York County Pa.’s most influential people for 2023: Politics – York Daily Record
In a world of change, one thing remains constant: The number of people who work, often behind the scenes, to make our lives a little better.
The York Daily Record and its sister publication, The Evening Sun of Hanover, sought to highlight those who have a big impact in York County – from the entertainment world, to activists, to politicians and sports stars and business leaders.
You won’t agree with every pick. That’s to be expected. And we consciously made some unexpected choices to highlight some emerging community leaders rather than household names.
This group is more about who had an impact on our lives rather than a simple popularity contest. These lists are in no way comprehensive.
The goal here is to offer recognition of those working hard throughout our county and as a reminder of who to watch. We encourage debate and feedback!
Methodology: The entire York Daily Record and Evening Sun staff participated in this project. We created teams for each category, and team members crowd-sourced potential nominees, asking community members for their suggestions. We then undertook the daunting task of narrowing each list down to the top five.
Kristin Phillips-Hill
Republican state Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill, who is serving as the Senate Majority Caucus Chair for the 2023-2024 session, has been working to ensure that southern York County has a strong voice in the legislature.
Among her accomplishments, she championed landmark reform of the prior authorization process for medical treatment as well as changes to step therapy for prescription drug treatment.
One of her constituents, Dr. Suzette Song, now a retired orthopedist from OSS Health, shared that patients were walking away from treatment and later returning when their conditions were worse. Some did not receive timely care. Physicians spent so much time doing paperwork and pleading cases.
For two years, they had meetings with stakeholders, including hospitals, insurers, patient advocacy groups and the governor’s office to address the issue that has plagued healthcare delivery for decades.
The law, signed in 2022, requires timely approval for healthcare services.
“To me, this legislation is really a prime example of how a divided government does not need to be a dysfunctional government,” she said. “We can work together when it comes to the common good and bettering healthcare for every Pennsylvanian.”
She also is proud of the “Buyer Beware Act,” which combats human trafficking. It flipped the script from punishing victims to targeting individuals who are soliciting.
Individuals face a first-degree felony charge if they “recruit, harbor, entice, transport or advertise human trafficking victims subject to sexual servitude,” according to a news release. It also increases financial penalties for those who patronize a victim of human trafficking.
Legislators are working on bills to further address the issues, such as ensuring that sexually exploited children who are human trafficking victims will always have full access to services and support, she said.
Her 2019 legislation allowing schools to use flexible instructional days for unplanned building closures became a model when the coronavirus pandemic hit. It helped to ensure the continuity of education.
In the future, Phillips-Hill wants to expand on the economic revitalization of small boroughs. She has been supportive of the York County Trail Towns, which has brought new life to communities along the rail trail.
Sandie Walker
York City Council President Sandie Walker has been known for her work in the community.
She helped to open Mr. Sandy’s Homeless Veterans Center in memory of her late father. She has served on the York City School Board.
As council president, Walker said one of the biggest accomplishments has been getting direction on how the City of York can use the $35 million in American Rescue Act funding, which will help the community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. It has worked with consultants to guide them on how the money can be spent.
“… we’re moving. It may not be as fast as a lot of people may want, but the fact that we’re doing it the right way will pay off in the future,” she said.
Walker also cited the focus on the Penn Street Market and the WeCo area. The city was able to match funding from Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grants to completely renovate the market and Rex Laurel Fire Station. That work is expected to begin within the next year.
She called it “monumental” that the city changed its long-standing residency requirement, which had required that most of its employees live within the city. Now the city can hire qualified individuals who live outside of the county seat to fill vacancies.
Council also has been able to appropriate funding for small and disadvantaged businesses. It is developing a centralized procurement process and a database where locally owned businesses can come for resources to benefit them.
Walker, who is not seeking another term in office, said she’d like to keep pushing on the city’s capital needs, such as the renovation of the Princess Street and Sylvia Newcombe centers. She wants to see any taxpayer implications reduced for the future and allow the buildings to be used to benefit the community.
Julie Wheeler
York County President Commissioner Julie Wheeler has had the opportunities that she never dreamed of growing up in Jacobus. She worked for a Fortune 500 company, serving as a general manager of a medical device business with General Electric before becoming an elected official.
As a county leader, she has used those skills and opportunities to help better the community.
