The LuLac Edition #538, August 15th, 2008
PHOTO INDEX: OUR 1968 LOGO, SENATORS CLINTON AND OBAMA AND GREETINGS FROM HARVEY'S LAKE. 
COUNTY SWITCH
Maybe they can make a reality show out of it. You know like "Wife Switch". I'm told the show is pretty entertaining. How about "county switch"? It seems the taxpayers of Harvey's Lake are more than torked about their assessments. In fact this week the office of Rep. Karen Boback began to look into whether it would be possible for Harveys Lake to leave Luzerne County and join Wyoming County. The investigation began after a Harveys Lake resident upset with reassessment contacted the representative’s office and asked if it was possible. One resident. Jeez, one resident can start a whole investigation that can change hundreds of years of history? Ooops, I forgot, the people at Harvey's Lake are "special". (Kevin Lynn excluded!) As the investigation starts, Wyoming County says it would welcome Harveys Lake. Sure, like we welcomed Alaska and Hawaii. What government wouldn't want more for its tax base. However the Wyoming Chief Assessor Eric Brown said incorporating Harveys Lake into Wyoming county’s assessment rolls would be hard, because the county does not have assessment values and other tax data on Harveys Lake. I e mailed the Luzerne County spokesman Jason Jarecki about the implications of the tax base, as a matter of fact, here's the e mail I sent him:
hi jason, david yonki from the lulac political letter. here's a question, if harvey's lake left the county, i'm assuming that would change the tax base, correct? one of my readers posed the question. thanks. david
No response from him. Oh well, I've been dissed by better but I have to say the previous Communications Director always responded in a timely manner. But back to the Harvey's Lake issue. We all have had our taxes adjusted, some of us have chosen to pay because we believe Government services (even unresponsive PR people's jobs) need to be funded. Others have chosen the route of appeal that has been handled very well by Tony Alu and his staff in Luzerne County. But this Harvey's Lake nonsense is pretty petty and juvenile. As my buddy Gort says, http://gort42.blogspot.com/, "If you can afford a house on Harvey's Lake, you can afford the taxes". I guess the birds near the lake really say "cheap, cheap, cheap, instead of chirp, chirp, chirp!"
HUH?
Lackawanna County Controller Ken McDowell will go to court next month to settle whether he must appear at City Council for questioning.This week the city council solicitor petitioned to enforce a subpoena that would compel Mr. McDowell to testify. Council subpoenaed Mr. McDowell last month as part of an investigation into his time as tax collector. McDowell filed a counter civil suit saying he didn't have to appear. Does this guy think he's Nixon? This isn't Executive Privilege! This is a political lackey who lucked into two elections as Scranton Tax Collector and Lackawanna County Controller. This is a public servant refusing to testify about taxpayer money to a duly elected Council that represents the voting public. And he doesn't want to testify? Is he a coward? Is he afraid that his shortcomings will be exposed? Hint to Scranton City Council: leave a note on his windshield that says, "Meet me at Cosgrove's". He'll show.
PA. POP
Pennsylvania will be well represented at the Democratic convention in Denver. Governor Ed Rendell will give a talk along with other Democratic Governors about the economy and how to fix it. Rendell looked pretty uncomfortable giving a speech in '04 about Energy. I think this is right in his wheelhouse. Also, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey will speak during the second night where delegates will officially name Barack Obama as the party's nominee. No word on the content of Casey's speech and how much, if any pro life rhetoric will be there. The Dems have been trying to make up for the slight against Governor Bob Casey Senior at the '92 convention. In 2000 Bob and Pat Casey jointly addressed the Convention talking about their father. Pat Casey at the time was running for Congress in the 10th against incumbent Don Sherwood. Casey Junior seems to be on the fast track for the national Dems. Ironic, since they shunned his father.
