StateCollege.com editor Geoff Rushton conducted interviews hosted by C-NET with candidates for several offices on local ballots in the May 16 primary election. Today we’re featuring the interviews with candidates for State College Borough Council.
Previously: Centre County Judge
THE ELECTION
Five State College Borough Council seats are up for election this year: four with full four-year terms and one with a two-year interim term. Five candidates, all Democrats, are running for the four full terms, with no incumbents seeking re-election (current members Jesse Barlow and Janet Engeman are term-limited and ineligible to run this year; Deanna Behring and Peter Marshall chose not to run for second terms). One incumbent candidate, Democrat Nalini Krishnankutty, is running for the two-year position to complete the term after being appointed to fill a vacancy in 2022.
THE CANDIDATES
All candidates are Democrats. No Republican candidates filed to appear on the primary ballot, though Republican voters will be able to write in candidates.
Four-year term (vote for no more than four)
• Matt Herndon is a current member of the State College Transportation Commission and a software engineer for Voltus.
• Kevin Kassab recently retired as the manager of State College’s community engagement office and was previously a borough health officer.
• Evan Myers is a former two-term borough council member, former member of multiple boards and commissions and senior vice president at AccuWeather.
• Josh Portney is a State College Planning Commission and Centre Regional Planning Commission member, a Penn State Law student and a legislative assistant for state Rep. Scott Conklin.
• Tony Sapia is the owner of Gemelli Bakers in State College and has owned several other local businesses.
Two-year interim term (vote for one)
• Nalini Krishnankutty is a current State College Borough Council member, having been appointed to fill a vacancy in 2022. She is Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Program manager in Penn State’s Office of Human Resources and holds a Ph.D. in chemical engineering.
THE ISSUES
Candidates discussed their backgrounds, why they are running, challenges facing the borough, affordable housing, filling empty commercial spaces, budget and taxes, zoning priorities, pedestrian and bicycle improvements, visions for downtown and police oversight.
Watch the interviews with each candidate below.
Matt Herndon
Kevin Kassab
Evan Myers
Josh Portney
Tony Sapia
Nalini Krishnankutty
Primary Election Day in Pennsylvania is Tuesday, May 16. The last day to register to vote before the primary is May 1 and the last day to request a mail-in or civilian absentee ballot is May 9.