Three candidates for Monroe County commissioner agree the county needs to strike a balance between environmental protection and economic development, lure more businesses to create more jobs, and build a strong financial foundation.

It is the route to those goals that varies slightly among the three.Republican incumbents Charles A. Garris and John R. Moyer, both of Smithfield Township, and Democrat John Christy of Stroud Township spoke Saturday at a forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Monroe County. The forum, held in the Eastern Monroe Public Library in Stroudsburg, drew about 25 people.Democratic candidate Alan L. Everett of Hamilton Township did not appear for the forum. The candidates are campaigning for three open four-year seats on the board of commissioners. Garris' and Moyer's terms are ending, and Commissioner Suzanne McCool chose to not seek another term in office.The league, through moderator Kathy Boyle, presented two questions, and the audience supplied several more. Each candidate also gave opening and closing remarks.Opening thoughtsIn his opening statement, Christy spoke of his love for the county, and how its people are its greatest resource."I think we're well-poised for an economic return," he said.Christy pointed to Northampton Community College, which recently established a campus in Monroe, and the ongoing building of infrastructure to support new industry."We are poised to do great things here in our county," Christy said.Garris touted the county's fiscal health.Three years and nine months ago, he said, "we had $92,000 in the bank. Five days later, we had a $900,000 payroll."The first thing the new board had to do was borrow $7 million to make ends meet until spring, when tax revenue would come in."We've made tremendous improvements in this area," Garris said. "This year, we'll probably close the year with several million dollars in the bank."He said that unlike previous boards, the current board borrowed money for the first half of the year only one time.Moyer placed a poster on a tripod with what he believes were and are the most important issues. They include reassessment, overtime, health care, the Northampton Community College referendum, budgeting/fiscal control, long-term debt service expansion/elimination, economic development, courthouse expansion and technology.He spoke of the county's nursing home, Pleasant Valley Manor, and how the current board of commissioners has been reducing the county annual subsidy of $1 million."Through negotiations, through discussions, and through many concessions by the unions, we've gotten the amount of the subsidy down to about a quarter of a million a year," Moyer said.Top prioritiesThe league asked the candidates to describe their top priorities as commissioner.For Moyer, it is the heavy property tax burden that is forcing too many residents from their homes. While commissioners cannot control school taxes, which takes the biggest bite of homeowners' money, they can encourage economic development to bring more and better-paying jobs into the county."We did a survey, and found that 98 percent of the people played here, but only 60 percent worked here," he said.Moyer also spoke of the need to reduce the prison population. The county prison has a capacity of 250 inmates, but has topped 419. Much of the problem, Moyer said, was that mentally ill inmates do not receive sufficient services to keep them out of prison.Garris' top priority is "jobs, jobs and more jobs.""Jobs are the key to family life, to home ownership, to owning an automobile, which is important in Monroe County," he said.Garris also said Monroe's hills and mountains are hurdles to business development, and that the state's 9.9 percent corporate tax isn't helping.He also touted the county's increased use of technology to track employees' hours, at significant cost savings.Christy's top priorities include tax reduction.Tax reduction will spur economic development, he said. He also pointed to continuing the county's infrastructure improvements to encourage businesses to put down roots in the county.Christy also spoke of the need for diversifying the county's business and industry. Water parks provide jobs, he said, but not necessarily at wages sufficient to support families.Economic growthThe league also asked what each intends to do to spur the economic growth of the county while keeping its environmental beauty.Christy cited Northampton College's rain garden and other environmentally friendly features as an example of how economic development can work in harmony with preservation of the natural environment.All three candidates spoke of the need to keep the Conservation District board, which evaluates land use plans on factors including soil erosion and stormwater runoff strategies, balanced between developers and environmentalists. They also said maintaining the county's pristine open space is crucial. Conservation District members are appointed by the commissioners.Other topics included expanding courthouse space - the county is acquiring a building at 701 Main St. in Stroudsburg to handle the overflow. It's also taking steps to reduce overcrowding at the prison. The candidates also offered opinions on how the Northampton Community College campus in Tannersville was funded, through a Local Share Account - gambling proceeds.Previous boards of commissioners had asked the state to set aside $2.4 million each year in LSA money for 20 years to help pay for the campus.