ROLL CALL
Still smarting from a tough primary battle, some of Hillary Clinton's supporters aren't buying the unity theme planned for the Democratic National Convention. They weren't mollified when nominee-in-waiting Barack Obama gave prime-time speaking slots to Clinton and her husband, the former president. Instead, they're itching for a fight and plan to wage one in Denver. One group intends to paper the city with fliers, promote a video detailing what they contend were irregularities in the nominating process and unleash bloggers to give their take on the proceedings. Another group has purchased newspaper advertisements demanding that Clinton be included in a roll-call vote for the nomination. Obama and Clinton jointly announced there will be such a vote. In announcing that her name will be placed in nomination, Clinton said she hopes the vote will unite the party and lead to an Obama victory in November. Convention demonstrations sometimes can lead to stampedes. In 1940, staged events for Republican Wendell Wilkie gave him the nomination. During the 1964 convention, Lyndon Johnson scheduled Robert Kennedy’s speech and tribute to John F. Kennedy the night he (LBJ) was going to accept the nomination and after Hubert Humphrey was nominated safely as Vice President. LBJ did not want a groundswell of support for the Kennedy sibling and judging by the 20 plus minutes of non stop applause for RFK, Johnson was correct. My uncle Timmy Pribula was in Atlantic City at that convention and he told me numerous times how RFK nearly blew off the roof with his modest speech.
George McGovern actually paid for the 1972 convention with his own campaign funds because the Democratic party was broke. He mismanaged the roll call and about 40 names were put in nomination ranging from Shirley McClaine to Dr. Benjamin Spock.
In 1980 even though Jimmy Carter had the nomination locked up, Senator Ted Kennedy’s name was placed for the nod allowing the Kennedy supporters to vent and unfortunately for Carter have Kennedy snub him on the podium.
1988 saw Governor Michael Dukakis give much time to Jesse Jackson and his family. This was thought to be a mistake because the Jacksons got more face time than the nominee’s clan. In 1992 the Clinton camp allowed traded a roll call for a prime time speaking spot at the convention. The late Paul Tsongus took that deal while Jerry Brown got his roll call vote and spoke to the convention at 3PM.
This can be a dicey move for Obama. The Hillary people are going to take this role call vote seriously and compete for the nomination. Look at some of the quotes on the news. The Clintons are willing to take the chance that she might lose votes. But if the drumbeat for Obama as a novice continues, look for some action. All that said, conventions take on a life of their own. The only person in control is the subject of the demonstration or the roll call vote. Back in 1968 (I know, I know, sorry Komotion Date From Duryea) former Governor Michael DiSalle of Ohio let it be known to the networks that he was going to start a “Draft Kennedy” movement for the surviving brother Ted. The media went crazy because DiSalle was a long time Kennedy ally, a key cog in JFK’s 1960 effort and served Ohio from 1959 to 1963, right in the middle of the Kennedy New Frontier. Surely this would have legs. It could’ve but was nipped in the bud by the Kennedy forces. The story died almost as soon as it started. How Senator Clinton reacts to this will make all the difference in the world. If she at some point instructs her delegates to go to Obama and votes for him, that is a clear signal of party unity. But if she does not give the high sign, then there might be some mischief. Either way, this will be a roll call that politicos will be watching with more than passing interest.
THE GOOSE AND THE GUV
Governor Ed Rendell as well as Hall of Famer (newly inducted) Rich “Goose” Gossage were both in Williamsport to kick off the annual Little League World Series. Gossage says his fondest days were as a little leaguer in Colorado and the Guv, (sporting a tab color shirt, do they make them anymore?) were the main celebs on hand to kick off the event. “Mr. Wilkes Barre Online” was bemoaning the fact that Governor Ed rebuffed his invitation to the annual Thompson Street block party for still another year. Here’s how to get him there: (and you guys know I love The Guv!)
1. Put your house in KOZ zone.
2. Write a million dollar speculative grant that will have no matching public funds.
3. Throw in the fact that the Thompson Street block party encourages “the arts”. Mrs. “Wilkes Barre On Line’s” spirited coaching of the piñata hitting contest among the youth could be used as an example.
4. Make sure all the area Democratic state reps have their names on it.
5. In the grant, say that the money will be used to “rebuild Thompson Street and its block party into a viable, job creating, economic force that will produced thousands of high paying jobs for our youth so they won’t have to leave the area for other opportunities.
6. Load up on the Cheese Steaks, get a few Eagles cheerleaders to attend and I guarantee that the “Guv Ed” bus from Harrisburg will be making the big turn onto Pennsylvania Avenue next summer toting a hungry Governor and one of those huge cardboard checks.
