The LuLac Edition #890, July 28th, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: COUNTY CONTROLLER CANDIDATE WIL TOOLE.

BUDGET BLUES

Gov. Ed Rendell has asked senior staff to begin preparing options for a stopgap funding bill. It would allow the state to meet its bills and payrolls while the deadlock over a state budget closes in on the one month mark. This is a reversal from positions taken by the Governor when he criticized stopgaps as a short term panacea that would not solve the crisis. This Friday marks another payless payday looming for 33,000 state workers on Friday. There is no quick end in sight to the Democrat vs. Republican fight over tax rates and spending, the governor said he thinks it is becoming a necessary option. The Governor blasted the Republican State Senate that has essentially been holding state workers, tax payers and recipients of human services hostage. The Senators have made it known that they will oppose any tax increase. Theirs is a knee jerk reaction to the crisis in Pennsylvania caused by Wall Street. Their typical “don’t raise ‘dem taxes” cry is a fear tactic that their party has been using to steer voters away from the realization that services cost money. And when and if a budget is passed and there is pain to the regular guy on the street, blame the GOP Senate.

WIL TOOLE ON THE MOVE

Wil Toole has garnered more than enough signatures to get on the ballot as an Independent for Luzerne County Controller. Toole, a long time area public servant wanted to run as a Democrat in the primary but did not due to the lack of integrity of a fellow Democrat in his own district. Toole has set up a great looking website. Here’s the link: http://www.bestcontrollercandidate.com/.
Toole is opposed by GOP candidate and taxpayer advocate Walter Griffith and Mountaintop finance manager Robert Morgan. This race will be interesting mainly because independent efforts in the past have been nonexistent in Luzerne County. It should be noted that this is not a write in ballot either, Toole’s name will be right on the line and voters can pick and choose for or against him.

CIAVARELLA FATIGUE

I'm pretty tired of this guy and Conahan. If you're interested in what he said to WNEP TV, here's Gort's link: http://gort42.blogspot.com/.