The LuLac Edition #1595, May 15th, 2011
PHOTO INDEX: LUZERNE COUNTY COUNCIL EDITION, ATTORNEY HARRY SKENE WHO IS AGAINST GAS DRILLING, BRUCE SIMPSON, CANDIDATE FOR LUZERNE COUNTY COUNCIL, WIL TOOLE SIGNAGE IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND AD FROM COUNCIL CANDIDATE MIKE GIAMBER WHO IS FOR GAS DRILLING.
COUNTY COUNCIL COUNTDOWN
HOMETOWN BOY
Wil Toole has put signage up in the town of Dupont to let his neighbors know he is running and willing to represent them on the County Council as well as the rest of the County. The Toole signs augment the rest of his campaign throughout the County.
PITTSTON SLATE?
This is from informed sources in the county. With some members of the Third District still reeling from Phil Gianfricaro’s power play of endorsing Lesa Gelb for Luzerne County Judge while all the Pittston Area bench candidates were left at the alter, we here that this is the ticket Red O'Brien - Jimmy Haddock will be passing out in the Greater Pittston area on Tuesday.
Michelle Bednar
John Adonizio
Stanley Knick
Tim McGinley
Tom Rovinski
Fred Stuccio
Wayne Wolfe
Michael McGlynn
The theory is that they will have Bednar, Wapwallopen; Tom Rovinski, Dallas; McGinley, Wilkes Barre and Wolfe, Plymouth Twp. gathering votes from their home areas for the entire ticket and in particular the greater Pittston candidates. If they can pull off six candidates or at least four, the Pittston Area will have a good shot at controlling the County Council Board.
Candidates running on their own are saying tt is a shame that the four novice candidates Bednar, McGinley, Wolfe and Rovinski don't realize they are being used. That said, in such a fragmented and truncated race, why wouldn’t any of them grab an endorsement for a voting block with their names attachwed to it.
GAS DRILLING
Since Gas Drilling is going to be a major issue in this campaign, here is a rundown of candidates against the drilling.
Strong Opponents of Gas Drilling
Harry W. Skene D
Michelle Bednar D
Casey Evans D
Blythe Evans R
Bruce Simpson D
Harry Haas R
Wil Toole D
For gas drilling:
Michael Giamber D
Eugene Kelleher R
Giamber has been a proponent of gas drilling because of what he believes will be the economic boom to the area. Giamber also makes a good point about his surrounding neighbors. Here's an excerpt from the Times Leader:
Opponents of drilling, however, cite a slew of potential environmental indignities from overt destruction of bucolic rural lands to more insidious but less-proven threats, such as groundwater contamination, overuse of regional water supplies and geologic shifting that might cause earthquakes.
Giamber sees much of that as hypocritical moralizing, and he has but to look down his road for an example of it. Every time he drives from his yard to state Route 1, he passes what he calls a homemade scrap heap on a neighbor’s property that’s filled with abandoned cars, rusted appliances and other items long beyond their usefulness. “It blows my mind how they just abuse the land, and now we’re going to bring in some money, and they get all up in arms,” he said.
If people truly cared about the earth, he reasons, they’d be outraged by such overgrown trash piles. But it’s been there for years, and no one’s complained about it. There are no doubt more just like it, too, he says.
In fact, in that context, Giamber sees his use of the land as beneficial. At least it has a positive purpose – providing a cleaner alternative to oil and coal, creating jobs and providing wealth – instead of just being a place to throw trash.
There are people who are saying that Giamber would be a pawn in the hands of the gas companies. Giamber bought into a lease, so did many other people in the county. to his critics, Giamber says, "The discussion concerning gas drilling in Luzerne County is moot. Two natural gas companies drilled three exploration wells and have determined that Luzerne County does not have viable gas. However, let me say that responsible gas exploration is possible with strict controls using best management practices. If gas were to be found in Luzerne in the future, I would see to it that drilling permits were issued only after an exhaustive risk analysis was performed and watchdog group established with full access to the well site, documentation and findings."
HOMETOWN BOY
Wil Toole has put signage up in the town of Dupont to let his neighbors know he is running and willing to represent them on the County Council as well as the rest of the County. The Toole signs augment the rest of his campaign throughout the County.
PITTSTON SLATE?
This is from informed sources in the county. With some members of the Third District still reeling from Phil Gianfricaro’s power play of endorsing Lesa Gelb for Luzerne County Judge while all the Pittston Area bench candidates were left at the alter, we here that this is the ticket Red O'Brien - Jimmy Haddock will be passing out in the Greater Pittston area on Tuesday.