1968
The Prague Spring of political liberalization ends, as 200,000 Warsaw Pact troops and 5,000 tanks invade Czechoslovakia. I remember sitting in my Slovak Catholic Church when our priest outlined the news in both English and Slovak. I felt a sense of relief that I lived in a country where dissent was actuallly thriving (this was '68 afterall) and glad my forefathers got to this country when they did. The name Alexander Dubcek would occupy my thoughts on that day …………The Democratic Party prepares for its convention in Chicago with Vice President Hubert Humphrey having a commanding lead in delegates over Senator Eugene McCarthy and Senator George McGovern. When it became apparent that Edward Kennedy would not run for the nomination to carry on the RFK campaign, McGovern ran as a candidate opposing the war and embracing Senator Robert Kennedy’s poverty program……..Statewide, Senator Joe Clark planned to attend the Democratic convention. Clark, an avowed dove on the war introduced a campaign bumper sticker campaign that proclaimed: BUMPER TO BUMPER FOR SENATOR CLARK……..in the county, Joseph Mangan resigned as County Clerk to the Commissioners to take a teaching position at King’s. This was before the practice of double and triple dipping ala Bill Brace……News from Nanticoke, the city council offered a prayer resolution for the recovery of former President Eisenhower who was recovering from a heart attack at Walter Reed Army Hospital. This was pre-cock roaches at Walter Reed. They saved them for the Iraq vets…..the Wilkes Barre Rec Board moved from City Hall to the Soloman Building on South Main….and the number 1 slot this week in LuLac land was held down by two songs, both instrumentals. “The Horse” by Cliff Nobles and “Soul Coaxing” by the Raymond Lefevre Orchestra. From YOU TUBE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jDkrUfIqtU&feature=related “The Horse”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILFsdDcgwdQ. “Soul Coaxing’”.
posted by David Yonki @ 2:55 PM
23 comments
23 Comments:
Bobby Kennedy was terrified when he made that convention speech in A.C. But as the crowd urged him on, he got better. One of the greatest moments in convention history if you ask me. And as far as Harvey's Lake is concerned, there is an appeals process. Go through the hoops like everyone else and quit whining.
Poppinaro
Obama/Clinton would blow the lid off at the convention and lead to a big win in November. Great way to force party unity. It would work. I hope you are right.
What a night that would be. Obama/Clinton hit the stage, embrace and the thunder roars as the Christian Right Rain beats down in torrents. A black man, a white woman, LIBERALS!The gates of Hell open wide and the flames are clearly visible...Damn those Democrats!
5:14 PM
LOve the site. Here's why the PR guy from the County snubbed you. He knows you like tall former anchor women. Or tall women for that matter! Once more 1968 was remarkable for its remembrances and your article on the Roll Call was spot on. Love the LuLac.
Larksville Larry
Kudos to you and Gort for saying what everyone has been thinking about this Harvey's Lake issue. Kevin Lynn too with his comments saying it was silly. Pony up, pay or appeal but don't get ridiculous.
Clarks Summit, Waverly and Dalton would also like to join Wyoming, along with Harveys Lake making it NEPA's wealthiest County.
Yes, Pa. will have the POP in Denver. This happens when you elect articulate politicians instep with the public, not lap dogs like Rick Santorum.
IN RESPONSE
Clarks Summit, Waverly and Dalton would also like to join Wyoming, along with Harveys Lake making it NEPA's wealthiest County.
YES, THEY CAN BECOME THE COMMONWEALTH'S 68TH COUNTY, IN FINE TRADITION THEY CAN NAME IT AFTER A NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBE WE MOVED WESTWARD. OR BETTER YET, COME UP WITH AN INDIAN NAME THAT REFLECTS THEIR CURRENT PROSPERITY. HOW ABOUT MUCHOWAMPUM COUNTY?
Well, I'm glad to hear that Luzerne County doesn't have a monopoly on arrogant and stupid politicians. (Marianne Petrilla, Steve Urban and Joe Keating excluded). Ken McDowell is and was a public official who has an obligation, morally and financially to talk to his former city officials. His filing of a lawsuit was a disgrace and he should be recalled from office. There was a reason the last Controller, Mr. Mellow threatned to barricade himself in the Lackawanna County Courthouse to prevent McDowell from taking office. Obviously he knew something we didn't. Bring back Mellow, dump this cowardly little dweeb.
SCRANTON PA. TAXPAYER NEVER SEEN ON PUBLIC ACCESS TV!!!!!
