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The mad batter of Pittston has a primary challenger and he, incumbent Freshman Democrat Mike Carroll, is not happy about it. Art Bobbouine is one thing but a primary challenge is quite another.
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From Best's website:
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So as expected, Mike is overreacting. He’s been overheard saying “I won this seat fair and square in 2006.” My response to this: You’re right Mike. You did win fair and square in 2006. That entitles you to TWO YEARS in the General Assembly. Just because the Good Ol’ Boys like Tom Tigue and your former boss have been given de facto life appointments doesn’t mean that 118 will be giving one to you. We still live in a democracy unless I missed something. The people will decide if you get another two years. I feel that a representative should be elected to represent the people and not represent themselves.
So Mike, if you did a good job you have nothing to worry about. But of course, we know that the reason you’re scared is because you didn’t do a good job. You’re worried that the people will realize that they can do better. And the truth is that they can.
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Update: Here is his official announcement
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PJ BEST TO RUN FOR DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION FOR STATE LEGISLATURE IN DISTRICT 118.
Pittston, PA- PJ Best, lifelong resident of Pittston, PA, officially announced his bid for the office of Legislative Representative in Pennsylvania district 118. Best is a graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology with a Bachelors and Masters degree in Public Policy, and feels that he can give the government back to the people.
“I’ve lived here my whole life. I love NEPA. I love everything about it: the people, the scenery, the character. I truly believe I live in the greatest place in America. This hometown pride that I have really focuses me on the direction we’re taking. We need a representative that knows where we want to go and how we need to get there. I can say whole-heartedly that this representative is me.”
PJ recognizes the need for change in North Eastern Pennsylvania as well as in Harrisburg: “I am not a political insider. I am not a politician. I am a regular guy from NEPA that wants to see the wishes of other regular people in NEPA granted. I feel my education has trained me to do this and my ambition will allow me to achieve this. I would sooner cut my own pay than see another fruitless tax increase.”
PJ will oppose incumbent Mike Carroll D-Avoca, who was elected to his first term of office in November, 2006.
Additional information about Candidate Best can be found on his website, http://www.pjbest.org/.
46 comments:
Judging from his picture; will his mother let him stay up past his bedtime on election night???
We constantly decry the lack of young people voting and getting involved in politics and now that a young man chooses to enter the fray, some anonymous poster takes a shot at him.
LIGHTEN UP JL; IT WAS JUST A JOKE. YOU LIBERALS ARE ALWAYS SO SERIOUS.
Just look at PJ's website. His education is listed. He got a Master's degree in Public Policy. Carroll didn't even graduate college. PJ is clearly the way to go, don't let his age convince you otherwise. He is tomorrow, let him be today.
Joe Leonardi is a self-important flag bearer of the Republican party, yet no one in the party supports him. Which is why he writes these diatribes against the party and different people and issues. Joe, crawl back into the hole you came from, please. I beg you. The ivory tower you built is leaning and about to fall!
I will tell you what, call me and talk to me about it. 718 1500
Apples don't fall far from the tree. If you knew the tree P.J. Best fell from you would run as far away as you could and vote for Mike Carroll
I don't see how it's fair to bring family into this. P.J. hasn't done anything wrong. Mike has. Besides, a big part of P.J.'s platform is ending corruption. Do you really think Mike would ever vote for something that would limit his power? I think not. Give the kid a chance. Mike had his and screwed up.
i think the people of NEPA are immature and deserve the schmucks that they keep voting in
Is this guy any relation to Terry? Looks like Joe Leonardi got angry. Did someone hurt your feelings Joe?
I think that P.J. is a young educated and vibrant candidate. I think he should set his goals for a position that is more win-able to gain name recogition. Mike Carroll has the money and connections to win again. I wish P.J. luck!!!!
So if PJ is elected, will he quit law school to serve the 118th as a full time lawmaker? Or will he continue as a full time student and a sub-part time lawmaker?
Will he vow to abide by this campaign promise???
