every real property owner.

After failing to correct the issues through litigation, I have decided that I must run for office to bring about the changes that need to take place, to bring tax fairness to each and every real property owner in Adams County. The Judicial system summarily dismissed my litigation due to improper filings and lack of standing. I filed pro se (without legal counsel) and was certain to make amateurish pleadings as it was my first foray into the legal arena. As for the lack of standing, the Court ruled that I was not harmed more than anybody else, so I lacked standing. That is akin to saying that if I suffered a black eye due to a government agent, I was not harmed by that government agent, as long as everyone else in my class, also suffered a black eye. It is important to note that the Court never rejected nor disputed, the reams of evidence, exhibits, and/or legal arguments, in my filings.

My toughest opponents are the incumbents who, within days of taking office re-opened the budget before the ink was dry, increased taxes to the tune of 5.1%. Two years later, they increased taxes again another 5%. That's an increase of 10.1% across three years. This year (an election year; surprise, surprise), taxes remained constant. Keep in mind, around the time the incumbents took office, the county received a shot in the arm, in the form of approximately $10 million from the sale of the county nursing home.

According to the County Manager, Albert Penksa, approximately $6.1 million currently remains of that $10 million in the General Fund. Additionally, the county attained a $10 million dollar line of credit, which they've exercised approximately $2 million. My math shows a difference of almost $6 million, or an approximately a $2 million dollar hole in the budget annually, across three years, despite the rosy picture the incumbents may portray.

As the Primary is set for Tuesday May 19, it is extremely important for all my friends, family, and supporters to show up at the polls that day and cast your vote for me to bring about an honest, transparent and responsive local government, to Adams County. The top two vote getters in each party will move on to the General Election in November. If you are seeking all the qualities mentioned above, in your candidate, you need me, to be one of the top two vote getters. If you seek change in Adams County, there is no better time than May 19th, to send a message to your local officials. I will expend all my energies to move Adams County forward and will strive to fulfill my constituents' wishes.

You may learn more about me, and/or ways to contact me to lend support by visiting my websites at www.ElectHollinger.com. You will not find a more honest, forthright, determined and relentless candidate than myself that seeks to bring trust back into local politics. Due to those qualities, I have discovered that I attract interest from Democrats as well. I appreciate all your love and support and look forward to serving our collective interests.