As you said McDowell fell into both offices by chance. Who does this guy think he is and looking back I guess Mellow wasnt all that bad. He got into a shoving match early on with the megamaniacal Bob Cordaro and he certainly knew something about McDowell when he stated that McDowell was not qualified. Truer words were never spoken. Recall this moron!!!
What a lot of those sniffing at Harveys Lake problems are forgetting is that there are dozens of side streets, roads, little more than alleys, that run perpendicular to the lake. Upon those roadways sit small and unremarkable houses, many of them now reassessed at ridiculous values.
"If you can afford a house at Harveys Lake you can afford the taxes..." is really a moronic remark, one driven by envy. No, I don't live at HL, have no desire. But a little beyond five years ago we did look at several houses at the lake, all of them 150K or under. You can easily pay that much for a modest house anywhere from Larksville to West Pittston.
How about "If all you can afford is some ho-hum house in one of W-B's abundance of awful neighborhoods, you shouldn't have to pay taxes?" That way, should you be on the "no tax list," the whole world can know you don't have a pot or window.
There's no shortage of petty nastiness to go around with this reassessment mess, much of it baseless.
If your taxes weren't raised unacceptably then one of three things is likely, 1) You don't own, you rent; 2) Your property is essentially worthless; 3) 21st Century missed your place entirely.
Casey Junior has a real opportunity to carve out a national name for himself. He really can be deemed as a moderate Dem who is in the mainstream if he addresses the pro life beliefs he has but without shoving them down the throats of its party, like the GOP. Since Fod in '76, every GOP candidate "had" to be pro life. That tells you something. Casey was on the winning side with his support for Obama. Hope he uses the reward he was given. And yeah Dave, Governor Ed is good on all subjects but with the economy, he'll shine too.
Poppinaro
IN RESPONSE
If your taxes weren't raised unacceptably then one of three things is likely, 1) You don't own, you rent; 2) Your property is essentially worthless; 3) 21st Century missed your place entirely.
GOOD POST. THANK YOU FOR READING AND COMMENTING. OUR POINT WAS THAT IF IT WAS UNFAIR, APPEAL, GET A RESULT BUT DON'T SAY YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE THE COUNTY. THAT'S LIKE ME SAYING AS A RESIDENT OF ONE OF WILKES BARRE'S NEIGHBORHOODS, IF THERE WAS A CRIME NEAR OR ON MY STREET, WE SHOULD ANNEX PLAINS. ANY TYPE OF LIVING IN TODAY'S SOCIETY HAS ITS PROBLEMS, ALL I WAS SAYING WAS THAT THE APPEAL PROCESS IS THERE. USE IT. ALU SEEMS LIKE A REASONABLE GUY. AS FAR AS THE MORONIC COMMENT,
"If you can afford a house at Harveys Lake you can afford the taxes..." is really a moronic remark, one driven by envy.
THAT MAY BE SO, BUT THE ENVY I HAD WAS WHEN A FELLOW BLOGGER USED SUCH GOOD LINE, LIKE JACK BENNY AND FRED ALLEN USED TO DO, THOSE OLD COMEDIANS, I COULDN'T RESIST, IT HAD TO BE LIFTED!
Good post to my good post! Thank you.
Admittedly, I completely failed to cite the fact that I personally know dozens of property owners who have begun the process and received no satisfaction whatsoever. In fact, one such property owner had his fair market value raised even further when he made his way through the informal review process.
Here's a question in need of an answer; if the county and its agent, 21st Century, did not use PA licensed and certified appraisers in doing this reassessment, then why must a property owner hire a PA licensed and certified appraiser in order to mount a challenge?
No argument here that the reassessment was overdue, none. But there is absolutely no denying that an avalanche of mistakes were made, and that in thousands of cases the new values are completely absurd. Skrep's call for a criminal investigation is a good start, and my guess is that it won't have to progress far before abuses and failures are uncovered.
Remember, this company just had its reassessment in Tioga County completely rejected by the commissioners, and roughly ten years ago this same company made an absolute mess of a reassessment in Alleghany County.
If one, just one, county judge hears a case in which they rule that 21st Century used any unqualified personnel whatsoever, the whole process, currently circling the bowl, will come to a full flush.
As one of the first aspiring redidents of Muchowampom County, I suggest Don Sherwood of the Sherwood Forest Section for Congress. I also suggest that we purchase Shadowbrook and turn it into the Muchowampom Country Club and Casino. Further we should seriously consider dropping the "o" and going with Muchwampom County so as not to encourage hispanics or anyone who is not a Republican.