For the first time, York County government has a strategic plan that encompasses core values, strategic anchors and guiding principles. It involved a multi-prong approach, including surveys of the employees and community to see what is important, she said.
The county has increased collaboration with organizations, such as the York County Economic Alliance, to build a better York County.
It also has focused on helping to close the digital divide in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The county has been working on two urban projects – one involving York City, North York and West York boroughs and another in Hanover borough – to bring broadband to those areas. It also has run dark fiber through a conduit along the Heritage Rail Trail County Park from Kings Mill Road to Railroad. The county is partnering with an internet service provider to take fiber to premises.
Wheeler said she also championed the volunteer firefighter emergency responder tax rebate program because “our first responders put their lives on the line every day for us, and we know we have a shortage of volunteer firefighters.” It allows a 25 or 50 percent reduction on county real estate taxes if they meet criteria.
In the future, Wheeler believes the county needs to have a continued focus on broadband, public safety and human services, including Children, Youth and Families and older adults.
“We need to continue to focus on those services that we’re providing to some of our most vulnerable people in our community,” she said.
She also recently was elected as treasurer of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania.
Pam Gay
One of York County Coroner Pam Gay’s biggest accomplishments during her nearly 10 years in office is the new, state-of-the-art morgue that was constructed at the prison in Springettsbury Township.
For years, the county relied on the eight spaces in a morgue the coroner’s office shared with WellSpan York Hospital. It often was at or exceeded capacity. The new $2 million facility now includes a family viewing room.
“I’m just grateful for how everything came together,” she said.
Her office also has been instrumental in raising awareness about the opioid epidemic. She was a co-founder of the York County Heroin Task Force. It implemented prescription drug drop boxes for unwanted medicines, helped to get naloxone in the hands of law enforcement, and educated the public about the epidemic and how to get help.
“I have a team, and they definitely help me accomplish our goals,” she said of her staff.
In the future, Gay wants her office to gain national accreditation. It informs the public there’s a certain standard of competency and level of death investigation.
“I think we’re doing everything the level of a national accreditation,” she said, “… but I want to get the actual crediting agency in here to do the audit and get us that status.”
Gay, a Republican, took some heat earlier this year when she said gun violence is a public health crisis. Suicides account for the majority of the gun-related deaths in York County.
She is partnering with other organizations, such as Family First Health and WellSpan, in addressing the issue.
Gay said it’s not her intention to take away guns from people.
“However, I do think it’s important that we have responsible, safe and legal gun ownership in this county,” she said.
Mental health services also need to improve, she said, but there are things “we can do practically as a community to try and make it safer.”
David Sunday
York County District Attorney Dave Sunday says his leadership style involves bringing people together and using everyone’s strengths to have strong, outcome-based initiatives.
His efforts have helped to change the approach to the criminal justice system and to break the cycle of arrest-prosecute-jail-repeat.
In York County, crime has dropped nearly 40 percent from a 10-year high. The prison has seen a 46 percent reduction in population, and the probation caseload has decreased by a similar percentage as well.
“I’m extremely proud of the work that my office and then all of our partners have put into getting to that place,” he said.
His office created a law enforcement center, which houses its cyber, forensics, and others, and it has allowed them to collaborate, resulting in better output than if the teams were separated.
Sunday also cited the work of the Group Violence Initiative, which aims to reduce gun violence. The efforts are saving lives, keeping families together and saving taxpayer dollars, he said.
And he’s proud of the work of the Community Action for Recovery and Diversion. It gives police the tools to help people who are in mental health crisis – getting them connected with counselors – to allow officers to focus on serious crimes.
Now that York County has built the infrastructure, Sunday said, the goal is to ensure the initiatives will be running in perpetuity.
“The goal is to continue to decrease crime,” he said.
The county currently is looking to provide mental health services at the jail, and Sunday said he hopes that a re-entry program at the prison will be robust, helping individuals to gain employment, keep their family together and become productive members of society.
Some people, though, need to go to jail, Sunday said, and he wants to keep his staff filled with talented prosecutors who can win trials.
Sunday, a Republican, also has his sights set on become Pennsylvania Attorney General, taking what he has learned to the highest law enforcement level in the commonwealth. He has announced his candidacy for the position.
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