Michelle Bednar
John Adonizio
Stanley Knick
Tim McGinley
Tom Rovinski
Fred Stuccio
Wayne Wolfe
Michael McGlynn
The theory is that they will have Bednar, Wapwallopen; Tom Rovinski, Dallas; McGinley, Wilkes Barre and Wolfe, Plymouth Twp. gathering votes from their home areas for the entire ticket and in particular the greater Pittston candidates. If they can pull off six candidates or at least four, the Pittston Area will have a good shot at controlling the County Council Board.
Candidates running on their own are saying tt is a shame that the four novice candidates Bednar, McGinley, Wolfe and Rovinski don't realize they are being used. That said, in such a fragmented and truncated race, why wouldn’t any of them grab an endorsement for a voting block with their names attachwed to it.
GAS DRILLING
Since Gas Drilling is going to be a major issue in this campaign, here is a rundown of candidates against the drilling.
Strong Opponents of Gas Drilling
Harry W. Skene D
Michelle Bednar D
Casey Evans D
Blythe Evans R
Bruce Simpson D
Harry Haas R
Wil Toole D
For gas drilling:
Michael Giamber D
Eugene Kelleher R
Giamber has been a proponent of gas drilling because of what he believes will be the economic boom to the area. Giamber also makes a good point about his surrounding neighbors. Here's an excerpt from the Times Leader:
Opponents of drilling, however, cite a slew of potential environmental indignities from overt destruction of bucolic rural lands to more insidious but less-proven threats, such as groundwater contamination, overuse of regional water supplies and geologic shifting that might cause earthquakes.
Giamber sees much of that as hypocritical moralizing, and he has but to look down his road for an example of it. Every time he drives from his yard to state Route 1, he passes what he calls a homemade scrap heap on a neighbor’s property that’s filled with abandoned cars, rusted appliances and other items long beyond their usefulness. “It blows my mind how they just abuse the land, and now we’re going to bring in some money, and they get all up in arms,” he said.
If people truly cared about the earth, he reasons, they’d be outraged by such overgrown trash piles. But it’s been there for years, and no one’s complained about it. There are no doubt more just like it, too, he says.
In fact, in that context, Giamber sees his use of the land as beneficial. At least it has a positive purpose – providing a cleaner alternative to oil and coal, creating jobs and providing wealth – instead of just being a place to throw trash.
There are people who are saying that Giamber would be a pawn in the hands of the gas companies. Giamber bought into a lease, so did many other people in the county. to his critics, Giamber says, "The discussion concerning gas drilling in Luzerne County is moot. Two natural gas companies drilled three exploration wells and have determined that Luzerne County does not have viable gas. However, let me say that responsible gas exploration is possible with strict controls using best management practices. If gas were to be found in Luzerne in the future, I would see to it that drilling permits were issued only after an exhaustive risk analysis was performed and watchdog group established with full access to the well site, documentation and findings."
In earlier presentations of Edition 1595, Salvatore Licata was incorrectly identified as being for Gas Drilling. Please see the comments for clarification. LuLac regrets the error.
How this issue is going to play out is anyone’s guess but there is a vocal group of people making their voices known against it. How that will translate into the results on Election day, is anyone’s guess.
KELLEHER NOTES DEBT
Republican Gene Kelleher is running in the primary as a Republican candidate for County Council. He is for gas drilling and here are some of his thoughts on the job of County Councilman. Luzerne County Taxpayer,
We are entering a very challenging period in Luzerne County. Due to its financial difficulties, in 2004 Luzerne County entered into the Commonwealth’s Early Intervention Program for local governments. After this action was taken, the County borrowed money every year from 2004 through 2009. From 2006 through 2009 the County borrowed $67 million dollars, enacted a County-wide reassessment and raised taxes 10% in 2009 while eliminating 138 jobs. The 2010 budget raised taxes 15%. The County’s debt is approximately $464 million which is nearly 4 times its total annual revenue. The debt service in the 2011 budget is $21.8 million out of a $125 million budget. The county will not pay off the debt until 2027 if it borrows no more money. County government will have used over $100 million of taxes to pay the interest on the debt. Fiscal accountability must be restored.
The members of the first Luzerne County Council must be people who will take the time to study the budget and are willing to make tough decisions. The members should be people who will do what is in the best interest of the County taxpayers. The first important decision will be the appointment of a County manager who has responsibilities comparable to those of the CEO of a large company. This person must be a professional.