Please Dear God, please dear God, when will this year end? When it does can we put the 40th anniversary of that wretched year 19 freaking 68 with Yonki's celebration of every single stinking event that ever happened to rest! Granted I heard it all before, right from the jackass's mouth but please Santa, let's put it rest.
By the way Yonki, saw you tooling through my town the other day. Looking good. Glad you're up and around.
YOUR KOMOTION DATE FROM DURYEA
IN RESPONSE 1:28PM
Here's a question in need of an answer; if the county and its agent, 21st Century, did not use PA licensed and certified appraisers in doing this reassessment, then why must a property owner hire a PA licensed and certified appraiser in order to mount a challenge?
THAT IS A VERY GOOD POINT AND ONE I HAVE NOT HEARD ON TALK SHOWS, PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS OR ANYWHERE ELSE. MORE PEOPLE SHOULD BE ASKING THAT QUESTION AND DEMANDING AN ANSWER TO IT.
IN RESPONSE 3:34PM
Please Dear God, please dear God, when will this year end?
LAST I CHECKED, NOT WITH GOD THOUGH, THIS YEAR ENDS LIKE EVERY OTHER, ON DEC. 31rst. AROUND MIDNIGHT I BELIEVE.
Granted I heard it all before, right from the jackass's mouth...
YOU STILL REMAIN AND ALWAYS WERE A SWEET TALKING GIRL!!!!!! AND DARE I SAY "TALL"!!!!!
the reassessment situation in Luzerne has Lackawanna County residents worried. Remember, what ever you can screw up we can screw up worse and we've already apparently had one false start. No one questions the necessity of the act, its just that getting anything done right and fairly is so difficult these days and thats an optimistic understatement.
Pete
Bumper to Bumper for Senator Clark. That brings back memories, yellow on black as I recall. That campaign of '68 was really the death knell for a lot of things, big bumper stickers as a message strategy was just one of them. Nice job on highlighting 1968.
Hey Yonks,
Do ya suppose Bucky Dent used a "corked bat" at the Reunion Game at the Stadium in Moosic?
Hector Lopez
Despite all the problems with the reassement, it hasn't stopped every lawyer in Luzerne County from becoming experts in appeals. Like they did it every day anyway. That right there should tell you that something is fishy.
Just as Faulkner once had Yoknapawpha County, we now have Muchowampum County. A territory of upper middle class to wealthy white people who have no empathy for life in the hardscrabble world around them. A place where the greatest value is put on inherited income
and there’s nairy a self made man to be found. Where Mercedes and BMers abound. Harveys Lake would be Lake Wampum. Muchowampum County
would operate like a country club. New residents would be voted on by all Muchowampumonians.The possibilities are endless...
IN RESPONSE/HECTOR LOPEZ
Do ya suppose Bucky Dent used a "corked bat" at the Reunion Game at the Stadium in Moosic?
NO. WISH I WAS THERE THOUGH BUT WITH THE HEALTH DRAMA, WELL YOU KNOW. HAVE TO SAY THAT I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH 16'S COVERAGE OF THE EVENT VS. WYOU'S COVERAGE.
IN RESPONSE 10:11pm
Despite all the problems with the reassement, it hasn't stopped every lawyer in Luzerne County from becoming experts in appeals. Like they did it every day anyway.
YEAH, I KNEW THOSE VULTURES WOULD COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK TO GUIDE THE POOR IGNORANT TAXPAYERS WITH THE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS OF THE ISSUE. THE MEDIA REPS MADE SOME MONEY AT LEAST FROM THE "EXPERTS" WHO BEGAN TO ADVERTISE THEIR SERVICES. ANY WAY TO MAKE A BUCK, THAT'S THE LEGAL CREED IN LUZERNE COUNTY.
Tell you what, piss and moan all you want about lawyers, bash one, bash them all.
Then let's hear your story when you get hurt on the job and your company's workers' comp carrier flat-out denies your 100% legit claim. I mean just says no, no we aren't paying you a nickel.
That's when you take your tens of thousands in bills and turn to one of those cursed no good sonsabitch lawyers, who, in turn, gets your claim settled and then some. Happened right here in this house.
Lawyers? Good, bad, glad they're there. And how many are handling assessment work? I say not many.
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