Patch asked each of the Delaware County candidates the same questions about their backgrounds and changes they would make if elected.

Here are the answers sent to us from Council Member Candidate John McBlain (R):

What background do you have that qualifies you to be on County Council?

I was born and raised in Aldan Borough and continue to make Aldan my home, where my wife Barbara and I have raised three bright and beautiful daughters.

I served over 17 years on Aldan’s Borough Council and voted successfully 14 of 18 times for no tax increase.  I know what it takes to balance a municipal budget and have a record of fiscal responsibility. 

I currently serve as the solicitor for Delaware County.  In that capacity, and in my capacity representing economic development authorities in the county, I have been closely involved in many of the large scale economic development successes in recent years. 

That includes Harrah’s Casino in Chester; PPL Park – the home of the Philadelphia Union soccer; Sun Center Studio in Chester Township, and the Darby Transportation Center, to name a few.

In my role as solicitor, I have also worked directly with the members of our County Courts, District Attorney, criminal justice agencies, police, local, state and federal elected officials and other County Commissioners.   I look forward to putting that experience to work on County Council.

Colleen, Tom, and I were proud to be supported by both business and labor groups.  That includes the Southeastern Pa. Chambers of Commerce, the Realtors, and Homebuilders, as well as labor unions like the Building Trades and the AFL-CIO.  We have also been endorsed by the county’s law enforcement groups, including the Fraternal Order of Police and the Police Chiefs. 

Working with Colleen and Tom, I look forward to tackling the challenges of creating new jobs, keeping our streets and neighborhoods safe, and demonstrating fiscal responsibility and controlling spending in local government. 

What changes would you make if elected?

Job creation is a local priority and I want to change the way the county approaches this.  I will   work to court new emerging industries, encourage investment in our older communities and blighted neighborhoods, develop a master plan for a 21^st century economy here in the county, and work to provide assistance to our small businesses.   

One of the key changes I would make is the creation of Transformation zones in our inner rung municipalities.  As we have met with various business leaders, it became evident that there is a great interest in investing in Delaware County, including older blighted and vacant commercial properties. 

However, the costs associated with acquisition and rehabilitation, combined with local real estate taxes – particularly school taxes – can make these business plans unaffordable and unsustainable. 

Transformation zones will seek to address this problem by enabling municipalities to identify certain areas in need of transformation.  Economic incentives could then be provided in the form of property tax abatements based upon the value of the property assessment after the completion of construction. 

This is exactly the type of incentive that made Sun Center Studios a reality.  And the long-term benefits to the local township and school district will be immense as the value of the property greatly increased – providing the basis for additional tax revenues in future years – while creating job opportunities for local residents.  All without costing taxpayers a dime.

Incentives could also include full or partial exemption from a range of other state and local taxes for a set period of time to enable the company to “get its legs.” An important component of the Transformation Zones will be the coordination with the County Commerce Center, which will work closely with state agencies and local municipalities to help cut through red tape and identify other economic incentive opportunities.  In addition, we also plan to provide incentives for businesses that utilize green technologies in their redevelopment efforts.

Editor's Note: Answers from candidates are copied exactly as they were sent to Patch.