Medaglia delivers knockout blow to Schwank on taxes

The two candidates running in the special election to finish the unexpired term of the late state Sen. Mike O'Pake squared off in a debate Tuesday night.

As expected, Democrat Judy Schwank attempted to downplay her record as a tax-and-spend liberal during eight years as a Berks County commissioner.

But Republican Larry Medaglia hammered Schwank on raising property taxes by 52 percent!

From a story by Mary Young of the Reading Eagle:

"When Judy was a county commissioner, she raised taxes twice, 18 percent in 2001 and 34 percent in 2004, 52 percent total.

"She might argue it was to clean up somebody else's mess. She increased the head count by 240 employees and funded other programs, such as expansion of the jail."

Schwank used the Barack Obama defense of blaming the previous administration.

Schwank can't run from her record of big government and higher taxes. The special election for Berks County's 11th Senatorial District will be held on Tuesday, March 15.

Read the full story at the link below:

Taxes, recovery are special election issues