This is entertaining:
http://scranton.craigslist.org/rnr/553159522.html
I WONDER IF PJ WILL BE A GREAT PUBLIC SERVENT LIKE HIS DAD, TERRY. YOU KNOW , THE SCHOOL DIRECTOR WHO COST THE DISTRICT MILLIONS B/C OF HIS LAW SUITS , THE GOD FEARING MAN WHO SUED ST. JOHN'S CHURCH FOR 100 THOU, THE FAMILIY VALUES GUY WHO HAD TO BE SUED BY THE FUNERAL DIRECTOR IN ORDER TO BURY HIS MOM .
Dear Anonymous,
I don't know if you read the comments above but I think we're all in agreement that you can't judge PJ based on his family. Not to mention that I think some of your facts are wrong. And whoever posted a comment about immaturity is dead right. It's sad when a good candidate gets insulted because of his family. I wish you luck PJ. I know you'll do well.
which of the above facts are wrong?
In response to all the accusations above I will deny each and everyone. The individual who is posting the lies is more than welcome to bring any true evidence to the public if he were able to crawl out from under his/her rock with it in hand. Until he\she is able to do that I will refuse to say anymore about it and I will not try to get into a spraying match with a skunk that smells this bad. I will say that I have not been a party to any of the lawsuits that this individual thinks he/she knows so much about and it shows so little class that you should insinuate my son P.J. has anything to do with this nonsense either. I ask but one thing if anyone is to be part of spreading rumer, innuendo, or outright lies such as these at least be accurate in what you say it does hurt innocent others and shows nothing more than just how low you truly are and will go. My office number is published in the local phone books, and my secretary will take and pass on any and all messages from concerned individuals to me. I unlike others will return phone calls promptly as I have nothing to hide. Thank you, The real Terry Best
Let me get this right. This guy spent 7 years living in Rocester, New York going to college. Now he lives in Pittsburgh going to law school. How does this qualify him to address the issues in the 118th district? I've heard of long distance relationships... but long distance representation in the state legislature? And on a part time basis as he continues his legal studies??? LAUGHABLE!!!
They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Here's his father's Better Business Bureau report: http://nepa.bbb.org/WWWRoot/Report.aspx?site=111&bbb=0181&firm=10015273
Note the rating: "Based on BBB files, this company has an unsatisfactory record" Even Scott Binford of Mansions & Estates was able to maintain a satisfacory rating!
The 118th deserves better than "unsatisfactory"!!!
PJ's Daddy Terry came in 3rd in a 3 man race last time. I hope two more candidates come forward so PJ can do even worse than his daddy did and come in 4th!
Shouldn't someone have to LIVE IN THE 118th in order to REPRESENT the 118th? Why doesn't PJ run for representative in Pittsburgh, WHERE HE LIVES?
School Director Terry should spend some time in English class.
I'm glad my kids don't go to PA.
I have posted a new blog entry in response to your questions. You can read that entry here. Feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions about me or the campaign. I'd love to answer any questions you may have. My contact information is located on my website here. I hope I answered your questions. Thanks for your support.
-PJ
Aside from being a professional student for many years, PJ (or as he was known at RIT, PAJAMAS, since he had to be tucked in each night,) has NO EXPERIENCE at all in the public work force, much less working in an elected position. He should take a couple years, GET A REAL JOB and work as a staffer to one or more elected officials, as Representative Carroll did for many, many, many years. It is called GAINING EXPERIECE.
Representative Carroll worked for United States Congressman Kanjorksi, Pennsylvania Governor Casey and State Representative Yudichak. That is REAL EXPERIENCE, not something you can learn from a text book or sitting in a classroom.
Although Pajamas states his "public administration professor was the former mayor of Rochester." and "A fellow board member of The Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity was a former New York state assemblyman." that hardly constitutes REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE.
Please see http://pjbest.org/blog/?p=11 for these quotes directly from Pajama's latest blog entry.
How many Bills has PJ ever authored? Does he know how to author a bill, get it through committee, onto the floor for a vote, pass both chambers and signed into law? That would be his job in Harrisburg. We don't need someone gaining on-the-job experience. We need REAL EXPERIENCE.
I'll vote for some with REAL PROVEN EXPERIENCE before someone with years of classroom knowledge with NO REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE at all!
Pajamas is in way over his head and is clueless as to what the job of State Representative is all about.
You are right there.
Looking at his picture it looks like his Daddy tucks him in each night and his Mommy wipes his nose when it runs.
