2010 September » PureBunkum

Forget My Record. Just Vote For Me

Sep 302010

The political cycle for the November mid-term elections is in full swing, and the liberal apparatus for some reason is not doing what it does best – trashing conservatives. I can’t blame them. Would you want to run on that record?

But they are turning to a page right out the Socialist playbook, using propaganda to scare seniors. Those nasty conservatives are going to take away your Social Security is one of their favorites. And right on cue, incumbent congressmen Paul Kanjorski and Chris Carney have sent out disingenuous fliers telling their constituents that their opponents, Lou Barletta and Tom Marino, respectively, if elected, will either cut or take away their retirement benefits.

Of course, the honorable incumbents conveniently forget to tell the voters that the 75-year-old Social Security program is in the red and that we’re going to be borrowing more. What’s a few more trillion dollars? What comes after a trillion anyway? A zillion, perhaps?

And don’t think that the union bosses and special interest hacks won’t be telling their members, scratch that, threatening their members that if they don’t vote for the Democrats, life as they know it will cease to exist.

I’m especially impressed by the local liberal bloggers who are touting Obama Care and the jobs congressmen Kanjorski and Carney have brought to their respective districts.

Why is it that neither incumbent is touting his role in passing ObamaCare, which polls show many Americans want repealed, not tweaked, but repealed? They voted for this unpopular bill, but they prefer we forget that.

And jobs? You’ve got to be kidding! Kanjorski, of course, is out there blabbing about ”potential” taxpayer-funded jobs. Again, ripped from the pages of the Progressive Socialist playbook. As a taxpayer, you are the one who pays for the generous salary and benefits of yet another government employee.

By the way, President Obama likes to take credit for jobs saved. I’m just wondering if Paul Kanjorski would like to talk about all those Sallie Mae jobs he and Carney saved when they threw the Hanover Township workers under the bus in exchange for voting for ObamaCare. Now Kanjorski is telling Sallie Mae it should hire back the workers it was forced to let go because its business picked up. The man has nerve.

It’s so much easier talking about training jobs that may arrive in Conyngham Township or a handful from a new Innovation Center on Public Square – all funded with “free money” (Kanjo’s phrase, not ours) than it is about the Sallie Mae employees who’ve joined the ranks of the unemployed.

Yes, the campaign silly season is upon us. Remember to watch what the candidates do and have done and ignore what their operatives say. When you head to the polls, remember ObamaCare, an $800-billion stimulus, bailouts and cash for clunkers.

What we don’t need is more government and more spending and more taxes.

Get involved, get registered, and vote.

-The Plumber

Doubting Thomas

Local, National

Sep 292010

Me And My Big Mouth

By Betty Roccograndi

We gave Tom Marino a pass when he said that this generation may have to forgo its Social Security benefits so current recipients could keep theirs.

Chris Carney’s campaign jumped all over him, saying Marino was a threat to Social Security. Easy for him to say, Carney’s crowd railed. Marino, the Republican challenger for Carney’s 10th Congressional District seat, made $250,000 a year as Louie DeNaples’ attorney and has two homes in Florida.

Marino’s spokesman Jason Fitzgerald fought back, saying what his boss meant to say was that if something wasn’t done to shore up the federal retirement fund, there may not be enough money left for his generation.

He should have said that the first time, but we let it go.

Not this time.

Marino, a former U.S. Attorney, signed on as a character witness when DeNaples was applying for a casino license. He reportedly claimed that the Department of Justice gave him permission to do so, a surprising claim considering that DeNaples was convicted in the 1970s with trying to defraud the government of more than $500,000.

It was also surprising that a former U.S. attorney who aspired to be a U.S. congressman would do such a thing in the first place. Marino said DeNaples is his friend. If he doesn’t understand that a would be congressman palling around with a former felon doesn’t look good, then we have to question his judgment.

Now we have to question his integrity.

Marino claimed he could prove that the Justice Department said it was okay for him to be a character witness for DeNaples.

Well, you don’t say something like that to radio talk show host Steve Corbett and expect the matter to be dropped.

Of course Corbett pursued it. He said Marino campaign spokesman Dave Weber told him off the air that he would verify Marino’s claim that he had permission from the Justice Department to go to bat for DeNaples.

“Tom has a letter for you,” Corbett recounted.

There apparently is no letter, and Marino is singing a different tune. He now says he didn’t need permission to vouch for DeNaples.

