Anthony Boyles will be looking for write-in votes in the November election for Ford City Council.
A young man in Ford City has decided to run a write-in campaign the General Election this November as a candidate for Borough Council.
Anthony Boyles grew up in Rural Valley, but moved to Ford City approximately 18 months ago. He described himself as a thinker who analyzes the world around him.
“I think to myself, ‘Why is there crime? How do troubles start?’ and I would analyze those things,” he said.
Boyles said that he did not have it easy growing up. His mother died of breast cancer in 2010 and he lost his father to Alzheimer’s in 2016.
“But if I didn’t have it hard, then I wouldn’t be where I am today,” he said optimistically. “I saw a lot of friends die as I was growing up from health problems and even suicide. That got me into the passion of healthcare.”
Boyles said he firmly believes in local government.
“I believe it’s important to be active in the community and in politics at the local level. The federal and state levels matter, but local is where the seed is planted.”
He has been attending Ford City council meetings and observing the differences of opinion. He said he isn’t swayed by those differences.
“I know that sometimes things on Council can be stressful, but I function well under stress. When people are yelling, I don’t look at it as an attack, but try to find out what is causing it and try to reach a solution. How can we fix it? How can things get accomplished?”
Both incumbent Carol Fenyes and former councilwoman Vicki Schaub will appear on the November ballot. However, councilmen Marc Mantini and Ray Klukan have said they will not run again, leaving another seat up for grabs. Boyles said he hopes to get enough write-in votes to win that seat.
He said he began to give it serious consideration when he helped at the polls during the Primary Election.
“I met Carol and Vicki both at the Primary polling place. That’s when I got the idea that I should give it a try. You can’t go into a campaign with your own self-agenda. I don’t know it all and I am there to learn. When I go into borough meetings, I’m not just one-sided. I can agree to disagree.”
Boyles said he is registered Republican and supported Trump in the last presidential election, but is more liberal on social programs than most Republicans.
“I realized the importance of social programs to help a community. There are people who can’t get back on their feet without some help. While I’m Republican, I probably lean toward Democratic social programs. You can’t tell someone to go a specific way if there isn’t a pathway to complete that course.”
“I’m not in it for the pay. I want to do it to improve the community. If you love what you want to do, then pay shouldn’t matter.
Boyles has enrolled in an online college study in Human Services, which he will begin next month. He feels he could be a good representative of the people of Ford City.