The LuLac Edition #324, Oct. 14th, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: THE LATE BING CROSBY AND WILKES BARRE COUNCIL CANDIDATE IN DISTRICT A WALTER GRIFFITH.

BING!

He was walking off a golf course in Madrid, Spain. The old duffer had just shot an 85 and won a $10.00 bet. Moments after leaving the green, Bing Crosby, part owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates, movie star, singer and entertainment icon died of a heart attack at the age of 74. It happen Oct. 14th, 1977, thirty years ago today. Courtesy You Tube, here's one of Crosby's finer moments from the movie "Going My Way".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXMQ0XEIG0Y

WALTER'S 10 POINTS

Council candidate in Wilkes Barre's District A, WAlter Griffith has released a 10 point plan to save the city. Here it is:
l. Contribute to City budget spending oversight and analysis
The current council members have a habit of nodding in approval whenever the mayor wants to spend money. This is clearly not a good practice, and one which my opponent has refused to speak out against.
2. Help to improve City living conditions through ordinance enforcement and legislative initiatives
Codes need to be enforced in the City in order to prevent the decay we have all grown used to seeing in our City. Mayor Leighton and the majority of the members of council sat and did nothing for years; they watched our city rot, and now they claim to have come along and saved it. They could not have made the improvements they constantly take credit for in the city if they did not allow it to sink to such a low. While they constantly blame the former mayor, they know that they could have done much to prevent the problems that we have had and continue to have. I will be proactive and ask the code enforcement office to act in the same manner.
3. Join in establishing a sealed bid process for the sale of City-owned property and equipment
Currently, our mayor sells City-owned property to whomever he desires for whatever price he desires. My opponent supports this process. I think it is a slap in the face to all of us. I propose that all City-owned property be sold only in a publicly-disclosed manner, and then only to the highest bidder.
4. Propose ballot referendum when the will of the electorate needs to be clarified

For some reason the mayor thinks that the electorate does not mind that his salary keeps going up and up. When a controversial issue comes up (such as pay for elected officials) that seems as though it would be best decided by the electorate, I will propose that a referendum be put on the ballot.
5. Prompt a reconsideration of the Rental Ordinance process and associated fees.
6. Recommend a needs assessment of City pension, healthcare and health-care buyout programs.

The City Elected Officals continue to get Health Care benefits and a pension, long after they leave their elected positions in the City. This practice must change or it will bankrupt your city. I will propose legislation to have this health care benefit removed so that the taxpayers are treated fairly. The City Council has numorus members that are currently "double Dipping" with regard to the Health Care Buyout Program and this needs to be stopped as well.

7. Encourage the appointment of a Council member liaison to each City department and the Administration
The City Council should pass a resolution to ensure that they hold quarterly ad-hoc meetings with all departments in the City. this will in turn ensure that the needs of the taxpayers are being met.
Currently, we have a Rubber Stamp Council that fails to hold the mayor and those departments he oversees responsible for their actions.
8. Propose ordinance to establish semi-annual fiscal and project reporting of City departments and the Administration
I think we need to have more transparency when it comes to the administration's spending. My opponent thinks everything is just peachy, but of course, he has not bothered to stop by a city council meeting to see what is really going on.
9. Promote a scheduled rotation of 7:00 p.m. City Council meetings among the City’s five districts.
This proposal will allow all the taxpayers the opportunity to see their government work and to attend City Council Meetings. It is very important for all the taxpayers to participate in "Their" government.

10. Seek to make City Council public meeting agendas and associated documents available in advance and free-of-charge
The City Council has no problem allowing the Press to receive "free" copies of the City Council Meetings but if the taxpayers ask for a copy they are charged twenty five cents a copy for the agenda. The Taxpayers should and must be allowed access to all City documents for a reasonable price and the agenda should be Free to any taxpayer that requests them in advance of the meeting.

This is truly open government "for the people" and "by the people". I will propose this ordinance when I am elected to represent "YOU" my boss and taxpayer.and in general…
Be an ongoing responsive and action-oriented voice for the collective needs and benefits of the residents of the City of Wilkes-Barre.