There are only two contests in the May 21 Republican primary election. They are to select the party’s nominee for county controller and jury commissioner.

Unfortunately, this limited field will guarantee a low voter turnout, when important choices are to be made.

Whoever is elected controller in November will manage a $196 million county budget and a $140 million county pension fund.

There are two candidates for this job, and they could not be more different. One is an ambitious young man, Ben Holland, who is just four years out of college. The second candidate, Karen Diehl, a graduate of Slippery Rock University, is a certified public accountant with her own accounting firm and 23 years of accounting and auditing experience.

The controller manages our tax dollars. It is important that we select a candidate who is capable and has the experience to maintain the fiscal well-being of our county.

All considered, Republican voters should go to the polls May 21 and vote for Karen Diehl.

Trish Lindsay, Sarver Republican committeewoman Buffalo Township

Ongoing police ‘ed.’

We owe much to our firefighters and police. I could never be either.

There is a need for an ongoing educational program for our police. It should never be them versus us.

If I were a minority, I doubt I would cooperate with the police.

Anyone failing the program should be assigned to a desk, not be put on patrol. One bad apple spoils the rest.