The LuLac Edition #2554, November 6th, 2013
ELECTION RECAP 2013
SCRANTON MAYOR'S RACE
The last minute campaign of Jim Mulligan barely made a dent in the Bill Courtright juggernaut. Courtright becomes the new Mayor of Scranton.PITTSTON AREA DISTRICT JUSTICE RACE
Alexandra Kokura held off a challenge by Pittston Attorney Jerry Mecadon. The race got nasty toward the end but the Democratic registration was too much for Mecadon to overcome. Not to mention the solid support of Kokura by the likes of Red O'Brien. As I mentioned earlier in the week, this is big stuff because two of the past DJs who were Attorney became Luzerne Coiunty Judges. Known now as "The Pittston Seat", Joe Augello first occupied it, now Fred Pierantoni.COUNTY COUNCIL SCRAMBLE
With no organized Democratic or Republican party the Council race was a mixed bag that is hard to logically understand. Incumbent Linda McCloskey Hauck won. The Democratic incumbent, she appeared infrequently with the Accountability team of Mike Giamber, Rich Heffron and Renne Ciafurfulli Taffera. Eileen Sorokas who joined forces with the three finished second. Sorokas openly embraced the team while Hauck did not. But Sorokas was running non stop from the get go and logged many miles in the county.The big surprise of the night was Kathy Dobash of Hazleton finishing third. Dobash said over and over that she wanted no new tax increases and openly attached Gene Kelleher who voted for an increase. Yet, Harry Haas, a Republican who did raise taxes won the fourth spot. Rick Williams who did not raise tax es but never ruled it out for the future, finished fifth. If these totals hold, I can tell you there is no logic to the way this Council was picked. No pattern. You can attribute Sorokas' and Dobash's showing to hard work but how do you figure Haas and Williams surviving.
The bottom totals featuring the rest of the Accountability team plainly shows that Ed Brominski's endorsement was not universally received. Yet Heffron and Ciaruffoli-Taffera
are still close along with Republican Sue Rossi. From Gort 42, here are the totals:
McClosky Houck
18,227
Eileen M. Sorokas
17,531
Kathy Dobash
17,272
Harry Haas
17,007
Rick Williams
16,739
Sue Rossi
16,584
Richard Heffron
16,265
Ciaruffoli-Taffera
15,854
Eugene Kelleher
15,852
Michael Giamber
14,701
Paul Defabo
13,182
IN WITH THE NEW...OUT WITH CAROLEE
County Manager Bob Lawton had a mixed bag tonight. Even though Carolee Medico Olenginski was defeated by Michelle Bednar, he will have Kathy Dobash to contend with. Bednar beat back a spirited challenge from medico Olenginski. Bednar got some warm words on the radio today from interim Controller Walter Mitchell that couldn't hurt.GRIFFITH'S INFLUENCE?
The Citizen's Voice featured Walter Griffith endorsements on Election Day. It was a curious thing. But before Griffith takes credit for Kathy Dobash's showing, he needs to also say that he didn't pull Carolee through. But his insight was fascinating.County Controller
Michelle Bednar
22,225
Medico Olenginski
18,749
posted by David Yonki @ 1:02 AM
16 comments
16 Comments:
Yonkster, Hate to tell you but Red O'Brien was more of a mith in this election than a presence. He wasn't even at her viCtory rally. Red's real concern was the school board and that's where he put HIS effortS. I don't blame him, its called survival. I spoke to a lot of people yesterday and she won because she worked hard and knoced on a lot of doors. Considering there are only two attorneys holding DJ seats in the county, Mecadon's insults that Kokura was not qualified brought out the dumb in Mecadumb. He did show enough class to call her and offer his best wishes. I spoke with her privately just to get a feel and she seemed very sincere that she holdS no grudges and simply wants to be a full time DJ and make her supporter's proud and win over those who doubted her. A REAL CLASS ACT.
Boy how I hate to see Griffith's name in print. The ego will absolutely take credit for Dobash and we need to give him all the credit in the world because it will come back to haunt him. All the PR he is getting will put him right in the driver's seat in four years and by then, people will see Bednar and her sleepy ways.
Perhaps now that we have someone willing to work as a controller the past errors will be rectified and future errors will be prevented.
Can only imagine how bad it would have been with Carol following Walter. Two media hounds more concerned with attention than competence.
Good luck
Michelle
Read Medico's reaction, Carolee is bitter and angry, what's new?
Saw Bedner on WBRE, God I hope she was celbrating w/adult beverages. If not, wow she's not too bright.
