The LuLac Edition #657, Dec. 3rd, 2008

PHOTO INDEX: LUZERNE COUNTY COURTHOUSE AND GOVERNOR ED RENDELL.

SCRANTON BUDGET

The Scranton City budget passed by a vote of 3 to 2 with members Janet Evans and Bill Courtright voting no. Evans offered a mind boggling 58 amendments to the budget and was critical of Mayor Doherty’s reluctance to curb the spending plan. Evans advocated cutting out the public safety department and scaling back wages to the 2002 level. Majority members said they were pleased there would be no new taxes or borrowing in the new budget.

BEWARE OF OPEN MIKE

An old rule in broadcasting always was “beware of the open mike”. You never know when there’s one around. At yesterday’s Governor’s Conference, Gov. Ed Rendell was heard to say on an open microphone that Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano is a perfect fit for Homeland Security secretary because she "has no family." Rendell says Ms. Napolitano is "perfect for that job. Because for that job, you have to have no life. Janet has no family. Perfect. She can devote, literally, 19-20 hours a day to it." Ms. Napolitano has never been married and has no children. Now in my mind, Governor Ed was only talking the truth. When Congressman Ed Koch, a single man was elected Mayor in New York in 1977, he told the press that because he had no family he could concentrate on city business. Rendell was just stating a fact here and I feel it should not be interpreted as a comment against working women with or without families. He was just stating a fact, whether it was wise to do so near an open mike is open to conjecture. But being an open type of guy is going to be one of Governor Ed’s lasting legacies.

SMART MOVE

House Majority Leader Todd Eachus, D-116, and Speaker-designate Keith McCall, D-122, announced Tuesday they will give back their COLAs and urged House colleagues to do the same. The COLAs are automatic under a 1995 state law. This is a very smart political move on the part of the two northeast politicos. Realizing how hard hit economically their districts are being hammered, the decision serves as a message to other legislators that perhaps a decline in the COLA is important as a gesture. No word though on a change of heart from Bob Mellow. He’s keeping his cash.

CUTS IN THE LU

Luzerne County officials say they’ll begin meeting with department heads and row officers to figure out which positions will be cut to help close a projected 2009 budget deficit. Union leaders had hoped to obtain specifics during a meeting with Petrilla and other county officials, but they left with nothing. Union leaders say they were told that commissioners can’t provide the number and identity of employees who will be laid off until they meet with court officials to review proposed 2009 staff cuts in their department. Again it seems from reports to the Times Leader and other news organizations that it is the mighty court system holding up any progress.