Phoenixville Borough Council Candidate Profile: Edwin Soto

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — The 2019 election in Pennsylvania is just days away, and there are plenty of local races that will appear on the ballots in Chester County. In Phoenixville, there is just one borough race being contested: borough councilman in the North Ward. Incumbent Democrat Edwin Soto is taking on Republican challenger Neil Herman.

The other Phoenixville council races — Democrats Brian Weiss in the East Ward, Jonathan Ewald in the Middle Ward, and Brian C. Moore in the West Ward — include only a single candidate running unopposed.

Below, Soto, 39, addresses several key issues and what he's accomplished in his time as a borough councilman.

>>Phoenixville Borough Council Candidate Profile: Neil Herman

Education

"I attended CCNY in NYC for Music."

How long you've lived in Phoenixville

"My family and I moved to the North Side of Phoenixville in 2006 from NYC. In contrast from a big city, Phoenixville really helped us appreciate the community around us. This resulted in falling in love with our community. That would become the impetus for my involvement in local community organizations and then local government."

What do you see as the most pressing issue for Phoenixville in the short term?

"The most important issue in Phoenixville is growth management. We are still in the formative years of our revitalization and every infrastructure, urban planning, and transportation decision can create a huge downstream impact felt for years to come."

Where do you stand on the recently approved French Creek development plans? Do you think there has been too much development as of late, or is the borough proceeding at a wise pace?

"What some may not realize, French Creek West is actually a multi-phase project with multiple approvals for each phase. I first saw French Creek West when I served on Planning Commission back in 2015 and challenged the developers to bring community minded planning to the table. What resulted was a collaboration with the borough, where this multi phase plan now includes many advantages for us as residents. Such as a much-needed, east-west bound boulevard from Nutt to Main parallel to Bridge St , a new drivable Paradise St. bridge, a trailside dog park, multiple improvements to the Schuykill River Trail, a pedestrian bridge connecting downtown, 200 public parking spots including a new parking lot, and even a space to house the future fire and emergency services facility. These would not have been possible without steady, thoughtful leadership.

"The pace of development is not set by the borough, since council nor staff can deny builds that conform to our land development ordinances. However, as shown in the example of French Creek West, we can work with our community and developers to grow responsibly. I have been a solid voice for our residents concerning development. In my first year as a policy member, I helped eliminate future developer tax breaks to protect individuals by ending LERTA. As a member of Planning commission and Borough Council I have fought for developers to improve their surroundings by requiring items like new sidewalks, road repairs, trail improvements, park improvements, etc."

Is increased traffic a concern for you, and what steps should the borough take into the future to address the issue?

"Traffic in Phoenixville affects not only our residents, but also our visitors and commuters. While serving on Planning Commission and Borough Council, traffic is always on the forefront of the conversation.

"Major developments (such as Riverworks, Trumark, Customers Bank) have committed funds to transportation improvement projects through the approval process. While on council we have and continue to aggressively seek funding to improve the network that we have. These are important since they provide things like intersection improvements, turning lanes, interconnectivity of lights, and street light timings.

"Improvements the borough has made are not limited to signalized roadways, but also other methods to alleviate traffic. As chairman of Parks and Recreation, I have put the SRT improvements and access as a priority in our community with several improvements over the last few years including the Monte Claire bridge connection. The SRT is not only a leisure trail, but also a very important to commuters keeping unnecessary vehicles off the road.

"Every drive in a car, bus, or truck begins with a walk somewhere. Ensuring walkability is an important part of traffic maintenance. That’s why we demand improvements and create sidewalks during the development process. Additionally, getting significant road improvements create opportunities. For example, improvements are currently being engineered for Mowere Rd that finally bring a sidewalk connecting Veteran’s park and the trailhead for safe walking while also allowing for road improvements."

What do you think of the commuter rail proposal?

"As a vital link to for a growing community, mass transit is key. Reestablishing train service to Phoenixville brings back a sustainable method of transportation for all residents. This key link will provide employment opportunities, access to higher education, and regional entertainment.

"As a member of the Mayor’s Task Force on Regional Rail Restoration, I have been honored to help foster collaboration between the various municipalities and other agencies to make this rail a reality. It is my hope to continue the difficult work this will be to bring this level of transportation to Phoenixville."

If there's anything you'd like to add that isn't covered here, feel free to do so.

"I'm humbled to have served the North Ward over the last 4 years. The community we live in inspires me every day and is the reason I decided to run for re-election. I continue to be inspired by those voices. In the last four years, I have helped our North Ward residents navigate complexities, be an advocate, and solve real-life problems. I commit to continue providing dedicated and experienced leadership as our councilman."

Follow Soto on Facebook here.