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Paul Ashbaugh for Jefferson County Commissioner

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Jefferson County Residents:
Do you know where your tax dollars have gone?

Considerable amounts have been spent on numerous studies to guide our Commissioners on how to do their jobs. YOU have paid for management studies, wage studies, water studies, and any other study needed to curtail the growth and prosperity of Jefferson County.

$100,000 has been put into a capital fund for buying a "Battlefield" in Shepherdstown. The Supreme Court of WV has ruled twice that the "Battlefield" in question IS NOT a Battlefield.

When OUR COMMISSION is told that they can not do something, they simply take the issue to court. Most of these issues have revolved around development of our county. They have spent untold amounts on frivolous law suits, to defend their personal agendas of NO GROWTH in Jefferson County.

They openly oppose and work against every new wastewater treatment project that is brought before them. These actions have kept you from having the infrastructure that YOU have paid for.

YOUR Commission has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars crafting a zoning ordinance that will more than likely be defeated when the residents of this county get to vote. The ordinance has been crafted to make every process so expensive and frustrating that the average citizen or new business will simply walk away, and not continue with their plans.

MEANWHILE...County Employees have to beg and fight for raises they need in our struggling economy. Some of our County Employees are working beneath the poverty level. Raises seem to have been given to those supporting the agendas of our Honorable Commissioners.

The only public pool in the county was denied a request of $11,000 to keep the pool open and were saved by Charles Town Races & Slots.

County departments were asked to cut their budgets this year, further denying the residents of this county the services they have paid for.

YET, plans are still ongoing for the new Judicial Center that will give them new offices.
Do we really need A NEW JUDICIAL CENTER when we can't take care of our citizen's now?

The statements above are only a small sampling of the irresponsible acts of our County Commissioners.

Paul Ashbaugh runs for commission

Independent candidate for Jefferson panel drafts a Bill of Rights for area residents

By Naomi Smoot / Journal Staff Writer

POSTED: October 7, 2008

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CHARLES TOWN - Paul Ashbaugh doesn't consider himself a politician, but he is seeking a seat on the Jefferson County Commission in November just the same.

Earlier this year, Ashbaugh, a 62-year-old independent candidate, led a petition drive to secure a space on the ballot this Election Day. He says he wants to win to help ensure that the people of Jefferson County can have the rights they deserve.

"The little people in this county are getting squeezed out," Ashbaugh said recently.

His platform is based on 10 principles, which he drafted in the form of a Jefferson County Citizens' Bill of Rights. First and foremost on that list is the need to ensure that residents 65 and older are exempt from school bond taxes, he said.

Ashbaugh would also like to ensure that all bonds and levies are approved by voters, and that the county's zoning ordinance is also approved by voters.

"More power should be given to the people," he said.

Ashbaugh previously worked as a carpenter and sheet metal mechanic in Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. For more than 20 years he has been self employed, working in the housing industry.

During that time, he said he's seen the problems that county regulations can cause for residents.

"The last 10 years, I've become very miserable with my job," he said, adding that county regulations caused many of his problems.

Several points on his Bill of Rights address concerns related to the building industry. In the document, Ashbaugh says the building permit application process should be "simple and quick," and that Planning Commission meetings should "be kept to a time limit with no filibustering lasting long into the night."

Ashbaugh further states in the document that "homeowners, farmers and land owners shall have their rights protected."

While he was initially among a group of residents who advocated for zoning laws in Jefferson County, he said the regulations that exist now are not something he can support.

"I'm against the crazy zoning laws," Ashbaugh said.

He still believes that the county should have zoning in some form, but he said the county has taken a no-growth mentality on the issue.

"They don't care about people's rights," Ashbaugh said.

He is running for the Harpers Ferry District seat on the County Commission against Democratic candidate Lyn Widmyer and Republican candidate Melodie Williams.

October 15, 2008 Sharp words exchanged at Jefferson County Commission debate
By DAVE MCMILLION (charlestown@herald-mail.com)

SHENANDOAH JUNCTION, W.Va. - When Jefferson County Commission candidate Paul Ashbaugh was asked Tuesday night to comment on protecting the county's rural landscape and how he would address light pollution at night, he got suspicious.

"I don't know who came up with that idea," Ashbaugh said, referring to the notion that there was a problem with too much lighting in the county.

"Must have been a no-growther," Ashbaugh said as he also took a parting shot at the Jefferson County Commission's recent decision to pass a law controlling excessive dog barking in the county.

"I guess we'll have to go around and muzzle all the dogs," Ashbaugh said.

The exchange was one of a number of testy moments during a debate for Jefferson County Commission candidates at Jefferson High School.

Much of the debate centered around growth issues, and like any day in Jefferson County political circles, there wasn't much holding back.

"The first thing I'd do is fire half of the planning commission. There's going to be some big changes if I'm elected commissioner" Ashbaugh said during the debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Jefferson County.

Ashbaugh railed on controlled growth supporters who he said won't take no for an answer when they are defeated on an issue and who live on one acre lots or bigger while they want everyone else to live on a "postage stamp" lot.

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