The LuLac Edition #958, Sept. 29th, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: BLOG EDITOR WITH JOHNNY CALLISON, MVP OF 1964 ALL STAR GAME, LUZERNE GOP CHAIR TERRY CASEY AND INDEPENDENT CONTROLLER CANDIDATE WIL TOOLE.

TOOLE ON TAXES

Independent Controller candidate Wil Toole wrote a letter to the newspaper regarding property taxes and the casinos.
This is the second letter I've written on gaming funds for property tax relief. When we the voters were asked to vote in favor of casino gambling, we were led to believe that the revenues from the taxes and fees would be used for property tax relief. Wrong! We the voters and taxpayers received very little in the form of property tax relief but local politicians were given access to a wish list for community projects. These local politicians were made heroes to those citizens who didn't understand that the money used for those "created" projects should have been their personal property tax relief.
Now it is going to happen again. Table games are being approved by the State Legislature and again the revenues are not going to be used for taxpayer property tax relief. The money is going to be given to "host" communities. There is only one casino and one host community in Luzerne County. It is time that our legislators understand that these gaming revenues are the only hope taxpayers have for true property tax relief. Call your state representative and state senator today and tell him/her in the strongest terms possible that you want the rules changed to give you tax relief. Not one penny should be used for anything other than tax relief for every single taxpayer. That money should not be used to fund special state projects or local pet projects. It should and must be used to help our overtaxed citizens pay their property taxes. Call today.
Wil Toole

ASKED AND ANSWERED

GOP Chair Terry Casey sent a letter to local media outlets today asking the following questions of all the candidates running for Judge in Luzerne County:
We pose these questions to attorneys Richard Hughes, William Amesbury and Tina Polachek Gartley:
1. Did you, a member of your immediate family, or member of your law firm ever travel on the private jet that was owned by Robert Powell or provided by former judges Ciavarella and Conahan?
2. Were you, a member of your immediate family, or member of your law firm ever a guest on Robert Powell’s yacht “Reel Justice?”
3. Were you, a member of your immediate family, or member of your law firm ever a guest at the Florida condominium owned by the wives of former judges Ciavarella and Conahan?
I thank you in advance for partnering with me in offering the voters some insight into this election.
My first e mail came at 1:40Pm, a forwarded version came at 3:52PM. Almost immediately the three candidates responded in the negative to Steve Corbett on WILK. First Tina Polachek Gartley took the airwaves coming up with the line of the day, “I’ve never even flown first class never mind being on someone’s private jet!”. Bill Amesbury was rather pointed with Corbett about a number of issues primarily his objection to being part of the old boy network. Richard Hughes replied in the negative and this issue seemed to be put to rest for now. The tactic of the letter was I believe targeted at Polachek Gartley who has endured a whispering campaign since the primary. My people tell me that these stories of her flying on a dubious jet aren’t coming from the GOP but from members of the legal community envious of her upstart campaign effort. The Casey letter was an inquiry and you can’t fault the guy for asking the question. I mean when was the last time a GOP Chair in LuLac land got involved in a campaign debate? The Casey missive tells us the GOP is going to pose the questions and in a way it helped the clear the air. But the wording reminded me of Lyndon Johnson’s statement on the Vice Presidency in the summer of ’64 when he eliminated all of his Cabinet members from consideration as his Veep. Bobby Kennedy told a Cabinet meeting, “I’m sorry I took so many of you fellows over the side with me”. LBJ's comment was clearly aimed at Kennedy as was Casey’s questioning targeted at the Polachek Gartley campaign based on what was heard from the spring campaign.

DON’T BLAME ED

Seems the general public is blaming the Governor for not signing the state budget. Well that’s impossible because there is no budget. There’s a budget agreement highlighted by the big handshake photo op but there is no budget until the lawmakers figure out what they want in their various conference committee. It’s them, your friendly State Legislators….not the Guv holding it up.

45 YEARS AGO: THE COLLAPSE

Sept. 29th, ’64 Phillies

Cardinals pitcher Ray Sadecki wins his 20th game in a 4 to 2 defeat of the falling fast Phillies. Dennis Bennett, lasting only one inning, takes the loss going 12-14. Johnny Callison pinch hits having been rested for this game. He goes 0 for 1. The Phils remain in third and the Cardinals are in first.