Roxborough Resident Running For Register of Wills

Although she knows she is a Republican in a heavily-Democratic city, Roxborough resident Linda Bateman said she's running for Register of Wills because she can do the job. 

"I would be happy to do the job, I know how to do the job," she said. She is running against 30-year veteran Ronald Donatucci. 

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Bateman has been involved in politics since the 1980s. She was the campaign manager for a Congressional and state campaign in 1980, her husband ran for mayor in 1983 and she ran for representation of the state's 198th legislative district in 1984 and 1990.

Bateman was also appointed Republican Ward Leader for the 12th Ward in 1988 and elected in 1989-1994 and 2010-2014.

Although she didn't win either run for state representative, Bateman said she closed the gap from 5-1 to 3-2 with less than $300 in campaign money.

She spent 10 years in the State Department of Revenue in the Inheritance Tax Division where she working closely with the position for which she is running.

"Currently there are 30,000 cases that need to be closed," she said of the office. "If they were closed they could generate revenue for the city and the state."

Bateman attributes the high number of unclosed estates to a lack of information.

"This is all a result of bad information," she said, adding that if she were elected she would improve the education about how and when to close and open an estate.

When asked why she wanted to get back into the political arena now, Bateman kept it simple -- because she is qualified.

"I have hands-on experience to do this job and I'm qualified to do this job," she said.

And, because she has worked closely with the Register of Wills before, Bateman promised a smooth transition.

If elected, she said she would focus on:

• Creating a closer relationship with the state and expand the office's space in City Hall, in empty courtrooms, to be more available to people who needed the services.
• Modernize the office and put more needed information online to make it more accessible to more people.
• Improve the organization and archiving of miscellaneous filling deeds that could provide more revenue for the city and state if filed properly. Many taxes, Bateman said, are never paid. "It needs to be made easier," she said. 
• Click here for a full list of Bateman's goals if elected.

"The Democrats are the ones who have gotten us into this mess," she said. "If they want a new perspective they should think about pulling Republican."

With just weeks to go before election day, Bateman said she is "fundraising mode." Throughout her campaign she's been handing out business cards with her information and stance on it but love to create door hangers to place on people's front door in the coming weeks.

"I am running an informational campaign," she said. "There needs to be more information about this office."