Saturday, October 20, 2012

The LuLac Edition #2235, October 20th, 2012

The Luzerne county Courthouse. 

LAWTON’S ALL NIGHTER 


Luzerne County Bidget Director Robert Lawton submitted his budget this morning at 7AM. The County Manager worked through the night and came up with a plan that reduced spending by $383,490. The budget totals $122,249,099. In terms of staffing, more than 70 positions will be eliminated through layoffs (33) and attrition (41). The net job loss is about 60 because more than ten new jobs were added. That figure includes the department heads. The budget is going to be lean because it must pay for labor and health care cost and the debt that was built up by previous administrations. The reaction of the County Council will be interesting to say the least. 

PA. GOP: "SCREW THE FLOOD VICTIMS"

Harrisburg legislators, under the control of that compassionate party the Republicans have opted to not put a flood recovery bill on the accomplishment list of completed items. Times Shamrock Harrisburg Bureau Chief R.B. Swift reports that Lawmakers left town Wednesday night without approving either a $150 million recovery bond issue as the Republican-controlled Senate sought or a no-borrow plan authorizing the smaller transfer of funds from a state economic development authority to pay for projects as the GOP-controlled House sought. A no-borrow flood aid bill that could have served as a compromise vehicle remains in the House Rules Committee. Lawmakers from Northeastern Pennsylvania have compiled a list of damaged roads, bridges and water and sewer systems in need of repairs as well as needed flood control projects to mitigate the impact of future flooding. What does this mean? Three things. 
1. More than a year after the September floods of 2011, there is no money available for disaster relief for people to continue to fix their properties. 
2. There are no more days left in the Legislative calendar. These jokers are going home and aren’t coming back for a lengthy session time until next year. 
3. The GOP wants the money to go through the annual state budget process. If that happens the money will could come as late as June 30th, 2013 when the new state budget is passed. 
The disgusting thing about this is that the money is used to compliment the federal aid that has already arrived. The state though is not living up to its end of the bargain. And as State Senator John Yudichak has pointed out without this aid, flood victims do not have the money to recover that was made available to anyone flooded in the last half century. For those of you who scream about government being too big, or government being a nanny, what do you say about this? Too bad, so sad, you got flooded in the wrong century? Dan Flood might have ended his career with a plea bargain, but he would never have let people whose very lives were destroyed left to fend for themselves. But yet, that’s what the GOP preaches. Individual freedom. Pull yourself up by the bootstraps. American individualism! This non action, this blocking of vitally needed money for flood victims is just one reason why the Republican legislature in Harrisburg is a criminal disgrace. But hey, no worries. The GOP in Harrisburg might not help you fix your house but they’ll gladly use an ultrasound to peek up your wife’s vagina to see if she really needs that health care service all in the name of protecting life. What about the lives of those flooded in a disaster? Priorities man, priorities.

9 Comments:

At 5:36 PM, Anonymous Junction said...

Dave, with all this said on the GOP screwing the flood victims,how can one ever see how the two party system ever see compromise on anything that affects the taxpayer.
It is no wonder why most Democrats become more entrenched along their party lines. It is a shame it all boils down to what party has the majority in the state and federal governments.
It is also shame that these people that were devistated in the flood can only expect change(after the fact) with voting these bums out of office. VOTE

 
At 5:53 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice picture of the Luzerne County House of Ill repute. Beautiful building, but rotten from the inside out and filled with rats and other disgusting critters!
Screw the flood victims. Its their own fault they got flooded. Thank God for compassionate well informed useless except to themselves legislaters. They are all worthless and overpaid. Id like to see them all flooded out!

 
At 6:02 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

They had time to pass the silly voter ID law and waste millions on a non-existent problem! But nothing to fix a real problem. These guys have no shame.

 
At 7:21 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

The GOP remains the party of NO, and the party of hate. They don't give a damn about the common man and their action, or lack of action on this matter is just one more stick on the fire that I hope consumes them. We must all vote a straight Dem ballot in a couple of weeks.

Obama-2012
Bruce J. Simpson

 
At 11:30 PM, Blogger David Yonki said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At 11:31 PM, Blogger David Yonki said...

IN RESPONSE
It is no wonder why most Democrats become more entrenched along their party lines.
I WAS BLESSED WITH PARENTS AND THEN TEACHERS WHO ALWAYS URGED ME TO LOOK AT THE PERSON, NOT THE PARTY. SINCE VOTING I HAVE PICKED 4 REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTS, 6 REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS AND MANY LOCAL REPUBLICANS. BUT THE WAY THE NATIONAL AND STATE GOP HAS BECOME, AS A MATTER OF SURVIVAL FOR MY OWN BEST INTERESTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MY PEERS, I WILL NEVER, EVER VOTE FOR A MODERN DAY REPUBLICAN. I FEEL TERRIBLE THAT I FEEL THIS WAY BUT WITH THEIR POLICIES AND TACTICS, THEY PUSHED ME AWAY.

 
At 12:10 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

David, I walked through West Pittston along the Susquehanna and down Race Street and then Lacoe Street (the alley that runs parallel behind Susq. Ave. There are so many still-empty houses. Some look like an effort was made to clean up and then they gave up. Others, likely those with the financial means to do things on their own, are back in order. This is sad that the politicians have "left the house" without doing what they could to help. Thank you for writing about this. I'm sure the flood victims are grateful that someone still cares long after the masses have gone back to business as usual.

 
At 8:37 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

With all of this, average Americans including Pennsylvanian voteers are still going to vote against their own best interest and stand with Romney and Ryan. If you can explain that to me, I will be forever grateful. Romeny and Ryan have stated very matter of factly that they will privatize Social Security and put Medicare into a voucher program and still working class people will vote for them. It drives me nuts!

 
At 10:59 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This Lawton really makes me laugh. He has been pissing and moaning all year that the 2012 Budget was flawed. He couldn't fill management positions and expenses were underfunded. However, after missing the deadline for the 2013 Budget, he suddenly balances the budget with a $4.4 million Cash Balance Carryforward from 2012. The new software will be more efficient per Lawton but he adds 3 budget analyst. Tom Pribula was the Manager and Analyst. He went from a staff of 7 to a staff of 4 and provided more guidance and information than the Commissioners or Council wanted. Lawton is a true career government employee, I'll cut your budget but I'll grow mine. He provided many pages of detail but there are some obvious errors. You can't pay interest and principal on the 2008 and 2009 Bonds in 2007. It sure looks like the historical numbers are incorrect on the posted budget. How do you know where you're going if you don't know where you've been?

 

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