The following pledges I make to the taxpayers of Luzerne County.
1.I will spend whatever time is necessary to be able to make informed decisions.
2.I will object when government attempts to spend more money than it receives.
3.I will report to the media any person who tries violating that which is ethical.
4.I will make all decisions based on what is in the best interest of taxpayers’ money.
5. I will work to eliminate waste from County Government.
Someone once said, “A problem is an opportunity for a solution.” Applying that statement to Luzerne County results in many opportunities for solutions. I have been consulting with Walter Griffith, Luzerne County Controller, to get his input on ideas which will eliminate waste in Luzerne County government and save taxpayers’ money. Every effort will be made to stop waste in government spending.
I ask for your vote on May 17th
EUGENE KELLEHER
Line 16 (last) on the Republican ballot
SIMPSON'S FED EXPERIENCE
One of the candidates running for County Council has an impressive record with the Federal Government. As Gene Kelleher pointed out in his letter, the County is in massive debt. Look at the experience Bruce Simpson brings to the county with his financial background. God imagine the meetings between him and Walter Griffith once they start looking into issues like why nearly every Courthouse employee has a printer at their desk and why someone has not made an effort to partner with any of the high end office suppliers located here in the County. Anyway, take a gander at this:
After serving at MSHA headquarters as Chief of Collections for seven years, I was transferred to the Department of the Treasury to take up that position for the entire Federal Government. I finally retired from public service as an acting GS-14 level employee of the United States Department of the Treasury. In this capacity, I helped write and implement the Debt Collection Procedures Improvement Act of 1996. Under this new Federal Law, it was my responsibility to implement the new law throughout the Federal Government and then act as the supervisor for the entire collection entity for the collection of non-tax debt owed to all departments of the federal government. This program was responsible for attempting to collect $50 billion dollars in lost revenue. As a result of my effective leadership in this area, I was the recipient of an award from the Vice-President of the United States as well as the Secretary of the Treasury.
EVANS ASKS FOR VOTE
Casey Evans, a candidate for a spot on the Luzerne County Council believes his youthful enthusiasm as well as his commitment to the area are reasons why he should be considered. Evans put it in writing: Luzerne County is at a crossroads, and we are on the cusp of electing a new government to lead us into the 21st century. We can either stay with the same old names and same old faces, or we can elect thoughtful, hardworking people who will bring this job a fresh new point of view. I hope to be one of your 11 choices in this upcoming Democratic primary.
If you are opposed to natural gas drilling and want to hold the gas industry accountable for their actions, I am your candidate for County Council: My plan will require land development plans for each fracking site that must include emergency plans in case of a blowout. I will also never vote to surrender any more county land or county property to the natural gas companies. If they cannot "frack" safely, they will not "frack" at all: Unlike some of my opponents in this primary, I have not signed a gas lease, and I have not and will not take any money from the natural gas companies, or for that matter, any corporate entity.
If you believe in accountability and empowering taxpayers to track how their tax dollars are being spent, I am your candidate for County Council: I will work to authorize and create a website that will track every county transaction over $25, posted on the internet for every citizen to see exactly where the money goes. It's time we keep spending in check and make the process as open as possible. It is an inexpensive, common sense measure that will finally crack open the court house dome and let the sun shine in.
If you believe in fiscal oversight, I am your candidate for County Council: My plan would require purchase orders for everything over $50, because there must be greater oversight for a county with a history of misusing taxpayer dollars. Under the new home rule charter, the county manager can move funds around however s/he wants, requiring only notification to Council within writing five days after the fact. I do not believe that's acceptable. This is a simple, reasonable protocol that we can establish to make sure that our financial house is finally brought into order. Our neighbors in Columbia County have had a similar protocol established for some time now, and their government works just fine: isn't it time that we restore that same faith in our own county government?
Finally, I've heard a lot of people make jokes about my age. My only response to that is this: It's my future, too. I just have just as much of a stake in this election as every other citizen of this county. I've even been called a "meddling kid", and to that, I must say that if I was a "meddling kid", I would go out, grab 3 of my friends, buy a Great Dane and name him Scooby, and we'd hop in a van and we'd go solve mysteries. However, I'm not doing that, because the only things I'm interested in solving are the plagues of corruption and misgoverning that have vexed our county for far too long. I am a lifelong Luzerne County resident -- born, raised, and educated here -- and I am endorsed by EqualityPA, the only statewide organization dedicated to achieving equal rights for all Pennsylvanians with a specific focus on LGBT issues. I stand for what is right, for what is fair, and for what is just. I'm dedicated, I'm sincere, and I'm honest -- Believe me, all you have to do is look to the newspapers, because I believe I've proven that I answer EVERY question honestly! I am running to build a home rule government that works for everyone; and if you stand for me for just one day on May 17th, I will stand for you every day of this campaign and every day at the Luzerne County court house. Please visit my website at
www.CaseyEvans.org for more information on my candidacy. I humbly ask for your vote in the Democratic primary, because If we work together, united in our common interests instead of divided by our common differences, we will build a new Luzerne County Council that we can all be proud of.
