The LuLac Edition #687, Jan. 6th, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: TWO FELLAS, ZACH CONNORS, ONE HAPPY FELLA WHO WENT TO CULINARY SCHOOL, NEVER FNISHED AND GOT A $32,000 A YEAR CITY JOB AND JUDGE MARK CIAVARELLA, ANOTHER MOST HAPPY FELLA (I THINK HE'S SMILING THERE BUT WE CAN'T BE SURE) WHO JUST HIRED 5 PEOPLE IN A BUDGET FREEZE.

THE ONE GUY!!!!!

Boy it must make you feel special when the Mayor of your city gives you a job when you ask for it. To make it even better, you're the only guy he interviews. To make it even better, he says that he was so taken by your unfinished college degree and winning personality, that he slaps his forehead like Michael Scott and then slaps you on the back saying, "You're the One". My one and only one! Such was the scene when Zachary Connors, son of former Mayor Jim Connors, started work Monday in City Hall, where officials said he will in the case-load of Zoning Officer Mike Wallace. Mr. Connors, 23, takes the reins at one of four newly created jobs for 2009. His resume is thin, but his new bosses praised him as an enthusiastic quick study commented Mayor Chris Doherty. The assistant zoning officer salary is $32,855 annually. Not bad for a kid who's just starting out. But Mr. Doherty has to know that there are thousands of young, deserving public policy graduates out there that should have been given a shot. But they weren't. The Mayor says there was no favoritism whatsoever in his pick. He must think we're all morons. Oh well, too bad those grads the Mayor ignored weren't even aware of the job. I bet they don't have crap eating grins on their faces like little Zach.

AND WHILE WE'RE AT IT....

When Jimmy Connors was Mayor of Scranton, he had the rudest group of neanderthals working in the office where you paid your parking tickets. I was once there and saw a female employee berate someone who was contesting mildly a ticket. When the abused citizen walked out, the staff cheered her. And the Mayor sang a song for 12 years while his citizens were treated that way.

THERE GO THE JUDGE!

And in Luzerne County, the President Judge thumbed his nose at the taxpayers and the Commissioners by hiring 5 additionmal people during a hiring freeze. Attorneys for the County filed a court document that alleges President Judge Mark Ciavarella “arbitrarily inflated” personnel costs in the court’s 2008 budget to protect positions that were created to provide jobs to his relatives, friends and political associates. The brief claims Ciavarella inflated the 2008 personnel costs in order to justify unreasonable funding requests made for this year. It alleges Ciavarella has refused reasonable requests to reduce spending to help the county overcome a multi-million dollar budget deficit, and that he retaliated against commissioners for suggesting the cuts by reducing the amount of money the court system will turn over to the county in 2009. MaryAnne Petrilla chair of the Commissioners is outraged. I heard a great idea on the Sue Henry show, just don't pay the new workers. Tell them there's a hiring freeze. No money in the till. And vote NO next time the Judge is up for retention, if he gets to that point.