Letter to the editor: Ziccarelli should pay for repairs to county vehicle

There are no accidents, only collisions. Collisions are preventable (i.e., reduce speed after dark and in bad weather).

Why are Westmoreland County taxpayers expected to pay for the transportation needs of elected officials (“Westmoreland DA: Crash involving county vehicle was ‘minor’,” Jan. 7, TribLIVE)? While commendable that District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli was on a mercy mission to assist the needs of a family friend at 3 a.m., she should have been using her personal vehicle.

That the DA is on call 24/7 and may need to respond to county business requiring a vehicle is a rationalization for her poor judgment. Stuff happens. It shouldn’t happen at taxpayer expense.

Ziccarelli should have used her personally owned vehicle. If called to duty (on a taxpayer-provided cellphone), she should use her own vehicle and charge mileage to the taxpayers.

County officials should not be using taxpayer paid vehicles for personal use. Period.

Westmoreland County commissioners need to reexamine the transportation budget — vehicles, costs, fuel, maintenance, (self) insurance — to save “we the taxpayers” money.

As for Ziccarelli, repairs to the SUV entrusted to your care should come out of your paycheck. “We the people” expect better judgment of someone in your position.

David A. Scandrol

Lower Burrell