The LuLac Edition #544, August 23rd, 2008
PHOTO INDEX: LUZERNE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MARYANNE PETRILLA AND STEVE URBAN, WARM RADIO'S BRIAN HUGHES AND OUR 33rd PRESIDENT, HARRY TRUMAN.
PROFILES IN COURAGE
"It doesn't matter how big a ranch ya' own, or how many cows ya' brand, the size of your funeral is still gonna depend on the weather." Harry Truman said that about 65 years ago and I kept on thinking about that quote as I watched the reassessment issue get ugly this week. What has riled the good people of the county is an overdue reassessment plan. The most vocal say that there are too many mistakes and that they are being treated unfairly. Don't argue their right to say it, just the way it was said. I know that every man's home is his castle, etc. but everyone in the village should pull their weight. Apparently, most people feel that way except a vocal mob in Harvey's Lake. In case you missed it, at the recent Commissioners meeting at LCCC, residents and taxpayers of Luzerne County were witness to a rarity: a Profile In Courage by both Commissioners Petrilla and Urban in letting the reassessment program reach its logical conclusion. Folks, we invested 8 million dollars in a company that has reasssesed more than half of the counties in the Keystone State. And once more, we as a public refuse to act like normal, rational human beings when it comes to the running of a government. Petrilla and Urban stood their ground in the face of insults, rude and ignorant behavior that would make the original founders of Harvey's Lake disavow knowledge of that community. Truthfully, I've seen better behavior on 15 cent beer night at Rich and Charlotte's On The Lake when I was in my 20s. Commissioners need to take the heat when there is a concern or problem. Both have done so with more than a touch of class. But the way both were insulted by a former member of Congress (who obviously learned nothing about decorum and debate when he was there) and the self proclaimed spokesperson (from whom I have not yet heard a reasonable sentance) was a disgrace. There are mistakes (less than 10% which is below average for the rest of the assessments made around this state by the company) but they are being addressed by the appeals process. I know. A 91 year old aunt from Duryea went to the hearing and gave proof of her property dimensions. It was taken care of. Quickly. So don't fall for the line that there are going to be senior citizens out of homes because they can't pay the lowest of all government taxes. That is pure crap! And I wonder how many senior citizens are populating the jet skis out at the Lake or how many of these Lake residents are taking care of mom and dad in their luxury waterfront homes? 10 administrations of County Commissioners never pulled the trigger on reassessment because they were afraid of being voted out of office. Skrep and Vonderheid cancelled it midway through their first term so that makes 11. Finally we have some action on this and a vocal minority that is making our area look like "crybabies" is making threats against the Commissioners who are actually doing the right thing. Commissioner Petrilla wasn't even in office when the contract was decided yet she has been heaped with the most negative taunts. That doesn't even make sense. Does the phrase "no good deed goes unpunished!" ring a bell here? The guy who was the catalyst of the Debit Card debacle now steps out of the shadows and yells like Tarzan that he's the true champion of the people. (Just keep him away from the those VISA cards!) The true advocates are Petrilla and Urban. And if you want to send a message to the loudmouths who are threatening political retribution, do something smart. Send a few bucks to the political action committees of Petrilla and Urban. The addresses are:
Friends of Maryanne Petrilla P.O. Box 421 Drums, PA 18222 and Steve Urban, @ of 6th District Republican Committee, PO Box 2363, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 18703-2363. I've had my disagreements with both. But these two need some encouragement that not all taxpayers are neandrathals and are glad they are showing the courage of their convictions. And if you think this is an overeaction on my part, and that the loudmouths never win, remember these two words: ARENA NO. We need to keep Petrilla and Urban around.