And, naturally, Marino’s camp is blaming the controversy on the messenger, Corbett.

Fitzgerald said Corbett caused the “flap.” Flap? You wish it were only a “flap.” A Justice Department spokeswoman told the Associated Press no such permission was granted to Marino.

Corbett said on his show Tuesday and in comments to the TL that he would sign a sworn affidavit that his account of the story is correct.

Marino could not be reached for comment Tuesday because he was said to be out campaigning.

Maybe he shouldn’t waste his time.

I’m Sorry. Can I Stay Home Now?

Local

Sep 282010

By Betty Roccograndi

The Culture of Corruption made me do it.

Really, is that the best Brian Dunn could come up with to escape prison time?

Dunn, former big shot on the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board, charged with taking a payment to get a teacher a job, did not act alone.

Forces more powerful than he pulled him into the circle of crime, casting an evil spell over him. With all the strength he could muster, he tried in vain not to succumb to the temptation of taking a bribe. But this was Luzerne County, and that was the norm.

Do you think for one minute this pillar of the community wanted to take money from a teacher candidate who needed work? Of course he didn’t.

But everyone else was doing it, Dunn’s lawyer said.

He had no choice. He was hooked.

Like so many before him, and after him, Dunn got caught up in the “pay to play” way of life that was Luzerne County,” said Attorney Scott Griffith.

Griffith said Dunn was a mere “hanger-on,” that he associated with the area’s movers and shakers, its political elite.

And then, POOF, he became one of them.

Griffith acknowledged that his client abused his school board position in exchange for helping two teachers get jobs, The Times Leader reported. But he’s really sorry.

And come on, let’s be fair, what’s a little bribe or two in the life of an otherwise upstanding public servant? Griffith said Dunn was a hard working man whom the community respected. It did? We didn’t know that.

Dunn is up to his sixth continuance in being sentenced to home confinement. Sorry, we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves here. He actually faces 21 to 27 months in prison, but that’s for U.S. District Judge Richard P. Conaboy to decide.

In a memorandum filed with the court, Attorney Griffith asked Conaboy to scrap the guidelines because Dunn has shown “great remorse” and took responsibility for the crime.

Well, of course he took responsibility, he got caught - although he could have blamed the cat instead of the political elites who drew him into a world of crime.

“The essense of the government’s case against Mr. Dunn and others in Luzerne County is that gratuities were the way business was done,” Griffith argued in his court filing. ”To become part of the problem rather than the solution is not correct.”

He has a point. Dunn became part of the problem, a big part, and now the judge should provide a solution – send him to prison and send a message to others who may be considering using their positions of public trust for personal gain.

We’re sick of it already.

Polls, Shmolls

Local, National

Sep 272010

According to an allegedly stupid poll The Times Leader commissioned, Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta is ahead of incumbent U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski. That poll also says that incumbent Chris Carney does not have enough support to win re-election.

Those of you who support congressmen Kanjorski and Carney shouldn’t worry because, according to Kanjorski spokesman Ed Mitchell, the poll is a joke.

“This is a bogus poll,” Mitchell told the TL. “Makes you wonder if The Times Leader didn’t cook the numbers.”

Makes you wonder whether Mitchell is insane. He should know by now never to accuse a newspaper of cooking the information it releases for public consumption.

But this time we actually agree with Ed, partly. Those polled were also asked, “In your opinion, has Congressman Kanjorski made himself sufficiently available for public forum?” A majority, 47%, said he had. How they came to that conclusion is beyond us because Kanjorski made it quite clear he will not hold any public town hall meetings because a nut might be in the crowd, record what he says and put him on You Tube.

So yes, Ed, we believe you may be onto something questioning the soundness of the newspaper’s poll.

Residents were also asked about a variety of issues, such as the economy, jobs and Social Security and asked to rate their concern from 1 to 10.

Of course they are all very important issues, but we were as shocked as anyone that the questions didn’t include what’s on everybody’s mind, like, on a scale of one to 10, do you believe that former judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan will ever go to jail?

Or do think Robert Mericle will ever be charged with something more serious than failing to report that said judges didn’t claim the $2 million he gave them on their income tax returns?

No one knows who will win this race because we can’t trust poll numbers because they’re so fickle. But we did learn something from this one, and that is that The Times Leader really ticked off Ed Mitchell.