QUESTION #1: Aside from his classroom work, does Pajamas have any REAL LAW MAKING experience at all????
ANSWER #1: NO!!!
QUESTION #2: So why would anyone with half a brain vote for him?????
ANSWER #2: Because Pajama's Daddy - Terry, told them to or they would lose their jobs in the Pittston Area School District!!!
hmm...an educated candidate versus a candidate w/o the ability to stick with a 4 year college degree until it's completed.
I don't think there's any comparison here, but hey...maybe being a career politican for countless years is qualification for the job.
The last time a son wanted to be just like daddy in politics it gave us GW Bush! Thanks PJ, but no thanks. You find a nice girl, get married and go to work at a real job.
I felt compelled to address the concerns of my experience as it relates to my ability to legislate. I have updated my blog accordingly. You can read that entry here.
Feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions about me or the campaign. I'd love to answer any questions you may have. My contact information is located on my website here. I hope I answered your questions. Thanks for your support.
-PJ
Look guys I have tried to keep up with this election as best as I can, and it seems the biggest knock on PJ is a "lack of experience". This is hardly the most important issue in this election. From what I have seen and read, PJ has a lot of really good ideas and is running a very clean campaign. He is definately winning my vote.
Mike Carroll - Keeping our streets and children safe -
http://www.timesleader.com/living/20080203_police_car-3_ART.html
Thank you Representative Carroll! The residents of Laflin appreciate all you have done for us!
PJ: Good luck in your bid to represent the 118th!
So all the voters have a full understanding of your qualifications to represent us in Harrisburg, in addition to your fine academic qualifications, can you tell us what your specific paid work experiences are? What positions have you held for what employers? For how long? From & to what dates? And finally, What were the specific job responsibilities in each of those capacities?
Thank you very much,
Very interested 118th voters
That is a very good question. PJ, while we all greatly appreciate your extensive educational background, can you give us a detailed listing of your employment history?
Thanks & GO PJ!!!
I really do appreciate all the support I have received in both petition signing and internet communication. I love answering your questions and would love if you e-mailed me directly in addition to posting on blogs and forums so that I may more quickly respond.
I have posted a new blog entry in response to your questions of my employment history. You can read that entry here. You can see that my previous employment truly has prepared me to represent the district and look forward to doing so.
My contact information is located on my website here. I hope I answered your questions. Thanks again for your support.
-PJ
So according to PJ, aside from his education qualifications, his work experience includes (listed in the same order as listed on his blog entry):
Working as the "information technology specialist" for his Daddy's company, "Best Building Inspection Service". Now despite the fact that Daddy's "Best Building Inspection Service" is on the official record as having "an unsatisfactory business performance record from the Better Business Bureau" and "is not a BBB Accredited business" (see http://nepa.bbb.org/WWWRoot/Report.aspx?site=111&bbb=0181&firm=10015273 for verification.) PJ lists this first as his qualifications? How does working for this disreputable company as its "information technology specialist" lend any qualification to writing legislation "involving emerging technology", as PJ's blog entry claims? I know dozens of computer programmers and computer specialists, but I don't think any of them are qualified to write legislation based on their computer programming skills. It's like saying I know how to tune up an automobile engine; therefore I am qualified to write legislation regarding PENNDot and our traffic & tax laws. It makes no sense!
Next in PJ's blog entry he discusses an internship he performed for State Senator Musto. That is the closest PJ comes to REAL legislative experience. Although he doesn't list the length or time of the internship, given PJ's academic schedule, it must have been a summer internship, most of which was probably conducted while the PA Senate was in summer recess. Aside from making photocopies and emptying the trashcans, what experience was gained?
Next PJ claims that working for "Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions" and "Allied Medical and Technical Institute" is real world experience advancing his capabilities as a legislative representative. Yeah..... keep dreaming....
Next PJ claims that his experience "as vice president of the Gamma Nu of Phi Kappa Tau Alumni Corporation" is real world legislative experience. I am sure all those fraternity meetings (also known as beer parties) give PJ a great advantage. Pass me a beer and that funny looking cigarette.
