The LuLac Edition #183, March 23rd, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: COMMISSIONER MIKE WASHO AND ATTORNEY COREY O'BRIEN, TWO CANDIDATES WHO DON'T HAVE A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO ABOUT THEIR TAXES AND FINANCES. THE LATE SOVIET DICTATOR LENIN ENJOYING AN ISSUE OF PRAVDA WHICH IS REPORTED TO BE THE NEW MEDIA OF CHOICE FOR THE GALS ON SCRANTON CITY COUNCIL.

LACKAWANNA WANNA BEES

A series of Lackawanna County Court rulings Thursday left Commissioners Robert C. Cordaro and A.J. Munchak as the only Republican commissioner candidates on the May 15 primary election ballot.
On the Democratic side, candidate Evie Rafalko McNulty is still on the ballot after a challenge to her financial interest statement was rejected.
So it looks like three candidates running for County Commissioner still have tax questions surrounding their candidacy. Mr. Cordaro who must answer why it took him so long to pay taxes on a property he obtained from a deceased friend, Mr. Munchak who still has over $20,000 in employment taxes and Mrs. McNulty who is still negotiating with a lending institution to pay off a loan dent that was not disclosed on a campaign disclosure statement. How this will play with Lackawanna County voters who have endured a more than 52% tax increase under this administration is anyone’s guess. Democratic political pundits are now saying the cleanest ticket for them might be a Washo/O’Brien ticket. Republican commissioner candidates Phil Spinka and Robert G. Castellan. Wqho originally wanted to oppose Cordaro and Munchak, were scheduled for a hearing on challenges to their nomination petitions, but the hearing never happened because their lawyer said they were withdrawing from the race. Judges Thomas J. Munley and Carmen D. Minora had to order their names removed from the ballot because the deadline for withdrawing was Wednesday.

CHANNEL 61

First off, I am totally disgusted and disappointed with the actions of the Scranton City Council regarding the latest news to come out of that city. Judy Gattelli first cancels the meeting and tells people she feels threatened and upset but fails to file a police report on her concerns. She then deprives the citizens of Scranton their meeting. The Council meetings are held not for the Council members but for the citizens of a city. Her abdication of responsibilities is an insult to her election, the office she holds and the men and women who served on Council before her! Could you imagine Grace Shimmelfinig (the first woman elected in Scranton on City Council) John Brazil or James Doherty, (the father of the current Mayor) acting as wimpish and childish as this bunch? SHAME!
The Council has banned channel 61 because they feel the citizens showing up for the meetings are playing to the cameras. Here’s a thought: Produce the show yourself. In the mid 70s when streakers ran across baseball and football fields naked to disrupt proceedings, the networks simply didn’t put them on camera. Why couldn’t Scranton City Council work out a DEAL WITH Channel 61 where only the council members would be shown and the audio of the “performers/citizens” would be on TV? Oh wait, that would make too much common sense and require a little more original thinking and less whining. If Ms. Gattelli and her female posse on Council were the first women elected instead of Grace Shimmelfinig, I’m afraid no women would ever be taken seriously for election to Scranton Council.
As far as Channel 61 is concerned, there are rumors that another communication organ will take its place as an information tool for the city of Scranton, it’s called PRAVDA!

STANDARD SPEAKER NEWS
I’ve been getting many personal e mails regarding my “Breaking News” in Edition # 182 that the Scranton Times would buy the Hazleton Standard Speaker. I appreciate the feedback and concerns for my reputation but I stand by my story.

E MAIL ADDRESS
It’s been corrected in Edition #181 but the new e mail for me, activated by Monday is yonkstur@ptd.net.

ON THE RADIO
The invitations are being readied for The LuLac Political Letter’s City Council Forum at Genertti’s on Sunday May 6th starting at 430pm. Sue Henry of WILK radio will moderate and the event will take place in the Imperial Ballroom at the hotel and convention center.

Candidates interested in radio advertising on WNAK A 730 can contact me for the details. E mails for now are yonkstur@aol.com, yonksturt@ptd.net or by leaving me a message at 821-6152.