In addition to charging that the newspaper may have cooked the numbers - which will likely put the kibosh on The Times Leader endorsing Kanjorski - Mitchell undermined its poll further saying, “most professional polls would question twice as many people.” He is saying, we think, that the TL’s poll was amateurish.

“The TL hasn’t any credibility in the polling business and should just stick to printing papers,” he sniped.

Ooohhhhh! Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed over the weekend.

Knock Knock

Local, National

Sep 262010

Saturday was a nationwide Democratic Day of Action, and U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski, good foot soldier that he is, did his part, going door to door to meet Democratic and independent voters. He said the homes he visited were not pre-screened, so it was quite the coincidence that he didn’t stumble onto the porches of any Republicans.

The day began with breakfast in Duryea before heading out to the far reaches of Avoca. If you saw the photo in The Times Leader Sunday, there is Kanjo sipping coffee, sitting with three women. Unless the photographer cut off a fourth person across the table from him, it appears that the congressman is staring straight head, looking at no one. Who could blame him for appearing distracted, though, with what lay ahead?

We imagine it went something like this:

Knock Knock.

Homeowner/Voter: Who’s There?

It’s Congressman Paul Kanjorski.

Voter: Get Ouuut!!

Kanjo: No, it really is me, your congressman.

Voter: No, I really mean, GET OUT!

Kanjo: Come on, Ed. Let’s try the next house, and get this over with. Who came up with this goofy idea for Democratic Action Day anyway? I shouldn’t have to be doing this. After all, I’m endorsed by Obama.

Ed Mitchell: Uh, boss, yes you do have to do this, and what did I tell you about bragging about that Obama thing? And I can’t stress this enough. Do not mention your ties to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Let’s move on.

Knock Knock.

Democratic Homeowner: Yeah?

Kanjo: It’s your congressman. Can we come in?

Homeowner: Sure, what’s up?

Kanjo: Will you vote for me on Nov. 2?

Homeowner: Okay, why not? Wait, you didn’t vote for that big stimulus thing, or those bailouts or, God forbid, ObamaCare, did you?

Kanjo: Nice meeting you. We gotta run.

Kanjo to Ed: These people are insufferable. And they wonder why I won’t hold any town hall meetings.

Ed: Relax, Paul, look at the bright side. We’re walking the friendly streets of Duryea and Avoca. They like us more here than do those ingrates in stupid Nanticoke. And they don’t have a clue about Cornerstone and the $10 million your family’s failed business cost taxpayers. And stop saying you don’t hold town hall meetings. You went to the BlogFest and met with seniors. What do you call those? Come on, one more. You can do it.

Knock Knock:

Independent homeowner: Who is it?

Ed: It’s Congressman Paul Kanjorski. He would like to have a town hall meeting with you.

Homeowner: Absolutely. Let me get my purse.

Kanjo: Huh!

Homeowner: Aren’t we going to a town hall meeting?

Kanjo: You’re it.

- PureBunkum

The Less You Know, The Better – Especially For Us

Local

Sep 242010

By Betty Roccograndi

Knowledge is power, and therein lies the problem – or perhaps the threat.

The Luzerne County Commissioners are scoffing at paying to publish the proposed Home Rule charter in area newspapers for all to read and study. Could it be that the commissioners feel threatened because the public is so fed up, may vote for Home Rule this time, and they are then out of jobs?

If that’s not the case, then why the roadblock to the information highway? NOW, they are trying to save money after blowing almost $1 million to store county records that now need to be stored elsewhere? NOW, after spending almost $6 million for a virtual train wreck that sits rusting away on Market Street?

NOW, they’re hesitant to spend $11,776 to help the public make an informed decision on whether or not to change the way Luzerne County is managed?

Commissioner Steve Urban offered the lame explanation that copies of the charter are available in the county chief clerk/manager’s office and posted on the county website.

So to all of you who live a distance from the courthouse, or work during the day, or may not drive, get thee to the courthouse somehow if you want to read the charter. If you don’t have a home computer, that’s just too bad.

And if you subscribe to The Times Leader, that’s your tough luck.

In a press release, the Luzerne County Government Study Commission said the commissioners will vote on Oct. 1 on whether to pay to publish the charter. It won’t; however, be considering payments to The Times Leader, the Study Commission said, because that paper did not obtain the county contract for legal advertisements, the TL reported.

Isn’t this a little bit different than running a legal ad seeking ice melt?

The Study Commission voted to publish the proposed charter in The Times Leader, The Citizens’ Voice and The Standard Speaker but was told by the county’s purchasing department that the county would not pay for that. The commission was later told there would be an Oct. 1 vote.