Lastly, PJ claims that his experience as a boy scout qualifies him to be a State Representative. While cleaning up a cemetery and becoming an Assistant Scout Master is a nice thing to do for the youth in the community, how does that qualify someone to be a State Representative? I just don’t get it.
My vote will be going for Representative Mike Carroll. The ONLY candidate with REAL legislative experience! I strongly urge all other voters in the 118th to do the same. We need an experienced legislature, not someone looking for on-the-job training.
Let's see what "real" experience has brought us: tolls on I-80, a $64 property tax rebate when taxes rose much more than $64 this year, and an aluminum bat ban.
Hmmm. I'll take education please.
There has been a continuing trend on this forum of "people" who claim to support Representative Mike Carroll, but have nothing good to say about him?
Mike Carroll appears to have proven quite a bit to the people of 118. He is not a man of his word and does not have the commitment to finish what he started. Lets look at his education: He can not even finish a bachelor's degree, which is quickly becoming a standard of American Society, not to mention the fact that 90% of his colleagues in the assembly have at least some degree past high school, Mr. Carroll does not.
Now we turn to property tax return. Big promises in 2006 when Bat-Man wants your vote. And god forbid you didnt contribute to his campaign(a little insider information that if made public would be incredibly embarrassing for Mr. Carroll)
He has brought us NOTHING, and his track record should tell you that if re-elected he WILL NOT finish what he started. He'll sit around in Harrisburg with his feet on the desk and his finger in his nose, wasting the taxpayer's hard earned money!
I have not heard anything from his opponent, and at this point will support him and vote for him just to get Mr. Carroll out of office. If Carroll is so great, I would love to see something that isn't wasting time and money. Please, don't tell me that he got someone a firetruck in election year, a basic principle of the job, just so we can threaten people for their votes. If Carroll had half an education he'd realize that the people of NEPA see right through him.
I want to know about this challenger. Can we see a debate between these 2? Lets put them side by site and see how they stack up. Gort, can you make this happen??
So PJ,
Since your only REAL experience working for Pennsylvania's State Government was your intership for State Senator Musto, can you tell everyone who State Senator Musto is endorsing in this election???
Here is the irony... State Senator Musto is endorsing State Representative Mike Carroll!!! What a RIOT! THE ONLY REAL EXPERIENCE PAJAMAS HAS IS RECOMMENDING HIS OPPONENT!!!
Maybe the Better Business Bureau will endorse you based on Daddy's "unsatisfactory" rating with them!
Once again, truth is stranger than fiction.... I couldn't write an entry this comical based on fiction!
I smell a lot of fear coming from Mike Carroll on this one. Look at all these comments. Seems like some immature kids post a bunch of negative things about the opponent, and then he comes back with intelligent responses. Something makes me think this kid is going to wipe the floor with this old man. Seriously, the question I have for guys like Musto and Yudichak (and i wouldnt be too proud of being backed by "red light ray") is mike carroll really the best that your money can buy? I mean seriously, look at his financing, he's bought and paid for. He is the representative of the representatives. 118, and all the districts in the state need to start voting for a representative of the people.
And to mike carroll or whomever is posting supporting him, i guess you haven't heard the old adage about the commonality between the special olympics and arguing on the internet.
If you win, you're still retarded!
So you are saying that PJ's intership for "red light ray" (your words....) is not something he should be proud of?
Well if PJ can't brag about his experience with "red light ray" (again, your words...), he is left with no legislative experience at all!
Again, what a laugh! No Experience Pajamas!!!
Considering I know nothing about the challenger, PJ, i can't really say what his opinion of his internship is, what his reasoning behind taking it, etc is. What I am saying is that at least he is not being bought and paid for by a guy that is questionable at best.
SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE poured out this evening to hear our State Representative, Mike Carroll, announce his reelection bid! Representative Carroll spoke of his MANY accomplishments during his short time representing the 118th.
Thank you Mr. Carroll for how hard you work for us and your extremely successful representation of us in Harrisburg. We appreciate it and will reward you with a landslide victory in the upcoming primary election.
Mike, stop posting on this blog yourself. Or in the alternative, post with your name rather than anonymous.
I was at your event briefly. There were 50 people TOPS. Saying that there were several hundred is either a lie or you can't count.