RADIO SHOW SUNDAY
Brian Hughes from one of my all time favorite radio stations, (even now) WARM writes to tell us about an important program regarding the Reassessment Debate. His show is called Sunday Magazine. The program will be completely dedicated to the property reassessment battle in Luzerne County, with interviews and highlights of both the rally on Monday at the Luzerne County Courthouse, and of course the Commissioners meeting Wednesday at LCCC. A pretty good balance of heat and light, featuring comments from the commissioners, Michelle Boice of Harveys Lake, an interview with Tim Barr of 21st Century Appraisers and testimony from homeowners at Wednesday's meeting. It airs on WARM at 9:30am, also on JR 93.7 at 5:30am. BHT and the X at 6am and Magic 93 at 6:30am. The show will be podcast Monday on the jr937.us and warm590.com websites as well.
posted by David Yonki @ 12:04 AM
21 comments
21 Comments:
Yonki: Great insightful article on the mob the other day. Petrilla has my vote FOREVER. And you my man have proven just how thoughtful and objective you could be. We all love Kathy B, but the county is more than one person. I know you were advocating for an Obama/Clinton ticket. Your thoughts?
It's amazing how a "C" student like Petrilla can be the head of the class in Luzerne County.
Lest we forget that for 2 years she was IN CHARGE of fiscal responsibility in this county as Controller and she abdicated all responsibility for that, let the debit cards get passed out and never checked anything.
That said, I agree with you Dave, the loudmouths have to be beaten back. Reassessment is long overdue, and people like the Harveys Lake crowd who have been underpaying for YEARS have got to finally pick up some slack.
IN RESPONSE 10:33AM
I know you were advocating for an Obama/Clinton ticket. Your thoughts?
BIDEN IS IN MY OPINION A GREAT PICK. IT SHOWED TO ME THAT MAYBE OBAMA IS NOT AS RIGID AS SOME MAKE HIM OUT TO BE. BIDEN IS AN OLD STYLE LIBERAL DEMOCRAT WITH A PROPENSITY FOR SPEECHIFYING. WE NEED MORE OF THAT. HE WILL BRING EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS SOME FUN ON THE TRAIL. SOME OF HIS BLOOPERS ARE THINGS WE'VE ALL THOUGHT OF BUT NEVER SAID BECAUSE OF THE POLITICAL CORRECT SOCIETY WE RESIDE IN. HILLARY WOULD HAVE BEEN A SLAM DUNK BUT UNLESS McCAIN DOES SOMETHING DRAMATIC WITH HIS PICK, I'M ABOUT 88% LEANING TOWARD THE DEMS.
IN RESPONSE
It's amazing how a "C" student like Petrilla can be the head of the class in Luzerne County.
HEY, KERRY AND BUSH WENT TO YALE, WERE C STUDENTS AND LOOK HOW FAR THEY GOT. REMEMBER FRANK HARRISON? BRILLIANT A STUDENT, LOOK WHAT THE VOTERS DID TO HIM. THANKS FOR THE POST AND YOUR THOUGHTS ON BEATING BACK THE MOB.
Any credibility Michelle Boice and Jim Nelligan might have had with me was totally lost when I saw the behavior they exhibited at the Commissioners meeting and on the lawn of the Courthouse. Protesting is not hurling insults, threats and invectives at people. To the mob at Harvey's Lake and how to conduct themselves in a meeting: SEE MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR as a reference for affecting change. As far as I could tell, Petrilla and Urban did nothing to provoke them. I don't care if their precious homes get swallowed up by the freaking lake, all I saw was ignorance and rudeness. And that's sad because I still can't tell you what point they were trying to make. THe insults got in the way.
David:
Fascinating read, as always. A couple of points:
1) I think you were a bit over-the-top with your remarks on senior citizens. I am deeply concerned about how seniors may be impacted by reassessment. What about seniors for whom the homestead relief isn't enough, especially if they don't qualify for any other programs? There are seniors all through this county who may be vulnerable. Their budgets are tight...inflation is heating up...energy prices are sky high...and their options are limited if they are hit with a tax increase due to reassessment.