“I think this is a needless expense, and they’re going way overboard to give people a copy of a 70-some page document,” county Commissioner Urban said. The same could be said of the dilapidated train station you voted for, sir.

Several county officials, whom would be affected by a switch to Home Rule, have already spoken out against it, including Commissioner Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla, Solicitor Vito DeLuca, Prothonotary Carolee Medico-Olenginski and Controller Walter Griffith.

And let’s not forget the last time two “reformers” convinced county voters to give them a chance and keep the status quo, Greg Skrepenak and Todd Vonderheid. We all know how that turned out. Luzerne County is now viewed as the corruption epicenter of the state, if not the universe.

Voters are in the drivers’ seat once again and need to study this charter very carefully before heading to the polls in November. There’s no better way to get the word out than through newspapers.

If the county commissioners vote this down, that will speak volumes.

But if it does, the Study Commission can always hold a bake sale to raise some money.

See Ya, Mr. President

National

Sep 242010

It reminds me of the rats jumping off the sinking Titanic! On Tuesday, Larry Summers announced he would be leaving President Obama’s cabinet.

What took so long? Summers follows Peter Orszag, Director of Management and Budget; and Christina Rommer, Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors. The only one left of the big four is Treasury Turbo Tax Cheat Tim Geithner.

Of course, the White House said Summers only planned to stay one year. Uh Huh!

“I will always be grateful that at a time of great peril for our country, a man of Larry’s brilliance, experience and judgement was willing to answer the call and lead our economic team,” Obama said. And how did that work out again?

“Over the past two years, he has helped guide us from the depths of the worst recession since the 1930s to renewed growth,” said Obama’s statement, published in the Wall Street Journal.

Obama would have us believe that there really was a summer recovery and that the economy is purring again.

Obama’s economic team was doomed for failure from the start. Not one of them had any business experience in the private sector. All of them, like their leader, Professor Kickass, worked in government and/or academia their entire lives.

Summers plans to return to Harvard University by the end of the year. It’s rumored he had to quit to protect his tenure there because he was only allowed a two-year sabbatical leave.

Rommer already said she is going back to school in California, where, we might add, she belongs.

Since all of these college theories apparently didn’t work in helping the economy to recover, I wonder if the President will finally hire someone who knows what he or she is doing.

Please, please pick someone from Wall Street or the banking industry, not – God forbid - someone who thrives in a college setting.

Stay tuned. Maybe they’ll be a fall recovery.

-The Plumber

No, No, A Thousand Times No

Local, National

Sep 232010

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!

What part of no does Lou Barletta not understand?

Barletta plans to hold five town hall meetings and has invited Congressman Paul Kanjorski, the man he hopes to unseat, to participate.

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. Sorry, we got carried away.

Earlier, Barletta also invited Kanjorski to five debates, one in each of the 11th Congressional District’s five counties.

It sure sounded like a reasonable request, but Kanjorski nixed the debate idea. So there’s no reason to believe he’ll appear for any town hall meetings before the November election. (See our clock at the upper right.)

Kanjo probably still has nightmares remembering angry citizens screaming at Sen. Arlen Specter last year when he held a town hall meeting to discuss the overhaul of our health care system and decided then that that was not for him.

So Kanjo continues to play it safe and just talks to his constituents on the phone, where they can’t talk back.

As expected, Kanjorski’s spokesman Ed Mitchell jumped all over Barletta, saying, ”Now Lou Barletta says he wants to discuss policy differences. That’s news, because we have not heard one single new policy idea from him the whole campaign.”

Better late than never, we say.

Barletta stated, according to The Times Leader’s report, that he understood that the U.S. Congress is adjourning three weeks early to allow its members to return to their districts and campaign.

“Therefore, I am sure you can find five hours for the constituents to hear our very clear policy differences,” Barletta said in his letter.

Yeah, what about that, Congressman? And speaking of an adjournment, do the members of Congress take a leave of absence without pay when they’re out campaigning? No, we didn’t think so.

Pit bullmeister Mitchell defended his boss further saying, “Congressman Kanjorski has been meeting face to face with constituents all summer and will continue to do so when Congress adjourns.”

That is a fact. Just last week, he attended a gathering of local bloggers, hosted by the team from Gort42. But they like him there, so we’re not so sure that counts. He also has met with some small groups of senior citizens, insisting that they were town hall meetings. In the congressman’s defense, they were meetings and they were in a town. So that’s his story, and he’s sticking to it.

