The forum will be held Wednesday, Oct. 26
th at 7 p.m. at Wilkes University, Stark Learning Center, Room 101. Others are calling this a debate but that remains to be seen. Audience members will be able to submit written questions. Former State
Representative and W-B City Council member Kevin
Blaum will moderate, he now writes a Sunday Column for the Times-Leader. I go back a long way with Kevin, who is pretty
savvy guy, and I hope he lets the candidates mix it up.
Only
Betsy Summers has a website but you can find all 3 on
Facebook.
Re-Elect Mayor Tom LeightonLISA COPE FOR MAYORBetsy SummersI haven't paid much attention to the politics of my hometown lately but I have to agree with my friend the
Blogfather that Leighton has been a big improvement over the last guy. He got the finances in order so the city doesn't need 3 tax
anticipation loans and it's bond rating was restored.
Boscov's didn't close and the downtown has more businesses than when he took over. There are more police officers on the street and a new fire station was constructed in
Hollenback Park.
On the down side a few places have pulled out of the downtown lately and the Heights firehouse had to be closed because it was falling apart.
Trying to blame the mayor for crime in the city is unfair as there will always be drunken idiots with beer muscles and the federal and state drug and gun laws encourage gang warfare Ask the Mafia how prohibition was good for business plus just about every resident of every town in the northeast will complain about potholes and the condition of the roads.
Leighton's challengers are doing their best to make something out of his alleged ethical lapses such as the home security system paid for by the taxpayers, hiring his kids for summer jobs, the LAG towing contract, Old River Road Bakery, security cameras and a few other things.
There is an old rule to politics that says the challenger doesn't win an election but the incumbent loses it. Wilkes-Barre is an overwhelmingly Democratic city and with 2 challengers spitting the anti Leighton vote in the race Mayor Tom should be with us for the next 4 years . The 2 Captain Obvious college professors agree.
Tom Baldino of Wilkes University and David Sosar of King’s College say Leighton already has several advantages in the race, but with two candidates vying for the votes of discontented residents, the two-term Democrat becomes an even safer bet.