During last week’s West Chester Borough Council meeting, former mayor and council president Jordan Norley advocated the council to consider adding a referendum question on the re-establishment of the passenger rail service between West Chester and Philadelphia to the November ballot, writes Bill Rettew for The Daily Local News. 

Representing the Restoration Rail Committee, Norley said that such a referendum question would “help prove a mandate” that residents do want to see the reinstatement of the passenger line. 

“The best way to prove support would be to ask our citizens,” he said. “A ballot initiative during the presidential election would ensure the highest turnout of residents.” 

Norley has proposed the following draft question: “Shall Section 904 “Community Bill of Rights” of the Home Rule Charter of the Borough of West Chester be amended, effective immediately, to include a “right to clean, sustainable, and affordable rail trains from West Chester to Philadelphia?” 

The county board of elections will have the final say on how the question would be worded. 

Norley is hoping to see the council vote on his proposal at its upcoming May meeting. 

Read more about adding a referendum question about the rail service in The Daily Local News. 

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