We would like to see the congressman leave his comfort zone for a change and take questions from his supporters and his opponents. If he’s truly proud of his record, he should have no problem defending it.

But that is not going to happen, we’re afraid.

“Barletta will have to promote his own campaign,” Mitchell said. “We”ll be running ours on our terms, not his.”

Okaaay, okaaay.

Kanjorski has been re-elected so many times – despite earmarking $10 million for a family business which later went bankrupt - he obviously believes he can afford to ignore those who have kept him in office. If ”his terms” mean no town hall meetings, so be it.

Maybe he’s counting on that ringing endorsement from President Barack Obama to see him through.

“I need you to support Paul Kanjorski for Congress,” Obama urged. Do you now? Normally an endorsement from a president would be something to crow about, but maybe not this time with more and more Americans becoming disenchanted with Barack Obama.

So, Kanjo, you should probably think twice before posing for any campaign ads with the president, and whatever you do, keep your distance from your other spendthrift pal, Nancy Pelosi.

- PureBunkum

Kudos To Gort

Local

Sep 222010

We’d like to offer our congratulations to the Gort42 team for organizing what was, by all accounts, a successful Meet the Candidates night last weekend. From what we’ve read, it was an impressive turnout and proves that bloggers wield plenty of influence these days.

We at PureBunkum planned to attend the event and especially looked forward to meeting our peers but were out of town that weekend.

We were especially impressed that you got U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski to attend. We regret missing out on the chance to corner him and ask him a few questions, because we’ll never get to do so at a town hall meeting, since he won’t hold any.

We look forward to the spring get-together. Maybe we’ll be meeting candidates for the new 11-member council who will rule Luzerne County if Home Rule passes in November. Either way, it promises to be another impressive BlogFest.

HOME SWEET HOME

Local

Sep 212010

By Betty Roccograndi

Our condolences go out today to former Jenkins Township Supervisor Russell Arnone who has to stay home for two months for sticking it to the taxpayers he was elected to serve. But he has some time to prepare for the ordeal as his ”sentence” doesn’t begin until Oct. 4. So he has plenty of time to stock up on snacks.

The poor guy will also have to wear an annoying electronic monitor, put in 50 hours of community service (one average work week and 10 hours), and be on probation for two years. And as if that’s not enough punishment for enriching himself at the public’s expense, U.S. District Judge Richard Conaboy ordered him to pay a $250 fine.

Wouldn’t it have been nice if he were ordered to pay back the $5,000 he took from area wheeler-dealer Robert Mericle for his help in getting reduced construction permit fees for his newest industrial park? If Mericle was so quick to hand over $5,000, he must have saved a tidy bundle in reduced fees, fees which belonged to taxpayers, not Mr. Arnone.

Arnone got into trouble because he characterized that generous gesture of gratitude as a campaign contribution, which it wasn’t. Conaboy said Arnone and Mericle still disagree over who approached whom for the payoff. But the two did agree to call it a campaign contribution if anyone began poking around, according to earlier newspaper reports.

Judge Conaboy made an interesting comment at the hearing, noting that the public perception is that powerful people can buy politicians. Whomever was he talking about?

Arnone was charged with concealing a felony. So we wonder who committed said felony? Arnone for taking an illegal payment or Mericle for providing it? Mericle wasn’t charged in this case, but he, like Arnone, was charged with concealing a crime in another matter.

Mericle slipped two county judges a reported $2 million for helping him land a contract to build two juvenile detention centers. He wasn’t charged with paying off judges, but he was charged with not telling the authorities that they didn’t report that income on their federal income tax returns.

We never quite understood why Mericle was expected to be privy to the judges’ income tax returns. He awaits sentencing, and everyone is patiently waiting to learn what his punishment will be.

At least Arnone is a happy camper. He told the court, “I have only myself to blame.” Well, no kidding.

Arnone’s attorney, Peter Moses, told Judge Conaboy that his humbled client immediately resigned as a township supervisor after he realized he violated the law. That was big of him. It must have been the feds who made him “realize” he broke the law when he took a cash payment for helping out a developer.

Moses said that Arnone is “extremely thankful” for the sentence. He should be. Sleeping in one’ s own bed is certainly much nicer than nodding off on a cot in a prison cell.

Relax. Both Candidates Support Social Security

Local

Sep 192010

Borrrrrriiiing!