Thank you,
Casey Evans
Democratic Candidate for Luzerne County Council
www.CaseyEvans.org
WORKING FAMILIES ROBO CALLS
How this issue is going to play out is anyone’s guess but there is a vocal group of people making their voices known against it. How that will translate into the results on Election day, is anyone’s guess.
KELLEHER NOTES DEBT
Republican Gene Kelleher is running in the primary as a Republican candidate for County Council. He is for gas drilling and here are some of his thoughts on the job of County Councilman. Luzerne County Taxpayer,
We are entering a very challenging period in Luzerne County. Due to its financial difficulties, in 2004 Luzerne County entered into the Commonwealth’s Early Intervention Program for local governments. After this action was taken, the County borrowed money every year from 2004 through 2009. From 2006 through 2009 the County borrowed $67 million dollars, enacted a County-wide reassessment and raised taxes 10% in 2009 while eliminating 138 jobs. The 2010 budget raised taxes 15%. The County’s debt is approximately $464 million which is nearly 4 times its total annual revenue. The debt service in the 2011 budget is $21.8 million out of a $125 million budget. The county will not pay off the debt until 2027 if it borrows no more money. County government will have used over $100 million of taxes to pay the interest on the debt. Fiscal accountability must be restored.
The members of the first Luzerne County Council must be people who will take the time to study the budget and are willing to make tough decisions. The members should be people who will do what is in the best interest of the County taxpayers. The first important decision will be the appointment of a County manager who has responsibilities comparable to those of the CEO of a large company. This person must be a professional.
The following pledges I make to the taxpayers of Luzerne County.
1.I will spend whatever time is necessary to be able to make informed decisions.
2.I will object when government attempts to spend more money than it receives.
3.I will report to the media any person who tries violating that which is ethical.
4.I will make all decisions based on what is in the best interest of taxpayers’ money.
5. I will work to eliminate waste from County Government.
Someone once said, “A problem is an opportunity for a solution.” Applying that statement to Luzerne County results in many opportunities for solutions. I have been consulting with Walter Griffith, Luzerne County Controller, to get his input on ideas which will eliminate waste in Luzerne County government and save taxpayers’ money. Every effort will be made to stop waste in government spending.
I ask for your vote on May 17th
EUGENE KELLEHER
Line 16 (last) on the Republican ballot
SIMPSON'S FED EXPERIENCE
One of the candidates running for County Council has an impressive record with the Federal Government. As Gene Kelleher pointed out in his letter, the County is in massive debt. Look at the experience Bruce Simpson brings to the county with his financial background. God imagine the meetings between him and Walter Griffith once they start looking into issues like why nearly every Courthouse employee has a printer at their desk and why someone has not made an effort to partner with any of the high end office suppliers located here in the County. Anyway, take a gander at this:
After serving at MSHA headquarters as Chief of Collections for seven years, I was transferred to the Department of the Treasury to take up that position for the entire Federal Government. I finally retired from public service as an acting GS-14 level employee of the United States Department of the Treasury. In this capacity, I helped write and implement the Debt Collection Procedures Improvement Act of 1996. Under this new Federal Law, it was my responsibility to implement the new law throughout the Federal Government and then act as the supervisor for the entire collection entity for the collection of non-tax debt owed to all departments of the federal government. This program was responsible for attempting to collect $50 billion dollars in lost revenue. As a result of my effective leadership in this area, I was the recipient of an award from the Vice-President of the United States as well as the Secretary of the Treasury.
EVANS ASKS FOR VOTE
Casey Evans, a candidate for a spot on the Luzerne County Council believes his youthful enthusiasm as well as his commitment to the area are reasons why he should be considered. Evans put it in writing: Luzerne County is at a crossroads, and we are on the cusp of electing a new government to lead us into the 21st century. We can either stay with the same old names and same old faces, or we can elect thoughtful, hardworking people who will bring this job a fresh new point of view. I hope to be one of your 11 choices in this upcoming Democratic primary.
