William Clingensmith, a Chicora borough councilman, says downsizing the borough's government would make the government run more smoothly. He supports the proposal that the council be reduced to five members and a mayor from seven members and a mayor.

A petition calling for the reduction already has been circulated in the community, and a hearing on the proposal is scheduled for June 20 before Butler County Judge Thomas Doerr.

Clingensmith's theory of "smaller is better" makes sense and certainly could apply to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Downsizing the state government would bring efficiencies that would save the state's taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars annually.

While there is no shortage of people statewide who are willing to serve in the legislature, thanks to generous pay and fringe benefits and the power that comes with that service, such is not the case in Chicora and other small communities. Having a quorum present to conduct business is sometimes difficult.

With a council consisting of five members, only three members would be needed to conduct business, as compared with the four required now.

In addition to quorum issues, Chicora sometimes has difficulty attracting people to run for vacancies at election time.

Unfortunately, it is not a problem experienced only in Chicora; many small communities across Pennsylvania experience the same challenge.

There have been times in small communities when no person's name appeared on the ballot for any of the available offices. Yet, through write-in votes and subsequent appointments, those communities were able to field a government.

An article in Tuesday's Butler Eagle noted that Chicora, with a population of only 1,009, is served by seven voting council members and a mayor, while Cranberry Township, with 26,376 people, is governed by just five voting supervisors.

Chicora could operate well with two fewer members, just as the state government could operate better with a greatly scaled-down House of Representatives and Senate.

While it's not anticipated that Chicora's proposal will cause controversy, it would be a different story with the legislature. But that doesn't mean a statewide effort should not be launched.

A constitutional convention to address such issues would be in the state's best interests, just as the petition going before Doerr is in Chicora's.

The state legislature needs a lot of people with Clingensmith's idea on how to achieve more effective, efficient government.