Our seniors helped our nation and Luzerne County through many perilous times. Now they may be asked to pay the price for decades of political cowardice.
I think you were just being flip with the waterskiing remark...but it struck a nerve.
2) It is quite possible we may need more than a 30-day delay to assure everyone is treated fairly by this reassessment...and to assure that the vulnerable are protected. A longer delay may also result in solutions to help ease the pain for those facing tax increases (such as phasing these increases in over a period of time).
3) That said...I am adamantly opposed to any "indefinite halt" in reassessment. I think the process has to play out. I also think that a further delay may be needed...but if so, it must be on a timeline. It must have clear goals and transparency. It may take another 6 months or a year to address all the issues (including assuring our seniors are protected)...but it cannot be a delay like the last, which costs us $800,000 to no apparent benefit while Commissioner Skrepenak...the liason to the assessment company...skipped meetings.
This is not Iraq...we need a timeline on reassessment. Dropping the process altogether...cutting and running...simply puts us back in the same mess we were in to begin with.
It will take tremendous courage for Urban and Petrilla to stick to their guns and follow the process through, but that is what is needed. So far, they appear up to the task.
Playing to the passions of the anti-reassessment crowd, as Mr. Skrepenak is doing right now, serves only to pit neighbor against neighbor. It creates an environment that will eventually lead to anything from heated words between neighbors to ...God forbid...violence.
Take care, and keep blogging!
James O'Meara, Sr.
Here's the deal, 40 years of inertia. Then something is done by Skrep and Vonderheid. Then they pull it back. Vondie leaves for bigger things and bigger pay, less work I bet too and Skrep takes on a new mate. They go thru with the plan. As Commissioners they do what they are paid to do: govern. Then Skrep plays to the fears of the minority and Petrilla gets the boos and catcalls. The anger is misdirected. And so it goes in Luzerne County. It's like Seinfeld's Bizzarro world, everything is upside down. Seinfeld though was a TV show, this is real life.
THanks for including those addresses of their campaign offices for future funding when they run. Mobs caused tyranny. And you were right, a small vocal mob of idiots screwed us out of a bigger arena because Crossin Junior caved to them. And Skrep follows in those cowardly steps.
Yonki, once more you put things in perespective. Can't wait for that WARM program too. You know, the more stuff that goes on in the county, the more people are going to go for charter. And thinking people will elect the county officials who actually did something. Petrilla is on the top of my list I'll tell ya that.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Previous omment was duplicate of 6:52PM.
Hey 10:50, you don't have to be an A student to do what's right. Harry Truman's picture near etrilla's and Urban's, perfect. They know the where the buck stops. Skrep on the other hand just keeps on tossing the ball and seeing if it lands in a place adventagious to his political needs. Go Maryanne!!! Go Steve!!!
In a political society with virtually no real guts or leadership, Im talking the society of Luzerne County politics here, there has been no one like MaryAnne Petrilla. Going back all the way to Goss and Post, every county administration never even approached the boat, let alone attempted to rock it. Not to sounmd sexist here but when I was a kid, my dad would attempt to help my grandma with her chores when she was ill and dying. He'd dutifully sweep her back porch and after he was through and on his way home, grandma would brandish her broom and say "Only a woman knows how to sweep the dirt away clean". Apparently this is so in county government too. Good job MaryAnne. Hope your chemo is going well Dave and keep on giving us your take on people who have our lives in their hands. Good job MaryAnne.
Good morning Dave, wonderful points on this reassessment issue. Kudos to Petrilla and Urban and even Skrep for keeping their cool. It is unfortunate when name calling and threats become the only arguement of choice in this debate. Perhaps the residents of Harvey's Lake would do better with more reasoned and less vitriolic spokespeople like Boice and Nelligan. Just a thought.
Hey Dave, I know you love your rag top on summer days. I've seen you cruisin' around the lake many times. Be careful man, a political guy in an open car???? Does the name Anton Cermak ring a bell?
