The LuLac Edition #1545, April 11th, 2011

PHOTO INDEX: LUZERNE COUNTY COUNCIL.

COUNTY COUNCIL NEWS

RED’S ENDORSEMENT?

Red O’Brien is endorsing a slate of candidates for Luzerne County Council. This comes as the election of the Council starts getting heated up. You have Casey Evans having a fundraiser featuring drag queens. At $5.00 a head, Evans got tons of publicity that most likely far surpassed the monetary take of the night. Because of his questions about is personal life which came via rumblings the candidate heard, Evans got 3 days of free publicity on radio and in the newspapers. Bruce Simpson is issuing press releases and talking issues. The C.O.P.S. people are endorsing and withdrawing endorsements like strippers change g strings. You need a scorecard to see who’s up and who’s down. We bring this up because one of the criteria the O’Brien group used was that if you were endorsed by C.O.P.S., you couldn’t be endorsed by his team. Are the two groups exclusive? Why wouldn’t one candidate have a shot at all endorsements? One is in Hazleton, one in Pittston. Anyway O’Brien is using his political muscle to give a nod to Mike McGlynn, Stanley Knick, John Adonizio, Wayne Wolf, John Adonizio, Tim McGinley, possibly Mike Giamber and Michele Bednar. These guys except Bednar and McGinley have connections in greater Pittston. But here’s my question, how many votes does Red O’Brien control? And if you were a candidate do you want the nod of a guy who shortly after he was elected had back tax issues with the county and who was criticized for not showing up at work at his job in the Recorder of Deeds office? Pus his deputy who has a professional office in Avoca was accused of being a no show too. If reform is on the horizon, do you as a county council candidate want this endorsement? Just asking.

THE UNION LABEL

A conglomeration of local unions has come up with a “Working for Families” slate in Luzerne County. They have endorsed Democrats Linda McClosky Houck, John Nadolny, Theresa Morcavage, Jane Waitkus, Salvatore Licata, John Livingston, Brian Overman, Joe Padavan; Frank Sorokach, Michael Collins, and Michael Chrobak, of Dallas. Working Families for Luzerne County will also endorse two Republican candidates: Rick Morelli and Michael Cabell. You have to wonder though if these candidates backed by the unions will turn a blind eye to the abuses that have gone on in Luzerne County in prior years. Was it not a few union members in the courthouse who came and went as they pleased without worrying about putting in a 40 hour week like the rest of the world? And wasn’t it the unions that drove up the cost of health care in the county? How would any of these candidates react if say a new county manager wanted to renegotiate a union contract? Would they look at it as a taxpayer issue first or a union issue?

SIMPSON ON JOBS

Bruce J. Simpson, candidate for Luzerne County Council has issued a statement on jobs and economic growth. In an effort to revitalize both our economy as well as our areas that have fallen into a "blighted" status, Simpson is recommending the use of LERTA (Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance Act) as a tool for achieving the above goals. A major obstacle for business has always been that improvements both minor and major to their physical structures increases the value of the property and would or could lead to increased taxes being levied on the property at a time that they might not be able to afford it. LERTA allows local taxing entities under authority of Article VIII, Section 2(b)(iii) of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, to provide tax assistance in the following form: "This act allows local taxing authorities to exempt improvement to business property IF SUCH PROPETY IS LOCATED IN A DETERIORATINAG AREA AS DETERMINED BY A MUNICIPAL GOVERNING BODY or is subject to a governmental order requiring the property to be vacated, condemned or demolished by reason of noncompliance with law, ordinance, or regulations. Improvements eligible for tax exemption include, repair, construction, or reconstruction including alteration and additions having the effect of rehabilitating a structure so that it become habitable or acquires higher standards of safety, health, economic use or amenity, or is brought into compliance with governing laws, ordinances, or regulations." Tax exemption may be based on actual costs of the improvement or renovation, or a graduated tax increase each year for a maximum of ten years when the business would pay the full tax levied by the taxing authority from then on. This program offers the County and municipalities a unique tool to encourage the revitalization of areas that are now producing little if any tax revenue and no jobs. With revitalized buildings, companies will reopen and employ people in need of jobs. If the owner of a building is interested in revitalizing a building they own, but not to reopen a business, they would be urged to put the building on the rental market for a company to move into. Luzerne County would have to engage in a robust working arrangement with the various Chambers of Business and commerce to recruit outside companies to move into Luzerne County and create the badly needed jobs. How many buildings that now stand empty could house a call center? Hilton International closed their call center in Hazleton, laying off almost 140 employees and shipped the jobs overseas. Other companies have decided to locate their call centers here in Luzerne and a concerted effort can be made to attract new call centers into the area using various means. Manufacturing jobs might be added to the county to manufacture the various parts for the wind turbine industry. One company is already operating in this field in Luzerne, why can't we bring in more of this type of job? Solar panel manufacturing plants would be another excellent industry to bring into the county. A second program that might benefit the County is called PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) which essentially asks tax exempt organizations to make a voluntary payment to the County in recognition that they are legally exempt from taxes, but still benefit from municipal services. Any exempt organization including churches of all denominations can be asked to contribute in these tough times when funding is so badly needed to meet the requirements of government. They of course can say no, but the County should at least make the attempt to get voluntary donations while maintaining the integrity of their exempt status. Luzerne County is currently engaged in these programs but increased use can and should be sought. Additionally KOZ, or Keystone Opportunity Zones need to be more vigorously promoted by the County in order to continue to add one more avenue for increased industry and jobs.

MORELLI-MADDON CURRY

So we hear that there is a real donnybrook going on between Elaine Maddon Curry and Rick Morelli. Both served on an area school board together and were never “best buds”. Now we hear both camps are accusing each other of stealing competing slogans. Morelli is being touted as a top vote getter on the GOP side and Maddon Curry has strong support in the Hazleton Area. I don’t know what will be more fun, seeing them campaign against each other in November or having them serve on the Council together.

CALLING TARAH TOOHIL!!!

I’m getting reports from politicos, media people and worse yet key community leaders in the 116th district that newly elected State Representative is not getting back to these people in a timely manner. Granted she’s new but the key to any long term successful career in politics is getting back to the folks. It’s nice to have Speaker Sam Smith on your side but that lawmaker from the west can’t get you many votes in the Conyingham Valley come 2012.