Updated: 18 March 2008
At Bensalem Council meetings, I ask questions and bring forth information that the Republicans do not want publicized. I will do the same in the State Legislature.
I have a long history of community service. I served on the Bensalem Township Environmental Advisory Board. I have volunteered as a parent in the public schools, been a Webelos Cub Scout Den leader, taught Sunday school, lead the early recycling movement, coached girls’ softball, and served as an officer in professional, historical, and sports organizations.
I have a long history of leadership. I was president of my high school student council, president of my church youth group, president of my local chapter of Parents Without Partners, chairman of the Bensalem Democrats, political action committee chair of the Bucks County NAACP, and leader of the fight to enforce the 1987 voter approved term limits for Mayor and Council.
Expert on the environment – I have a Masters and Ph.D. in environmental science. Martin serves as an expert advisor to a Bucks County Commissioner on environmental issues.
Experienced in local government and local development procedures and issues.
Pro-union; experience as a union contract negotiator.
Here is some of what I've accomplished on behalf of Bensalem residents:
I served for four years on the Bensalem Environmental Advisory Board. I have a track record here in Bensalem of working with residents to protect their neighborhoods from environmental violations, unwanted nearby projects, and flooding and drainage problems. I have worked with people all over Bensalem to solve problems and defend the quality of life in our neighborhoods. I will continue this work at a higher level if you send me to Harrisburg as your State Representative.
I helped the residents of Trevose with government and technical documents and scientific information in their fight against the unwanted neighboring Tremont Village project. While I and other local Democrats have persistently stood by Trevose residents, the Republicans they hoped would help them, turned their back on the residents.
I helped the residents of County Downe with legal documents and interpretation of technical documents in their fight against the unwanted neighboring DiEgidio project.
I helped the residents of the Neshaminy Valley with interpretation of soil maps in their fight against the horse farm development.
I worked with the residents of Eddington on storm water management problems and poorly drained soils that are causing flooding in many parts of Eddington.
I worked with residents of Eddington Gardens on storm water runoff and slope problems that were causing localized flooding.
I helped the residents of Rywall Park start the process of removing the abandoned Gravel Pike Bridge over the Poquessing Creek because it was making flooding worse.
I helped the residents of the Cabbage Patch in Andalusia with interpretation of flood maps for the Poquessing Creek.
I have worked with residents of the Cabbage Patch, Rywall Park, and Linconia neighborhoods, the Friends of the Poquessing Creek Watershed, and the Lower Southampton Township (up-stream of Bensalem) Board of Supervisors on identifying severe erosion along the creek banks, illegal fill material in the flood plain that makes flooding worse, addressing other causes of flooding of the creek, and beginning the search for possible solutions.
I worked with Villas of Regents Glen residents to try to solve flooding problems. The Republican members of Bensalem Council were very rude to a resident there and did not want to listen to him. He and I went before Council again and again. We brought in the Army Corps of Engineers and with their help, we discovered that wetlands had been illegally filled in by the developer and the enforcement file had disappeared from Army Corps of Engineers office records. With our persistent badgering, we finally got the Township Engineer to come and look at the problem and try to come up with a solution.
I supplied the residents of Toresdale Manor in Andalusia with wetland and topographic maps, wetlands documents, and ideas on who to call for help when a neighbor illegally dumped tons of rocks into the tidal zone along their Delaware riverfront. Quick action forced the dumper to remove the rocks.
I helped inform residents and business owners along State Road and the riverfront about how the Mayor’s large-scale involuntary R-55 rezoning scheme would change the character of that area and I helped them defend their property values. The leafleting in the area by local Democratic candidates that so upset the Mayor and the Republicans was my idea. I wrote those leaflets.
I helped stop a local Republican politician from building houses in the flood plain of the Neshaminy Creek by speaking up at a Zoning Hearing Board meeting.
I provided technical assistance to residents whose property was being damaged by stream erosion.
I helped the newly reconstituted Shade Tree Commission with information about tree protection and planting of native trees. I put them in contact with tree experts at the Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve and Penn State University. I have helped people pass on information about illegal cutting down of trees to the Tree Warden.
I helped residents of Nottingham obtain funding for improvements to the Faust Elementary School playground.
I helped the residents of Springdale fight Korman’s plans to put a Walgreens at the corner of Hulmeville Road and Bensalem Boulevard. I and other Democrats walked the picket line with residents while the Republicans stayed in the background and took all the credit.
I helped the residents of western Feasterville fight Colonial Nissan’s plans for intrusion of into their residential neighborhood. I and other Democrats walked the picket line with them while my Republican opponent just stopped by to say hello and then took off.
I have provided mobile home residents with information about the township’s zoning regulations for mobile home parks and I have provided mobile home residents with information about their rights as mobile home owners.
Under my leadership, the Bensalem Democrats have informed thousands of apartment residents of the important need for them to have renters insurance so that they can be protected from losses due to fire and theft.
I worked with the NAACP to stop racial discrimination within the Bensalem Police Department.
Under my leadership, the Bensalem Democrats reached out to our local Asian Indian community to get them involved in local politics and integrated into our great American melting pot. We now have two Indian Committee People, one Indian on the County Democratic Executive Board, and two Indians on the school district’s tax advisory board.
Under my leadership, the Bensalem Democrats reached out to our local Russian community to get them involved in local politics and integrated into our great American melting pot.
I put a stop to longstanding election fraud in Bensalem. For over 15 years, all election judges in Bensalem handed over the official election returns on election night not to the Bucks County Board of Elections as required by law, but to the Bensalem Republican Party at Fishers Restaurant. I exposed this illegal practice by informing the media. It was stopped only after the Philadelphia Inquirer asked the Board of Elections why they were allowing it.
I helped the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association – the people who actually race the horses at Philadelphia Park -- to restore health insurance and pension protections for racing industry employees that State Senator Tomlinson had promised them but later took out of his original slots bill that was written by and for racetrack owners. Thanks to the Democrats in the State House, those employee protections were put back in the final slots bill.
I supply residents with tax maps, county board of assessment data, township ordinances, flood maps, wetland maps, information about state regulations and programs, information about who is donating money to local Republican campaigns and how much, and information that local Republicans just want to keep hidden. I am not afraid of standing up to entrenched politicians. I have done so time and time again. I’m not just a watchdog who barks and growls. I actually get things done. And I haven’t even been elected yet! Imagine what I will be able to do once elected.
Education: