The LuLac Edition #2545, October 27th, 2013

County Council member and former Luzerne County Commissioner Ed Brominski. (Photo: Times Leader).

BROMO SENDS A NOTE

Current County Council member Ed Brominski sent a note along. The former County Commissioner, now Council member has taken an interest in this year’s County Council race. He sent along his thoughts to the local newspapers as well as the bloggers. Here are his thoughts:
Editor:
The following are examples of how TRANSPARENT three of the four incumbents running for County Council really are.
One incumbent said at a meeting of elected officials and some of the public “WE are not going to let the Charter get in our way”!! He has proved it by serving on a board which allows pay increases to employees of the county without Council approval as required by the Charter. He proclaims business knowledge yet has not made one suggestion as to how we are to solve the $430,000,000 crisis we are in.
A second incumbent read the Bible at a public meeting, yet he fabricates numbers to be saved by eliminating the tax collectors, at a political rally, without substantial information. The only purpose was to secure votes for re-election. Further he committed to vote for a person applying to a County Authority solely to gain votes for his re-election from a segment of his party.
The third incumbent solicited an applicant for a county appointed board (who he nominated and voted for) and also solicited the same person to apply for the Deputy Director’s Position in the Elections Bureau. All this was done to curry minority votes.
These are issues that the public does not know of, but are examples of the LACK of TRANSPARENCY by these incumbents seeking re-election in November.
These same candidates voted for the 2012 2% tax increase, voted for pay raises and now we are further in the hole with our budget. They have all indicated they support the 8% tax increase proposed by the manager. None have ever offered a way to solve our budgetary problems nor objected to the reckless spending by the manager.
These three also voted down a division head in order to hire another, less qualified person, at a higher salary. Make them accountable to you now, do not re-elect them.
I ask you to, research, vote and be very selective in your choices, and when you choose, select Mike Giamber, Eileen Sorokas , Renee Taffera and Rich “Kick” Heffron for Luzerne County Council.

Yours in Honest Government, I am…

Edward A. Brominski, Luzerne County Council Member

Independent Luzerne County Council member Rick Williams. (Photo: Times Leader).

WILLIAMS GET OUT THE VOTE

Independent candidate Rick Williams is holding a Get out the Vote Party. On Wednesday, October 30th, from 5 to 7pm there will be a gathering at the Riverside Café, 187 Old River Road, Wilkes-Barre. It’s an opportunity to pick up materials for those who will be working at the polls on November 5th and to enjoy some refreshment. Williams throws a good event, so plan to stop by.

MULLIGAN PARTISANS REPORT ON DEBATE

Jim Mulligan's minions have been firing up the e mail machines giving people their take on the recent Mayoral Debate between their guy and Democrat Bill Courtwright. Here's what they had to offer:
During Tuesday night's Scranton mayoral debate, Jim Mulligan confronted Bill Courtright on why he did nothing to stop an employee in his Single Tax Office from stealing thousands of taxpayer dollars and from collecting unemployment on the backs of taxpayers.
"A call from a bank helped tip off the Scranton Single Tax Office that one of their employees dipped her hands into the taxpayers' cash register unnoticed, according to arrest papers. Michelle Finnerty, a former Scranton Single Tax Office employee, allegedly took a $2,357.87 cash payment from an unidentified taxpayer for property taxes in February 2011, deposited only $506.92, and pocketed the rest - $1,850.95, according to arrest papers filed by chief of detectives for the Lackawanna County district attorney's office Joseph Jordan." (SOURCE: "Scranton Single Tax Office Employee Charged With Dipping Into Taxpayer Cash Drawer," The Scranton Times-Tribune, August 7, 2012)
"A woman charged with stealing tax payments from the Scranton Single Tax Office was allowed to collect unemployment benefits for six months after the theft's discovery and four months after she was charged. (SOURCE: "Thieving Tax Employee Collected City Unemployment, The Scranton Times-Tribune, October 13, 2013)
In response, Mr. Courtright simply said: "I don't know what else we could have done." (SOURCE: "Barbs fly as Scranton mayoral candidates debate at the U," The Scranton Times-Tribune, October 23, 2013)
Sadly, there were a few very obvious steps Mr. Courtright could have taken to manage his office such as... Fire the employee for cause!
"Ms. Finnerty officially left her job as a cashier as of May 31, 2012, as part of a previously scheduled layoff of seven employees in the tax office." (SOURCE: "Thieving Tax Employee Collected City Unemployment, The Scranton Times-Tribune, October 13, 2013)
And because Courtright did not fire her, she is now NEXT IN LINE to get her job back!
"According to a union representative, Finnerty remains on active call-back list for the Single Tax Office, and is in first call-back position should the need arise." (SOURCE: 'Courtright aids dismissed employee in collecting unemployment," Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Independent Gazette, October 22, 2013)
Scranton cannot afford to elect Bill Courtright, because with the city underwater, Courtright is in over his head!