If you are opposed to natural gas drilling and want to hold the gas industry accountable for their actions, I am your candidate for County Council: My plan will require land development plans for each fracking site that must include emergency plans in case of a blowout. I will also never vote to surrender any more county land or county property to the natural gas companies. If they cannot "frack" safely, they will not "frack" at all: Unlike some of my opponents in this primary, I have not signed a gas lease, and I have not and will not take any money from the natural gas companies, or for that matter, any corporate entity.
If you believe in accountability and empowering taxpayers to track how their tax dollars are being spent, I am your candidate for County Council: I will work to authorize and create a website that will track every county transaction over $25, posted on the internet for every citizen to see exactly where the money goes. It's time we keep spending in check and make the process as open as possible. It is an inexpensive, common sense measure that will finally crack open the court house dome and let the sun shine in.
If you believe in fiscal oversight, I am your candidate for County Council: My plan would require purchase orders for everything over $50, because there must be greater oversight for a county with a history of misusing taxpayer dollars. Under the new home rule charter, the county manager can move funds around however s/he wants, requiring only notification to Council within writing five days after the fact. I do not believe that's acceptable. This is a simple, reasonable protocol that we can establish to make sure that our financial house is finally brought into order. Our neighbors in Columbia County have had a similar protocol established for some time now, and their government works just fine: isn't it time that we restore that same faith in our own county government?
Finally, I've heard a lot of people make jokes about my age. My only response to that is this: It's my future, too. I just have just as much of a stake in this election as every other citizen of this county. I've even been called a "meddling kid", and to that, I must say that if I was a "meddling kid", I would go out, grab 3 of my friends, buy a Great Dane and name him Scooby, and we'd hop in a van and we'd go solve mysteries. However, I'm not doing that, because the only things I'm interested in solving are the plagues of corruption and misgoverning that have vexed our county for far too long. I am a lifelong Luzerne County resident -- born, raised, and educated here -- and I am endorsed by EqualityPA, the only statewide organization dedicated to achieving equal rights for all Pennsylvanians with a specific focus on LGBT issues. I stand for what is right, for what is fair, and for what is just. I'm dedicated, I'm sincere, and I'm honest -- Believe me, all you have to do is look to the newspapers, because I believe I've proven that I answer EVERY question honestly! I am running to build a home rule government that works for everyone; and if you stand for me for just one day on May 17th, I will stand for you every day of this campaign and every day at the Luzerne County court house. Please visit my website at
www.CaseyEvans.org for more information on my candidacy. I humbly ask for your vote in the Democratic primary, because If we work together, united in our common interests instead of divided by our common differences, we will build a new Luzerne County Council that we can all be proud of.
Thank you,
Casey Evans
Democratic Candidate for Luzerne County Council
www.CaseyEvans.org
WORKING FAMILIES ROBO CALLS
Bill Vinsko is calling area homes on Robo Calls telling voters that they should vote for the working families slate for Luzerne Coiunty Council. The team will be armjed with cards and tee shirts at the polls. One of their planks is to "Stimulate the economy" and "Help Working Families". From their website:
Creating and Protecting Jobs – The entire ticket will work collectively to foster an environment for economic development that includes working families. We will work with businesses and members of the community to encourage job creation and stimulate our economy where working families can thrive. We will do everything that we can to lower Luzerne County’s unemployment rate, currently at 9.4 percent.I still waiting for the specifics of HOW they plan to do that. Nice words though.
posted by David Yonki @ 2:23 PM
22 comments
22 Comments:
Mike Giamber essentially says that rusty cars are more of an environmental threat than natural gas drilling? I ain't voting for him. What a buffoon! Bought and sold by the gas industry!
Skene, Bednar, Evans, Simpson and Toole for me. Bullet voting all of them on Tuesday.
Cluster ****.
That baby suffering from strabismus isn't cute, funny or clever. What a hot mess of an ad.