Furthermore, there were no ordinary people there. Everyone there held a political office. All of whom you already bought.
I stopped by PJ's "Meet the Candidate" last night. PJ must be quite disappointed with the turn out. Ten tables with ten chairs each. Almost half the seats were empty, about 15 children, most of PJ's family and friends, leaving about 5 or 10 people that were there to hear what he had to say.
Well he didn't say much. He spoke for about 2 or 3 minutes. He didn't have much to say about his ideas, his plans, or what he would bring to the job. On the contrary, he put Mike Carroll down about 10 times. Again, not one single idea about how he would raise revenues for transportation infrastructure, funding for state wide health care, or anything else. Just put downs of Mike Carroll.
Sad!!!
Yea, I was there too. The only thing I saw was negative campaigning at it's worse. Nothing positive to say, no real campaign issues, just tear down the guy in office and hope it works. It didn't work for me either.
While I want to support PJ, I have to agree with the two above posts. PJ had an opportunity to express his vision for the 118th district at his meet and greet. Instead, he pulled a play out of his daddy's playbook and played the "negative campaign against the incumbent with real experience" ploy. As for me, it did not impress me at all. In fact, it turned me off.
PJ is the young newcomer. If he wants to have a snowball's chance in H-E-double-toothpicks against the incumbent, he has to convey his ideas as being better for the 118th district. So far, he has failed greatly.
Negative campaigning and Internet blogs will not win him this election. His daddy knows that!
Say what you will about "lack of experience," but when push comes to shove I myself vote based upon which candidate has the most viable ideas to improve our region. For example, I'm continually irked at how Mr. Kanjorski has been re-elected time after time when in he's actually delusional enough to think wasting millions of dollars on an inflatable dam in Wilkes-Barre is a sound idea as other "pet projects" (such as the Hotel Sterling, Murray Complex, Pittston Penthouse Towers, etc.), all of which could significantly revitalize our core downtowns, have been stalled for many, many years due to a lack of funding. I'm shocked that Greg Skrepenak was re-elected by a landslide when the only "accomplishments" he could rattle off were being an ex-NFL player and bringing us more urban sprawl and low-wage distribution center jobs to Pittston Township's CenterPoint. Then again I suppose when you have no formal education you must likewise pander to the undereducated. Why strive to attract firms like Merck, Pfizer, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Boeing, Intel, etc. to our region when we can instead attract more lousy $10/hr. forklift operator positions for high school dropouts?
I love this region and wish to stay here after graduate school to raise my family. However if my internship interview today in which TWO prior "screenings" had whittled down the pack to a whopping TWENTY applicants for just two positions is any indicator of the dearth of high-quality financial-oriented career opportunities available in our region, then I can safely say I might just be amongst the growing ranks of my peers commuting from NEPA to Northern NJ or even NYC for employment concerns in the future. Why can't we elect someone YOUTHFUL and someone with VISION instead of college dropouts like Mike Carroll? Would Mr. Carroll like to explain to me what he has initiated to help retain our young college graduates and curb our embarrassing "Brain Drain" phenomenon? Would Mr. Carroll care to explain to me his stance on long-range urban planning issues, especially as my native hometown of Pittston Township is now facing explosive commercial and residential growth and accompanying congestion and water runoff woes?
I just don't understand why the undereducated and geriatric demographic here in NEPA refuses to give any "greenhorns" a chance to PROVE THEMSELVES before immediately writing them off as not being viable. Just what have "experienced" leaders such as Greg Skrepenak, Tom Kanjorski, Pittston Mayor Keating, etc. done to improve our region? "Saving Tobyhanna again" and "not raising taxes too much" doesn't cut it for those of us who expect MORE out of life and wish to see this area reinvented to its fullest potential. Mayor Keating ought to be especially ashamed of himself for doing so little to improve the dirty and deteriorating appearance of his community during his tenure as mayor. Homes everywhere are unkempt, Main Street is absolutely deplorable, vehicles park facing the wrong way on side streets without being ticketed, etc. If this is NEPA's idea of "experience," then I'll continue to vote to oust our incumbents.
Mark my words that when I do eventually run for elected capacity myself in the coming years I'll have the solid ideas behind me to compensate for my relative youth.
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