Petrilla: Fire Guesto

I never thought I would see this. Good for Petrilla.

WILKES-BARRE — “In my opinion, he was unauthorized to change policy and was reckless,” Commissioner Maryanne Petrilla said. “His actions violated state law and cost taxpayers money. He has damaged the credibility of Luzerne County government. I have asked President Judge Mark Ciavarella to terminate him immediately. … Sam Guesto should be terminated for many reasons, mainly he overstepped his boundaries.”...Ciavarella said he wouldn’t fire Guesto unless some legal authority concluded Guesto violated the law. District Attorney Jackie Musto Carroll has asked an outside agency to investigate.

So what Secret Police organization is investigating? If any. The county did it's own investigation of the prison purchasing practices and it alleges that Guesto instructed the prison kitchen manager to ignore bidding rules.

TL: Former Luzerne County chief clerk/manager Sam Guesto told county prison officials not to bid out items that were previously bid, telling the kitchen manager during a March 2006 meeting, “…do it or it’s your ass,” according to an internal report on illegal prison piecemealing released Monday. Guesto also directed that no-bid purchases be made from Commonwealth Foods Inc., kitchen manager Jack Rentko said in the report.

Guesto also directed the company designing the new prison to plan a bigger facility without getting the Commissioners to authorize the increased cost.

My opinion is that he should have been fired after the debit card scandal broke. We all await the results of the Secret Service investigation into that violation of the public trust.

Sam Guesto is worried about his job

And he should be.

TL: Guesto’s acquaintances say he is fearful he will be terminated. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Guesto was hired to the post in February 2008, after taxpayer predictions that the job was created for him. Guesto had resigned from his previous job as county chief clerk/administrator when it became apparent that Commissioners Maryanne Petrilla and Stephen A. Urban wouldn’t retain him.

Sam Guesto is credited with negotiating the the PA Child Care lease that sounds more like he was taking dictation. He ordered changes to the design of the new prison that will not be built for many years if ever because of the debt that the county had run up under the Bond Brothers and previous regimes. And he was in charge of the debit cards that were used in strip clubs and elaborate dinners with big booze bills. Guesto also twisted arms at the county prison he told county prison officials not to bid out items that were previously bid, telling the kitchen manager during a March 2006 meeting, “…do it or it’s your ass.”

The best outcome for Mr. Guesto is that he only be fired.

Sam Guesto gets the ax

And it's long overdue.

Guesto loses his court post

Eight, including Guesto, furloughed by county courts

My opinion is that he should have been fired after the debit card scandal broke. He was chased out of his job as Luzerne County Chief Clerk but landed a new gig as the Specialty Court Administrator. That post was invented by admitted criminal former President Judge Mark Ciavarella. His role in the PA Child Care lease is under investigation along with the piece mealing of contracts at the county prison to get around bidding requirements. And who knows what else.

Excluding all of the possible criminal stuff, Guesto was part of the Bond Bothers administration that every year presented county budgets that were full of numbers that seemed to be pulled out of thin air to create the illusion of a balanced budget.

I think that Mr. Guesto, Commissioner Greg Skrepenak, former Commissioner Todd Vonderheid and former County Budget Chief Sam Diaz , who is now at the Scranton Med School, should all be sentenced to a course in remedial arithmetic.

Luzerne County update

With Sam Guesto taking a newly created job out of the limelight thanks to Judge Ciavarella, the Luzerne County commissioners acted quickly to appoint a new chief clerk/manager. In a rare 3-0 vote they hired Doug Pape to be new day-to-day manager of the county. He has a solid resume and will be paid almost twice as much as his bosses but less than Guesto.

Many of you will shocked by this statement but I think the commissioners are underpaid. Luzerne County is a $200+ million operation with almost 2000 employees and they are paid around $40k a year. You get what you pay for. We really do need Homerule but that is another post.

Stepping on that Kumbaya moment Greg Skrepenak tried to move into Sam Guesto's old office in the basement of the courthouse until Maryanne Petrilla stopped him. Office space in the courthouse is a very touchy subject and any changes must be approved by all 3 commissioners.

Sounding like the cool kids are being mean to him and he wants to change his lunch seat Skrep said; “I ran to be in the majority, but all I hear is that we’re three equal, independent commissioners. So if that’s the case, the office space should help us obtain our goal.”

Will Skrep and Maryanne exchange Christmas cards next year?

Guesto lands on his feet

I know I have been ignoring all the fun under the dome because I'm concentrating on the various elections approaching. This is a political blog so I concentrate on elections, so shoot me.


Only in Luzerne County can a guy who was chased out his last job get a a similar one. He is at the center of the debit card controversy because he was the official that was supposed to approve any charges to the cards

in his position as county chief clerk/manager.

.

So when his position as chief clerk became untenable they invented a new position for him. Same old shit.

.

Guesto given new court job

.

Sam Guesto has been hired for a newly created court director job, which means he will remain a Luzerne County employee when he officially ends his job as county chief clerk/manager today. Many county workers had predicted the court job was created for Guesto. Court of Common Pleas President Judge Mark Ciavarella has denied that, saying the position is warranted and that he would choose the most qualified applicant.
Guesto’s hiring takes effect today, and he will be paid $78,159.80 annually, according to the court order issued by Ciavarella Thursday afternoon.