Yonk, WTF? Giamber is truly bought and paid for by oil. He says he is concerned about the county yet he ignores information such as that contained in the very informative video "Gas Lands" which shows the true danger of gas fracking. How would you like your drinking water burn as it leaves the faucet and is touched by a flame? How would you like it if you could not drink, cook, bath or wash your cloths? People are suffering that from fracking, they live off water trucked onto their property and that idiot Giamber says pooh pooh? Jerk! How about Kelleher? He is a retired teacher who says that the teachers in Wisconsin are greedy and he like the law destroying the teachers union. How do you spell hypocrite? Here is a good one, the ding bat wants gas drilling to save the county debt. Ain't that sumptin? Destroy the land, air and water but reduce the budget. Thank God he retired and can no longer influence children. Hey, how about him going to Walter Griffith for help dealing with the county finances? Walter was an auto mechanic all his life and last year he became the county controller and Kelleher thinks Griffith is a financial wizard. I'm still waiting for a repot on the county audits? Are they up to date? Walter is working hard but for Kelleher to use him as his guru is absurd. I'm a Democrat and I can assure you that I will not vote for Giamber or Casey Evans, the super kid with no life experience. Of the four you mentioned, I will be voting for Simpson and Toole. At least they are in touch with planet earth and have a good government background. AS for the "Working Families" NOT ONE OF THEM WILL GET MY VOTE. This is a push by the unions to elect 6 to the Council and then take control of the county union contracts. The same with the O'Brien ticket, he needs a job and figures if he can elect 6 to the Council, he can pull the strings that gives him one of the department manager's jobs. Too late Red me boy, the jig is up and we got your number. Your plan will fail because you destroyed your ticket the moment you put your name on it and played games with the other candidates. One guy told me you played head games with him saying you left room on your ticket so maybe he will get one of the open slots. Your too funny!
agreed with 3:39. i'm voting for all of them too.
the only one im unsure about is skene i havent heard him be as vocal on opposing gas drilling like evans or toole or simpson. we have to elect these five people.
everyone pls bullet vote for SKENE-BEDNAR-EVANS-SIMPSON-TOOLE. the only real candidates in this entire primary.
working families ticket is so weak which is terrible because i usually support union causes and tickets. who are half of these people? they're too timid and small to have my vote.
disappointed in bill vinsko. he should be supporting the anti-gas drilling slate, the aforementioned skene-bednar-evans-simpson-toole ticket.
mike giamber's ad is almost disgusting. this man is ridiculously corrupt taking something like $180,000+ from the gas companies????? talk about your corporate-pwned politicians! giamber is undeserving to serve the public trust. he oughta be chased outta town he's so crooked!
kelleher's letter is not as strong as casey evans's and far less detailed. it leaves me with more questions than answers, especially since he's listed as being for gas drilling and doesn't mention it at all. clearly, he either doesnt know about the issue or doesnt care about it. so i'm telling my republican friends not to care about him on election day!
Mr. Yonki,
I have never given a position on being for or against gas drilling. Can you please inform me and your readers where the information that I am for gas drilling came from?
Thank you,
Salvatore Licata
Is Giamber that insinsitive that he would use a photo of a baby with a physical defect to make a political point? I thought his greed with a gas lease was ad but he is a pure fracker!
IN RESPOBSE
Mr. Yonki,
I have never given a position on being for or against gas drilling. Can you please inform me and your readers where the information that I am for gas drilling came from?
Thank you,
Salvatore Licata
INFORMED OR MAYBE IN THIS CASE UNINFORMED SOURCES. THE ISSUE IS ARE YOU FOR IT, AGAINST IT OR ARE YOU NOT TAKING A POSITION ON IT? IF YOU ARE NOT TAKING A POSITION ON IT EITHER WAY, I WILL CHANGE THE CONTENT IN THE EDITION. LET ME KNOW.
The "Working Families" ticket is a joke. They'll bring jobs to the area.....for their friends and relatives and double dippers.
In two more days, the people of Luzerne county will have a choice to make in the Luzerne County Council race. This is the most important election in recent history for local citizens. The choice is plain: We have qualified candidates with experience and education that will be dedicated to the people and work hard to turn our current condition around.
Or you can choose to elect people without education, no relevant experience, and a personal agenda which is to benefit themselves or family. I urge the citizens to review the backgrounds of the people seeking your vote. Then ask yourself this question: Do I want this person deciding issues that will not only affect my life, but the lives of my family and neighbors. Do they have what it takes to make wise decisions that are in the interests of the people and the future of Luzerne County?
If you vote for a candidate because they have the most signs, or a catchy slogan, or remind you of your Grandmother, or carry a union card, then you get the government you deserve.
I stand for these things: Honesty, integrity, experience, education, common sense and insight into the issues. I am against gas drilling as it has been proven to be harmful to both the environment and the lives of people that lie in its path. If it was safe, the industry would publish a complete list of the chemicals being pumped into mother earth and into your drinking water.