Dave:
Great job on WYLN last night. Man, the hatred both the anchorman, Donald and that Tiffany woman had for any reasonable person was incredible.
Obama made a statement with the information that was available to him at the time. A lie? Maybe. But I love the fact you brought up "Mission Accomplished" because those two forgot all about that.
And the blood of the four on Obama for Benghazi? Nothing about the blood on the hands of Cheney-Bush for that stupid war in Iraq. And those weapons of mass destruction are where..........?
Jean Moppe had the best line, I'm at a Hazleton Council meeting.
Not really. There are more facts at one of those.
All that said, WYLN is the best kept secret in local news!
I will have the most transparent administration.
I have Shovel ready jobs.
If four Americans get killed, it is not optimal.
The IRS is not targeting anyone.
ObamaCare will be good for America.
You can keep your family doctor.
Premiums will be lowered by $2500.
You can keep your current healthcare plan
Just shop around, for that healthcare I claimed you wouldn't lose.
No one making less than $250,000 will see their taxes raised one dime.
It was about a movie.
If I had a son.
I will put an end to the type of politics that “breeds division, conflict and cynicism".
You didn't build that.
I will restore trust in Government.
The cops acted stupidly.
I am not after your guns.
The Public Will Have 5 Days To Look At Every Bill That Lands On My Desk
It's not my red line it is the worlds red line.
Whistle blowers will be protected.
“We got back Every Dime we Used to Rescue the Banks, with interest.
I will close Gitmo.
I am not spying on American citizens.
I Barrack Hussain Obama pledge to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America.
Wish I could take my vote back.
Dear 10:52 AM
Thank you Mama. Love Michelle
Thanks Luzerne County for screwing taxpayers yet again for another four years by belaboring us with the two stooges Hardy Hardy Har Har Harry Haas and Rick the Loser on a Stick Williams who will again be rubber stamps for King Lawton.
Congrats to both of them.
I guess Harry wont know who to sit next to now that his other buddy Mean Gene Kelleher is gone. There always Crazy Kathy Dobash Harry!
Sorokas won because she had a D next to her name as per usual the hundreds of pull da D dopey Dem voters and Kathy Dobash won because we all feel sorry for her lunacy
Of course, All Thanks and Eternal Praise goes out as well to King Lawton who will raise our taxes into oblivion unchecked by the brainless wonder controller Michelle Bednar
PROUD OF YA LUZERNE..ANOTHER FINE ELECTION..MIGHTY PROUD!
David,
I just saw on Lulac that I voted to raise Luzerne County taxes.
Just to set the record straight….I have never voted to raise taxes. I voted
against the 2012 budget because it included using bond proceeds for operating
expenses….a bad practice from the past. There was no proposal to raise taxes in
2013.
I will not say I will never raise taxes but I will work hard to try to avoid
raising taxes. Making absolute statements before hearing presentation of data
and analyzing it is not the measure of a thoughtful public servant or any
decision maker.
I appreciate LuLac and your observations. It generally seems reliable, but in
this case it made a statement that is incorrect.
Rick Williams
IN RESPONSE
I appreciate LuLac and your observations. It generally seems reliable, but in
this case it made a statement that is incorrect.
CORRECTED. MY APOLOGIES. I ATTRIBUTE THE MISTAKE TO THE LATENESS OF THE HOUR.
Rick Williams, let's tell the whole truth. You are correct, you did not vote for the 2012 budget with the 2% tax increase but was supporting the 4% increase. However, you did vote for the 2013 budget which included monetization, which is a "LOAN" for the debt riddled county and is also a "bad practice" from the past.
Well Dave I saw you on WBRE with Kuharchik. And all was calm. But then I saw you revved up with Don Pachence and felt like you were back with Tarone.
Good stuff.
So what Rick Williams is actually saying here folks is that if the budget did not use bond proceeds he would have then voted for a tax increase ?!?!?!???!!! in 2014, expect great things from this man - like a "yes" to the 8% tax hike proposed by Premier Lawton
David:
If the budget that Williams voted against did not have the use of bond proceeds to be used in it, he would have voted for it and hence have supported a tax increase. He is cute with words, but short on TRANSPARENCY as he likes to profess..
Edd
Williams and Haas will be yes men for Jim Bobeck - make no mistake.
harry hass is the stay puft marshmellow man personified to even make an informed decision. when he speaks most people cringe and look away -
the idiot voting public put him back in the game because they are just like he is - spineless
Without Kelleher there backing him up on everything, his words are just that - empty words. Williams is just as much of a snowman or should i say strawman as Hass is
I expect nothing from either of those two losers. They have zero backbone and they yelp abject surrender before the fights even started
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