The Times Leader asked both Paul Kanjorski and Lou Barletta for their views on Social Security, and you’ll be happy to know that they’re both for it.

“I oppose any attempts to cut Social Security,” Barletta said. Well, he’d better if he has any hopes of defeating Kanjorski on his third try in November.

“I strongly believe that we must work to further Social Security as a safety net for all Americans,” said Kanjorski, who wants to stay in the U.S. Congress beyond the 26 years he’s already been there.

So, there you have it. Seniors need not worry who wins this race because both Barletta and Kanjorski are now on the record promising to do everything in their power to protect the 75-year-old government retirement program which many Americans worry may one day run out of money.

Although both prepared responses were civilized, unlike some of their ads meant to spook seniors, the two candidates did manage to get in their snipes, without mentioning their opponents by name.

Lou went first: “Since 1990, members of Congress have given themselves 13 pay raises – including $4,700 a year in 2009 and $4,000 a year in 2008.” (Wasn’t Kanjo in the Congress since 1990? Why, yes he was.)

Kanjo: “Proposals a few years ago from President Bush and many Republicans to allow individuals to invest some or all of their Social Security funds in the stock market were ill-conceived responses to try to change Social Security.” (Isn’t Lou Barletta a Republican? We believe he is.)

The Kanjorski campaign has attempted to link Barletta to such plans, only to be shot down by a media watchdog group. PA2010.com, which is an independent media election monitor, called Kanjorski’s claims ”outright false,” The Times Leader reported on Saturday.

Then there’s a Barletta ad criticizing Kanjorski’s support for ObamaCare, an ad a Democratic campaign committee called “bogus” and “false.” Washington lawyers suggested that local television stations stop running the ad. That’s scary stuff.

Much more on the Lou/Kanjo ads later.

For now, we all have our work cut out for us determining who’s telling us the truth and who isn’t.

But, thankfully, we at least don’t have to worry about the Social Security issue, right fellas?

Said Lou Barletta, the challenger: “I’m ready to stand up in Congress and fight to protect your Social Security.” Go, Lou.

Said Paul Kanjorski, the incumbent: “We must protect seniors and guarantee that they receive the full amount of Social Security that they deserve.” Right on, Kanjo.

One last question. Will both of you promise to help get seniors at least a tiny increase next year since they didn’t get one this year? Unlike the members of Congress, many of them are on fixed incomes.

- PureBunkum

Got Aspirin?

Local

Sep 182010

By Betty Roccograndi

So Wilkes-Barre City Mayor Tom Leighton has a headache. By now, he must be suffering from a migraine.

Leighton expected his planned sale of the Old River Road Bakery property to the city’s towing contractor would already be signed, sealed and delivered. But a funny thing happened on the way to the recorder of deeds office.

Leighton said previously that Luzerne County, the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board and the city had forgiven the half-million dollars in back taxes owed. He was all set to free the city from “this slum” and “this blight,” which is what he called the site at Thursday’s council meeting. But things didn’t go according to plan, his plan.

Thursday night, the city council voted 4-1 to table a resolution to forgive its share of back taxes on the property. How could that be? Leighton said it was already done. The mayor wasn’t in the best of spirits, obviously. Before they voted, he warned the council members that if they tabled the resolution, they would be “holding things up,” The Times Leader reported.

Holding what up? As of now, the property is listed for a tax sale on Sep. 29. It’s a long shot, but there is a tiny chance someone will bid on it and offer more than the $38,000 Leighton was so eager to accept, especially since it’s assessed at $478,300. Why not take that chance when $500,000 in back taxes is on the line and would have to be paid?

Furthermore, why would any elected official be so willing to forgive such a huge amount of back taxes in the first place before exploring all possibilties. The city council’s Chairman Bill Barrett even questioned whether the property was duly advertised - that is until he was told later to clam up.

And we still wonder how unpaid taxes were allowed to balloon to $500,000 .

Leighton got another surprise on Wednesday when the Wilkes-Barre Area board likewise declined to take any action on forgiving the district’s share of back taxes. How could that be? Leighton said it was already done.

Just what was his honor talking about when he said all three taxing bodies had forgiven the back taxes? Perhaps he heard it over some handshakes.

To date, only Luzerne County forgave its portion of back taxes, $42,000, but it did so under false pretenses. Someone told them that the city planned to sell the site to a developer, who was then going to build townhouses. The joke was on the county, when the city turned around and decided to sell it to its tower to store his trucks and equipment.

