The LuLac Edition #704, Jan. 25th, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: WALTER GRIFFITH AND JOHN C. CORDORA, WOULD BE GOP CANDIDATES.











GOP ON MOVE

It's early but already two members of the GOP are making their moves in planning stages for a campaign. In Kingston, John C. Cordora has expressed interest in running for Mayor of Kingston in the primary. Current Mayor Jim Haggerty will be completing a third term. On the County level, Walter Griffith, Wilkes Barre Taxpayer Advocate has expressed a strong interest in running for County Controller. Folks say that in a Democratic diominated county, a GOP fiscal officer might not be a bad idea. Recently, Griffith posted a letter on some of the local blogs which we will repeat here:
I appreciate your Blog today regarding the Luzerne County Blog Page and the comments that were made concerning the candidates that expressed their interest to run for this office in the County. I do however must clarify the comment about me being a " Pain in the Ass" which is referenced to Wilkes Barre Online Web Page.The Wilkes Barre Online Blogger Mark Cour is a very knowledgeable and interesting writer and blogger whom of which I have the utmost respect and appreciation for, in regard to, his ability to express his opinion.I consider myself a very knowledgeable and formidable person regarding the County and City Political scene in this County and I attend as many meeting as possible with knowledge and information that would make our elected officials at least think about the way they are treating us as taxpayers that are their employers not the other way around as they would like everyone in the County to believe. I have been very instrumental in making the City get all the information about the City Council meetings posted online in advance of all the meetings, because of my constant and relentless attending the meetings and asking them to do it with the proper information and concerns for the taxpayers...If that is being a "Pain in the Ass" then I am guilty as charged but the taxpayers deserve this information so they can be informed about what OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS are doing in government.I was the person that represented the entire Luzerne County Taxpayers in a lawsuit to stop the County from borrowing 16 million dollars because they mismanaged our money and therefore were not being responsible to US THE TAXPAYERS. There are many things that I have been able to accomplish by just being at the meetings with the proper information and I am very proud of my accomplishments as a taxpayer advocate, however there are some in the County that feel that this is being a "Pain in the Ass" and that is fine and they are entitled to that opinion, however I feel this is the reason why the County and City Governments are in the state and condition that they are in at the present time because of the people not being there to keep them accountable but they rely on the press and the blogger to do the work for them.I appreciate your Blog, as well as the blogs of so many others like Dave Yonki and Mark Cour, and would also appreciate the recognition of all the things that I do to make the government accountable to US the Taxpayers as well.
Walter L Griffith JR
Luzerne County Taxpayer and Activist