2019 general election: Monroe County races
Monroe County Judge of the Court of Common Pleas
10-year term
Dan Higgins
Candidate was cross-filed in primary
Online: http://www.ElectJudgeHiggins.com, Info@ElectJudgeHiggins.com
Education: Villanova University Bachelor of Science 1989; University of District of Columbia Law School Juris Doctor Degree 1995.
Occupation: Judge for Magisterial District Court 43-3-02, serving both Stroud Township and Hamilton Township.
Qualifications: For the past seven years I have served as judge, regularly presiding over criminal cases and civil cases in my District Court; criminal case decisions have involved some of the most serious and complex charges, including criminal homicide, aggravated assault, drug distribution conspiracy and statutory rape. I decided hundreds of civil cases involving landlord-tenant law, contract law, property association law and negligence.
Q: If elected, what will you do both on and off the bench to ensure that all Monroe County residents have access to justice?
A: As judge I have permitted claimants to file claims without having to pay filing fees upon applying In Forma Pauperis, verifying they do not have the resources to pay the court costs. Many times the fees in cases can cost hundreds of dollars, which can be a barrier for many. Further, the current IFP application can only be submitted in writing. I plan to coordinate to develop an internet-based system.
Monroe County Commissioner
Four-year term
John Christy
Democrat
Education: BA Gannon University PoliticalScience; AS Gannon University Business
Occupation: County Commissioner
Qualifications: Four years, county commissioner; owner OM Christy Construction.
Q: Do you have specific suggestions for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the office for which you are a candidate?
A: Commissioners oversee the financial welfare and sets the tone and direction of the county. Organizations are working together to connect social services and economic opportunities. The fiscal management of facilities with oversight through technology is creating an effective way to control costs on building repairs.
Outdated paper systems are being replaced with management tools such as “Docu-ware” to alleviate redundant storage and handling of documents countywide. New court filings are being done via electronic filings.
Charles A. Garris
Republican
Education: BS East Stroudsburg University
Occupation: County commissioner
Qualifications: Vast multi-municipal experience; business accomplishments; Patterson Kelley Company, manager, Heat Transfer Division, 1964-1984; Charles A. Garris Manufacturers, representative, 1985-2011.
Q: Do you have specific suggestions for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the office for which you are a candidate?
A: As a sitting county commissioner it is important that the county government be run in a cost-effective and efficient manner. Without making conservative, intelligent decisions, every working day, budgets soon get out of hand, and the net results would be a tax increase for the Monroe County residents. It is my goal, if I am re-elected, to continue a cost-effective and efficient running of Monroe County.
Sharon Laverdure
Democrat
Education: Education Specialist, The College of William & Mary — Superintendent Letter of Eligibility, Marywood University M.S. Educational Administration, East Stroudsburg University — B.A. Elementary Education, Alderson Broaddus College
Occupation: Community activist
Qualifications: Teacher (served as association president)/coach/administration — all levels and central office; retiring as superintendent. Oversight of $145 million school budget, 1,000-plus employees, servicing 8,000 students at district population peak.
Q: Do you have specific suggestions for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the office for which you are a candidate?
A: Vision for Monroe County:
Infrastructure: Secure grants to address issues and concerns in a timely manner.
Environmental & Economic Balance: Maintain the beauty of Monroe County while promoting economic development.
Emergency Services: Assess countywide services to ensure equitable coverage for Monroe County.
Transparency: Hold town hall and open forums to address countywide concerns and initiatives to accommodate working residents.
Cooperative Governance: Facilitate cooperation and dialogue with boroughs and townships to improve quality of life.
John R. Moyer
Republican
Education: BS — Bloomsburg State University MEd, Ph.D. — The Pennsylvania State University.
Occupation: Monroe County commissioner
Qualifications: Seven years experience serving in the office and effectively controlling expenses. Twenty-five years as a property manager answering to a number of different homeowner boards of directors. Four years of service on the Pennsylvania State Planning Commission.
Q: Do you have specific suggestions for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the office for which you are a candidate?
A: I would like to bring more family-sustaining jobs to Monroe County; fund community service organizations based on positive results rather than “We’ve always done it this way”; secure financial assistance for some of our major capital projects through federal and state grants rather than relying totally on taxpayers’ dollars; modernize more of the county offices to avoid storing massive amounts of paper; and, above all, keep politics out of the commissioners’ office.
Monroe County District Attorney
Four-year term
David Christine
Republican incumbent
Education: 1975, Stroudsburg High School; 1979, Lafayette College, BA; 1981, Southwestern University School of Law, Juris Doctor.
Qualifications: I have been the district attorney of Monroe County for 20 years. I previously was appointed an assistant district attorney for a total of 12 years.
Q: Do you have specific suggestions for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the office for which you are a candidate?
A: As the current district attorney nearing the end of my fifth term in office (20 years), I have learned to never be satisfied with the status quo. Public service requires diligent and continuous self-examination and self-improvement. I believe this philosophy has resulted in the office of the district attorney being held in high regard by the Monroe County law enforcement community and the citizens of our county that we have sworn to serve and protect.
Jamie B. Levy
Democrat
Education: East Stroudsburg High School Class of 1993; Pennsylvania State University Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology, New York Law School Juris Doctorate.
Occupation: Trial attorney
Qualifications: Experienced trial attorney, lobbyist and activist with almost two decades in practice fighting for victims’ rights; many years of experience managing law offices and law departments in multiple jurisdictions with varying number of employees.
Q: Do you have specific suggestions for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the office for which you are a candidate?
A: Improved plea bargaining criteria, understanding of the community through a diversity initiative, improved pre-sentencing screening, improved victim services through the effective use of community response organizations, senior protections to prevent con artists and thieves from taking advantage of older residents, effective allocation of resources toward crime prevention and violent offenses, improved relations with the houses of worship and advocacy groups, improved addiction treatment and services and a push for a true county drug court.
Information supplied by the League of Women Voters of Monroe County.