As for this long-time “slum” that’s “been a headache” for Mayor Leighton, does he really think a storage facility for equipment and towed cars is going to beautify the neighborhood?

And what’s the big deal? If it isn’t sold at the tax sale on Sept. 29, after the first of the year, anyone can buy it and not pay the taxes, explained Attorney John Rodgers, whose company runs the county’s Tax Claim Bureau.

Leighton should look on the bright side. Instead of getting $38,000 for a property assessed at $478,300, maybe someone will later offer $39,000 for the highly-assessed ”slum,” and his headache will go away.

YOU’VE GOT MAIL!

Local

Sep 162010

The "hump" is driving me nuts

By Betty Roccograndi

Oh, the wonders of modern technology. With a click of a button, you can insult a colleague and have it end up on the front page of the newspaper.

Of course, this particular e-mail wasn’t meant for us to read and certainly not for the “hump,” he of the run-on sentences.

Luzerne County Commissioner Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla has apparently had it with county Controller Walter Griffith. So she wrote a catty e-mail about him that she accidentally sent to him.

And we all got a chuckle this morning with our morning coffee.

Contrary to public perception, newspapers don’t always just print bad news. Once in awhile they also print some side-splitters.

We’re not quite sure what a hump is, but Petrilla called Griffith one and said other officials agree with her. Unfortunately, she didn’t identify them in her e-mail to the “hump,” which was actually intended for Retirement Board Solicitor Don Karpowich.

Petrilla also complained that the “hump” repeats himself, saying his sentences aren’t redundant; they’re “redumbnant.” She even complained about his “run-on and on and on” sentences. Clearly, Griffith gets on her nerves.

Petrilla also wrote that she wishes the controller ”would just go change someone’s oil and leave me alone,” The Times Leader reported.

Before being elected county controller, Griffith operated his own auto repair station. We might want to cut Petrilla some slack. For all we know, maybe she just came back from getting her car inspected, was told she needed $1,500 in repairs and took her anger at service stations out on Griffith.

Needless to say, Griffith is furious. “”I’m very upset at the fact that you would even write a letter like that. Even though it came to me by mistake, for someone in your capacity to write something like that is beyond my comprehension.”

Now, now, Walter. We all need to vent sometimes.

Griffith got the last laugh though. He could have simply replied to her e-mail, like most of us do when we get one. But, instead, he bided his time and aired his grievance and Petrilla’s major faux pas at Wednesday’s commissioners meeting.

Now Griffith is convinced that Petrilla penned some other disparaging e-mails from 2007, which were anonymously sent to the media this spring.

Petrilla argued that those e-mails were fabricated and/or doctored up.

When Griffith alleged that they were real, Petrilla warned him, ”Be careful, Walter.” His response: ”Don’t caution me, Maryanne.”

On Wednesday, she sniped, “This guy’s just out of control.”

Just another day at the Keystone Kourthouse.

INVESTIGATE NOW

Local

Sep 152010

Has A Little Explaining To Do

By Betty Roccograndi

There can’t possibly be a taxpayer out there who’s okay with forgiving $506,033 in back taxes so the city of Wilkes-Barre can make a $38,000 sale.

Well maybe there’s at least one, city Mayor Tom Leighton.

Last year, in a move which surprised some and now is astounding others, the city agreed to sell the former Old River Road Bakery site for $38,000 to its towing contractor to store his vehicles. Not only is a half-million dollars in back taxes owed, the 1.14-acre property was assessed at $478,300.

This really takes the cake.

Leighton claims that the city, Luzerne County and the Wilkes-Barre Area School District had agreed to forgive their share of the back taxes. So we wonder, why then is the city council only planning to vote on a resolution to do so at tomorrow’s meeting?

Leighton also told The Times Leader that he expects that the school district will pass a similar resolution at its next meeting. Was this a done deal or not, Mr. Mayor?

We do know that Luzerne County forgave $42,349 in back taxes last year, but with the understanding that the city was going to sell the property to a developer to build townhouses. County officials should have gotten that in writing.

We’d like to know why the county isn’t taking legal action against the city for not living up to its end of the bargain?

We’d also like to know why Leighton and Assistant City Attorney William Vinsko were so eager to sell a property assessed at $478,300 for $38,000? That’s the big question.

