THe LuLac Edition #214, May 4th, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: FORMER SENATOR FRED THOMPSON, LUZERNE COUNTY COMMISSIONER STEVE URBAN, WILKES BARRE COUNCIL CANDIDATE IN DISTRICT "C" PETER GAGLLIARDI (I TOLD HIM TO JPEG ME A NEW PICTURE!) WILKES BARRE COUNCIL CANDIDATE IN DISTRICT "D" TIM ANDERSON AND LACKAWANNA COUNTY COMMISSIONER CANDIDATE EVIE REFALKO MCNULTY.

LACKAWANNA COMMISSIONERS DEBATE

Going to the candidate's debate.

Laugh about it, shout about it

When you've got to choose

Every way you look at this you lose.

Although there were attacks aplenty on their GOP competition, the Lackawanna County Democrats debated softly Thursday night. The only enchange came when Corey O'Brien's brought up Evie Rafalko McNulty's failure to release her federal tax returns. He never mentioned her by name. But during a question that wassupposed to be about capital projects, Mr. O'Brien mentioned that he had released his own federal tax return weeks ago, and lauded endorsed Dem Mike Washo for following suit on Wednesday. Mrs. McNulty was ready. She didn't even glare at him. She handed Mr. O'Brien her 2006 return. But O'Brien wasn't finished with the issue. During her closing remarks, Mrs. McNulty gracefully vowed that shewould, if defeated, stand behind Mr. Washo and Mr. O'Brien come November. O'Brien, used his closing statement to remind the audience how he had been a leader by releasing his returns andurging the others to do so.

The debate has taken on greater significance because of the recent balot problems of Majority Chair Robert Cordaro.

URBAN ENDORSED

The Citizen's Voice had a very nice endorsement of Commissioner Steve Urban this week but not of his proclaimed running mate Bill James of West Pittston. The paper did endorse Bill Jones of Mountaintop as the perfect compliment to Urban by passing the aforementioned Jones, Christine Katsock and David Shipula. This further muddies the water as to who will be on the ticket with Urban this fall. The old line party backers are going to go with James, but Jones, Shipula and Katsock have their followings. On election night, it'll be Steve Urban and everyone else, but that "everyone else" catagory will be bunched up and a few votes in strategic areas just might win it for the Urban mate.

COUNCIL PROFILES

PETER GAGLIARDI

Republican Peter Gagliardi is running for Wilkes Barre City Council in District C which includes the Heights.
It is imperative that we elect Republicans to Wilkes Barre City Council and form a bi partisan government. Under the current one party rule system, city council gets lost in the shuffle and becomes almost irrelevant and useless. It does not make any significant changes to the Mayor's budget, and does not hold hearings when problems arise. I am running for city council to make a difference, to contribute to the city. I will promote public safety in all its forms, police, fire and emergency medical services. I support Council McCarthy's ordinance that
prohibits sex offenders from living too close to areas where childrencongregate, such as parks and schools.
One of my primary recommendations is for city council to hold hearings to ensure than an adequate snow removal plan is in effect. I will work to ensure that District C recieves as many public services as any other part of the city including the downtown.
I will establish interactive commincations with the citizens. I am
always willing to listen to their concerns and always available to speakto any organization in the city. I want to turn Wilkes Barre into a city of great civic pride where everyone votes and spends their free time inthe downtown area and Kirby Park.
Mr. Gagliardi graduated Magna Cum Laude from King's College with a BA in Government and Politics. He received his MA in Government and Politicsfrom Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and a diploma in national
security studies from the Naval War College. He served in the Federal Government for over seventeen years and was part of the team that won the Cold War and the Persian Gulf War of the nineties.

TIM ANDERSON ON BOSCOVS

Got a note from Council candidate in District "D", Tim Anderson. Very thought provoking on the recent Boscov's announcement and other issues facing the city.

Dear Editor,

I would like to make two points refuting what a few of the Wilkes-BarreCity Council members have said regarding Boscov’s Department Storedowntown. First of all, Boscov’s is a privately owned business andunless there are any code violations that have to be addressed, thecity has no right to tell them what they have to do with theirbusiness. America is a capitalistic society, and when the governmentstays out of the way of businesses that are running clean operations,the laws of supply and demand will prevail. If Boscov’s managementfeels that they will generate more money by updating their image, thenthey will do so if the money is there, but that is for Boscov’s todecide and no other entity. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to seethe store updated. I have an office in the Midtown Village and I walkby the store everyday, but I am firmly against the government gettinginvolved in individual business decisions. Secondly, therevitalization of the downtown area is not as important to the overallwelfare of the city as most people are led to believe. Governments donot generate any revenue. All of their money comes from us, thetaxpayers, in some shape or form. Our city budget is $37 million, mostof which the city takes from us in the form of property and incometaxes, $16 million to be exact. The businesses of Wilkes-Barre as awhole generate only $1.7 million in taxes for the city. Even if thedowntown area generates 50% of that revenue, which is a very liberalestimate, that is only $850,000 in taxes for the city. The bottom lineis that the citizens of Wilkes-Barre pay for 43% of the city’s budgetwhile the downtown businesses only pay for about 2%. Given those twonumbers, why are we making such a big deal about the downtownrevitalization? We need to get our priorities in order and show thecity government that we are sick of our neighborhoods and homes beingignored for the benefit of the Square. Do not allow the city leaders’propaganda to get in the way of the facts. The city council is incharge of approving the budget put forth by the mayor. They areobligated to provide a system of checks and balances for the city tomake sure that out tax dollars are used in a way to benefit the peoplewho live here. You, the voters, are smarter than they think you are. On May 15th, vote for individuals who understand how to manage andoversee a budget of this size and look for leadership that will usecity funds for the benefit of the citizens in the areas that we live.

Timothy Anderson

Democrat for City Council

East End – Parsons – Miners Mills – Heights

570-270-4423

THOMPSON WAITING IN THE "WEST" WING?

With the poor performance ratings given the GOP Presidential candidates in the debate last night at the Reagan Library, you have to wonder if this is going to nudge former Senator Fred Thompson and Law and Order star into the race. Even Newt Gingrich would be an acceptable alternative to these "excitable boys!"