I stand for an efficient government, one that has the tools, personnel and direction that is needed to perform their public duties. I am against waste, fraud and abuse. I am for reporting any violation of the law or a conflict of interest to the District Attorney's Office.
I stand for doing all we can to create jobs. This means fully utilizing the various tax programs available to the county to attract new business. Instead of employers like Hilton International who closed their call center in the county and shipped the jobs overseas, we need employers who will make a commitment to Luzerne County in exchange for helping them get started.
I stand in opposition to those candidates who talk about not raising property taxes above the 8% ceiling, which is illegal in the first place, and stand on my pledge not to raise property taxes at all.
I stand for reducing the deficit by multiple means, not continuing to pay almost a half million dollars a year in interest. There are ways to do this and all it takes is cooperation and intelligence.
I intend to bring my experience as a senior Federal Government manager to bear on the council in order to improve the conduct of government.
I stand for transparency and pledge never to hold secret meetings where decisions are made that affect the County.
I promise to only ever act in the interests of the people and never for corporations.
Thank you,
Bruce J. Simpson (D) simpsonforcouncil.org
Yo Simpson, what a letter!!!! Love it! You got my vote ... Sal Licata is upset about how Yonk got his information but he did not deny he favors gas drilling. Hey Licata, what did you tell the Times Leader Editorial Board when they interviewed you? Why are no not man enough to state you position? You're a union endorsed candidate and a perfect example as to why we should not vote for the union candidates. They can't be trusted, Sal Licata can't be trusted who he would state his position loud and clear.
OK, here is my take on this Council race. Personally I've had enough of new faces without experience, look what the new faces of Skrep and Vonderhide gave us. I'm looking for background in the group and experience to help steer the ship of state. There is no way we can straighten out the county without some experience to keep us off the rocks. So I plan to bullet vote Toole, Brominski, and Simpson. I list them in that order because that's the order they have on the ballot. Let's be smart about this folks, its our time so let's do it! By the way, no union people for me on this one and that's a major change for me. I see the union trying to take over the county. I will not vote for Bednar, she sold out to Red O'Brien and I hope she realized that she will be expected to give O'Brien one of the dept. manager's jobs. Shame on her and shame on Licata.
I got one of those damn robo calls...man I hate them, hung up on "it."
Giamber is a gassy man and belongs no where near the council.
I'm voting Simpson, Toole, Evans, Boback. I urge the readers of this blog to do the same if you want good government.
As a candidate, you are either for gas drilling..or against it.
http://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/policyblog/detail/gasland-debunked
http://www.energyindepth.org/2010/06/debunking-gasland/
Food for thought...let the chaos continue.
God help us all. This County Council thing is surely going to backfire.
Mr. Yonki,
I have not taken a position on being for or against gas drilling. To do so at this time would only be a ploy to get votes from one side or the other. The only statement I have made in regard to gas drilling is as follows. " The natural gas industry is here to stay. The lure of vast amounts of money to business, industry and individuals along with our dependence on foreign sources of energy have guaranteed this fact. As a result, we must insure that the extraction of natural gas from the ground is done safely, so the environment and the community are not endangersd. To make sure this happens we have to communicate our concerns on this matter to our state legislators, so they will pass legislation that will make drilling safe and penalize the industry for mishaps. Good legislation and a pledge by our elected governmental leaders to not take campaign donations from the industry or their representitives will help accomplish this goal". As you can see this statement is neither for or against gas drilling. It is a statement for a safe and clean environment for the citizens of Luzerne County and the rest of Pennsylvania.I made this statement in a Facebook post last week. These are my words alone. I speak for no one else. I would also like to add I practice what I preach. In answering a question asked by local newspaper political columnist in a questionnaire, I stated that "I would not accept campaign donations from the gas industry or its representitives".
With this said, I would ask you to change the content in your Sunday May 15th edition.
Thank you,
Salvatore Licata
From an interview with Scott Cannon:
Here is the response from Salvatore Licata, a member of the Working Families For Luzerne County group of county council candidates.
As a resident of Luzerne County, I would like to hear each of your candidate’s position on gas drilling and related industries in Luzerne County. Thank You.
Salvatore Licata
The natural gas industry is here to stay. The lure of vast amounts of money to business, industry and individuals along with our dependence on foreign sources of energy have guarenteed this fact.
Scott Cannon
Thank you Salvatore for your response. Are you speaking for the whole group of just youreslf?