Leighton claims no one wanted it, except LAG Towing owner Leo A. Glodzik. A couple who filed a lawsuit in federal court claims a backroom deal took place to sell it to “a person” who is a client of both Leighton’s real estate agency and Vinsko’s law firm.

A backroom deal in Luzerne County? Oh, come on!

Regardless, this deal is starting to sound pretty fishy.

And if the feds weren’t looking into this before, they probably will be now. The Times Leader’s online readers told each other they have called the FBI’s tip line. Good for them.

We’re learning more because of Tyler and Antonia Hammond’s lawsuit, in which they allege that Leighton and Vinsko provided misleading information to deprive others from buying the property.

Tomorrow’s council meeting promises to be a humdinger.

Council Chairman Bill Barrett told the TL on Monday that he wants to make sure the city is getting the best offer for the property and that the sale was properly advertised. We’re thinking cart and horse here.

But at Tuesday’s council work session, Barrett clammed up, saying he was advised not to say anything because of pending litigation. Uh oh, someone spoke out of turn.

Obviously Barrett has questions if he is asking a year later whether the sale was properly advertised.

And so do the rest of us.

Maybe tomorrow night Mayor Leighton will explain this huge give-away. Or maybe he won’t – because he can’t.

Santa’s Back

Local, National

Sep 142010

WOW! First, Paul Kanjorski comes to town to tell us it’s possible a new federal facility could be located here to train an estimated 10,000 students how to protect diplomats the world over. This project would be funded with $70 million of taxpayers’ dollars.

Week two: Paul Kanjorski arrives in Wilkes-Barre for another announcement – $2 million for a second Innovation Center. He shows up with U.S.Sen. Bob Casey, who plans to push for a pension bailout for the Teamsters’ union.

Yesterday: Paul Kanjorski announces another $1 million of taxpayers’ money (with plenty more to come) to create a local research institute to study the impact of natural gas drilling on this area. Our million dollars will also be invested in a website to provide an information clearinghouse for all of us to peruse.

The “free,” sorry, ”seed” money could turn into “many, many millions of dollars over the next five years,” Kanjorski predicted, according to news reports. Wilkes University, King’s College and Earth Conservancy will jointly run the new “Institute for Energy and Environmental Research of Northeast Pennsylvania.”

Is there an election around the corner or something?

Why yes there is, which means that Paul Kanjorski is sure to strategically bring home some more bacon to impress voters that he and only he can do that.

Vote for me, Paul Kanjorski.

It’s nice to get an infusion of cash for our area, and we’re not questioning the merits of the projects. We do not appreciate; however, Kanjorski and other members of Congress who are running for re-election using federal tax money to make them look good at election time. And remember, that for every $1 million Kanjorski brings our way, millions and millions more of our money is heading to other communities across the country to influence voters there.

What Kanjorski and most of the other Democrats in Congress are not bragging about in the weeks leading up to the election is that they rammed through ObamaCare, against most Americans’ wishes. They’re not bragging how they spent $800 billion to stimulate the economy – because it didn’t.

Cash for Clunkers? A dud. Where’s the ads saying, “I’m Paul Kanjorski, and I’m proud that my vote helped to overhaul our health care system?” (It may cost you, but I did it anyway.) Or, “I’m Chris Carney, and I voted to spend hundreds of billions of dollars to help the economy.” (Unfortunately, we still face very high unemployment. Sorry.)

No, we here at PureBunkum wonder why, with such a sterling record, Kanjorski has to go negative right out of the gate, running critical ads against his opponent. He wants us to believe that we’d be crazy to give up his 26 years of experience and clout. We need his Washington wisdom - which will surely help tax and spend us into bankruptcy.

And why aren’t we seeing any ads picturing Kanjorski and/or Carney standing next to their ringleader Barack Obama or their scheming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi?

Probably because it’s far easier to dazzle us with some “free” money than it is to defend a reckless voting record.

- PureBunkum

Older Entries

PureBunkum

Forget My Record. Just Vote For Me

Doubting Thomas

I’m Sorry. Can I Stay Home Now?

Polls, Shmolls

Knock Knock

The Less You Know, The Better – Especially For Us

See Ya, Mr. President

No, No, A Thousand Times No

Kudos To Gort

HOME SWEET HOME

Relax. Both Candidates Support Social Security

Got Aspirin?

YOU’VE GOT MAIL!

INVESTIGATE NOW

Santa’s Back

Follow Me

Polls

Archives

National

Site Links

Local Bloggers