Take care.
He was one of the guys who shot at TRuman, right?
Hey guys, let's put the focus back on this thing. The Lake community has its point of view but that point of view or ire should be directed at the people who made the percieved mistakes, not Petrilla and Urban. I believe Petrilla when she says the mistake rate is low. This is a huge job and if you looked at the hiring pool recently, especially some of our yoiung workers who think texting each other is more important than a job, well let me say they weren't all Einsteins. That's why you appeal. Period.
IN RESPONSE
Be careful man, a political guy in an open car???? Does the name Anton Cermak ring a bell?
RODE AROUND THE LAKE THIS AFTERNOON. NO INCIDENTS TO REPORT.
ANTON CERMAK WAS THE MAYOR OF CHICAGO IN 1932. SHORTLY AFTER FDR WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT, HE WAS RIDING IN AN OPEN CAR WITH THE CHI TOWN MAYOR. A GUNMEN APPROACHED AND ATTEMPTED TO KILL FDR. CERMAK BLOCKED THE PRESIDENT ELECT AND WAS SHOT MORTALLY. LIKE ANY ASSASSINATION, CONSPIRACY THEORISTS SAY IT WAS A MOB HIT AGAINST THE CRIME BUSTING MAYOR AND NOT INTENDED TOWARD ROOSEVELT. WHO KNOWS? CERMAK'S DAUGHTER MARRIED FUTURE ILLINOIS GOVERNOR OTTO KERNER WHO WAS WELL KNOWN FOR HIS KERNER COMMISSION REPORT ON RACE RELATIONS IN THE U.S.
A few comments on the current reassement flap. Why does it cost so much to do a formal appeal? I'm assuming there needs to be some fee so only serious appeals go forward, but since a professional company was paid to do the initial assessments, why don't they revisit at their cost to see if it was their screwup or they are on the money. To have homeowners pay for a private apprisal just to show that the county's company was wrong doesn't seem right. Same thing with having a Laywer at these appeal hearings. If this is on the up and up, laywers aren't needed unless you still aren't happy with your ruling. Then bring out the new apprisals and laywers. I don't think early on the burden of proof should be on the homeowner- let 21st Century prove they were right, on THEIR dime....
"Hey 10:50, you don't have to be an A student to do what's right."
The mark of a (wo)man is doing what's right when no one is looking. When you're controller, no one is looking. She didn't do what was right when she was there. She had her chances, didn't take 'em.
I love what she's doing now. Too little too late in my mind, though. She had lots of chances to do good before. She didn't start doing it until the spotlight was on her.
Though getting C's, she still is the head of the class, but it's not hard to be up there in the Luzerne County Hall of Underachievers.
I wonder why Luzerne County must own a railroad. We bought two raillines several years ago from Louis DenAPLES FOR 6 MILLION DOLLARS with the intention of reselling them to preserve jobs. Now in 2008 the Luzerne County Redevelopment Authority has control of these properties under the Luz County RAIL authority. Both authorities have the same members and staff, BUT have DUAL paychecks. They barely run the railroad using an out of state operator that has the WORST record of rail management. Just ask Lackawanna county rail authority, as they removed him years ago for MANY fradulent activities and excessive billing procedures. Now our authority is quietly removing the steel rails for scrap value to pay their wages and make the books look good. Kingston Yard was just quietly removed this week. Who makes these decisions? Why not sell the property and let private industry run it while there is still something left to sell? The LCRA keeps a low profile. Lets really check them out.Lets get an outside professional to run this rail system for a profit based fee. Right now shortline railroading is at an alltime high. Just look to our North, Lackawanna County, and our South,Columbia/Northumberland County. They both have very profitable shortline systems.Again, Luzerne County Rail Authority needs to be investigated for selling the rail assets to scrappers for profit to prop up their bottom line to appear profitable while dissassembling the West Side rail lines and making them valueless.
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