Salvatore Licata
As a result, we must insure that the extraction of the natural gas from the ground is done safely, so the environment and the community are not endangered. To make sure this happens we have to communicate our concerns on this matter to our state legislators so they in turn can pass legislation that will make drilling safe and severly penalize the industry for mishaps. Good legislation and a pledge by our elected governmental leaders to not take campaign donations from the industry or its representives will help accomplish this goal.
Scott Cannon
Are you in favor of a moretorium on gas drilling until this can be done?
Salvatore Licata
I can only speak for myself but, I will say, that when talking to the other members of the Working Families Team they also have concerns about this matter.
Yonk, Give us a break. Sal Licata has not said he is against gas drilling and fracking in particular. All he does is say there are concerns. Why isn't he forced to just say yes or no? He dances around the question and I've had enough of politicians doing the ol' two step around pertinent questions. Sal Licata will not take a stand and to me that mean he is in favor of fracking. I will say NO, NO , NO to Sal Licata and I hope all who care about the quality of our air, water and land also say NO to Sal Licata. I see no reason why you should remove Licata from the "in favor" list. He is obviously in favor of fracking.
David, Please allow me to make my position as clear as possible. I'm Wil Toole and I am a County Council candidate. I have had the opportunity to view the video prepared by Mr. Cannon as well as the video Gas Lands. If anyone views these two very well done videos, there is no doubt you will join me in opposing gas drilling - fracking. Our land, air and water are much too important to gamble with. I am in favor of a moratorium on fracking and I would vote to establish that moratorium today if I could. We always seem to be one step behind our technology. Thus the oil spills and our lack of ability to stop the oil flow and clean up the mess. I hope I've made myself clear. Wil Toole
Dear Luzerne County Residents,
We are entering a very challenging period in Luzerne County. Due to its financial difficulties, in 2004 Luzerne County entered into the Commonwealth's Early Intervention Program for local governments. After this action was taken, the County borrowed money every year from 2004 through 2009. From 2006 through 2009 the County borrowed $67 million dollars, enacted a County-wide reassessment and raised taxes 10% in 2009 while eliminating 138 jobs. The 2010 budget raised 15%. The County's debt is approximately $464 million which is nearly 4 times its total annual revenue.
The debt service in the 2011 budget is $21.8 million out of a $125 million budget.
The members of the first Luzerne County Council must be people who will take the time to study the budget and are willing to make tough decisions. The members should be people who will do what is in the best interest of the County taxpayers. One of the first decisions will be the appointment of a County manager who has responsibilities comparable to those of the CEO of a large company. This person must be a professional.
The following pledges we make to the taxpayers of Luzerne County.
1. We will spend whatever time is necessary to be able to make informed decisions.
2. We will object when government attempts to spend more money than it receives.
3. We will report to the media any violation of the home rule charter.
4. We will make all decisions based on what is in the best interest of taxpayers' money.
5. We will work to eliminate waste from County Government.
Someone once said, "A problem is an opportunity for a solution." Applying that statement to Luzerne County results in many opportunities for solutions. We have been consulting with Walter Griffith, Luzerne County Controller, to get his input on ideas which will eliminate waste in Luzerne County government and save taxpayers' money. We will also study the report prepared by the Commonwealth's Early Intervention Group referred to in the second sentence on this page and presented to the county commissioners. We will strive to implement recommendations from this report that elimnate waste.
We ask for your vote on May 17th.
Sincerely,
Ed Warkevicz
Kathleen M. Dobash
Eugene Kelleher
LINES 12, 13 and 16
on Republican Ballot
Ed Warkevicz
Kathleen M. Dobash
Eugene Kelleher
You have got to be kidding me. Kathleen Dobash haas shown herself to be wanting and what she is wanting is certainly not under the Dome.
Eugene Kelleher is strongly in favor of gas drilling and that in itself is more than I can stand. Now add to that the fct that Kelleher is a retired teacher who thinks the teachers in Wissconsin should lose their union representation and see nothing but a phony hiproctie.
As for Ed Warkevicz, I was absolutely going to vote for him but he just changed my mind. I'm not kidding, he is out!
Back to the Sal Licata gas issue.
"Scott Cannon
Are you in favor of a moratorium on gas drilling until this can be done?
Salvatore Licata
I can only speak for myself but, I will say, that when talking to the other members of the Working Families Team they also have concerns about this matter."
So there you have it, Sal Licata will not answer the question. He absolutely will not state clearly if he is for or against gas drilling. He won't even support a moratorium and that's sinful! NO SAL LICATA ON COUNTY COUNCIL, I WILL NOT VOTE FOR HIM.
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