.

GUESTO’S DEBIT-CARD PURCHASES

.

I'm very disappointed with President Judge Mark Ciavarella but I can't say I'm surprised.

Sam Guesto's feelings are hurt

“Have you seen the man? He’s probably lost 80 pounds since everything started. He’s suffering greatly.”

.

Luzerne County Commissioner Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla has been saying some mean things about Guesto according to his lawyer and he sent her a cease and desist letter.

.

According to Attorney William Shehwen of the Philadelphia area Petrilla called him a "thief,” “gangster” and a “thug'" and alleges that she is trying to get him fired from the court administrator position that she voted to create when everybody knew the job was invented for him.

.

Guesto resigned as County Manager/Chief Clerk after it was revealed that he was in charge of the debit cards that were abused by everyone that got one and changed the purchasing policy at the Luzerne County prison to favor some well connected people that appears to be both a violation of the county's purchasing policy and state law telling the kitchen supervisor “do it or it’s your ass.” The last straw seems to be when he decided to redesign the proposed new prison on his own adding millions to the cost.

.

The debit card abuse is being investigated by the Secret Service and the piecemeal contracting at the prison is supposedly being looked into by some secret police outfit according to District Attorney Jackie MO. Maybe if you go to her golf outing you can team up with the Yonk and ask her what is going on.

.

GUESTO’S DEBIT-CARD PURCHASES

.

In another federal investigation

.

Ciavarella’s alleged bias subject of Friday hearing

Sam Guesto will hear your appeal

I'm speechless.


Mediation step now added to appeal


A third mandatory mediation step was officially added to Luzerne County’s assessment appeal court challenges Friday, and Sam Guesto will serve as the mediator.

No Bid

I'm beginning to wonder if any Luzerne County business has been bid out in the last few years.


The TL is reporting that the county Convention and Visitors Bureau violated a State law that requires bidding for purchases that exceed $10,000. The agency spent over $200,000 for advertisements with a company owned by a friend of county Commissioner Greg Skrepenak and former county chief clerk/manager Sam Guesto. They rented billboards and benches but the location of these benches remains a mystery. You can't locate a bench at a bus stop?

This follows the revelation that millions of dollars of business at the county prison was directed to other friends of Skrep without being bid. DA Jackie Musto Carroll has asked an outside law enforcement agency to investigate the prison shenanigans but won't say which one. Since it appears that a state law was violated I assume it's the PA Attorney General. What I don't understand is why she won't reveal what agency is investigating. It shouldn't be a state secret. Unlike other officials she doesn't have an email address on the Luzerne County website so I will have to wait until tomorrow to call her office to get a no comment.


From the CV: Some no-bid purchases involve friends of county Commissioner Greg Skrepenak, former County Manager Sam Guesto, county Purchasing Director Greg Hunsinger and prison kitchen supervisor Jack Rentko.

A report from the County Solicitor Jim Blaum is due today.


Commissioners Maryanne Petrilla and Stephen A. Urban say the failure to bid went against past practice and was not a mistake. Skrepenak maintains it was an unintentional oversight.

More Luzerne County news:

County billed twice for work at prison, Petrilla confirms


And the appointment of a new Controller is caught up in Harrisburg politics.

Filler’ named for controller post



What a mess.

Luzerne County scandals

SCRANTON – The U.S. Secret Service has concluded its initial investigation into the Luzerne County debit card scandal and has turned over the results to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for review, a federal prosecutor said Wednesday.

Forget the Secret Service and the US Attorney General the agency that matters in this is the IRS. I think it's pretty simple. If the people who had the debit cards in 2006 and charged personal expenses to it without declaring it as income on that year's 1040 should have to answer to charges of tax evasion.

Also, there has to be a Pennsylvania law about then County Manager/Chief Clerk Sam Guesto having a slush fund to pay the bills for Sam Hyder's trips to strip bars, etc. that then Controller Maryanne Petrilla claims she was not aware of. I don't know if any federal laws were broken but the PA Auditor General and Attorney General should be all over this.


Some of my previous posts on this and other related subjects:

Debit Cards

Sam Hyder

Luzerne County Prison

Bonds

No Bid Contracts

The Latest Outrage in Luzerne County

The fall guy

My personal credit card and the county’s card look exactly alike."-Luzerne County Prison Deputy Warden Sam Hyder

A pretty weak excuse for using a county debit card at a strip club in Las Vegas while on a junket. The whole problem with the latest controversy over the debit card mess is that these guys have been using the cards for almost 2 years without ever having to produce a receipt. Human nature being what it is people will try get away with living the high life if somebody else is paying for it. Steve Urban points out that this and other trips were not authorized by the Comissioners or anyone else.

.

Hyder is willing to fall on his sword to protect Majority DebitCardmissioner Greg Skrepnak but a few other people have some explaining to do:

.

The total amount spent from each account, according to records, is as follows:

.

Deputy Chief Clerk Bill Brace, $11,263.

.

Commissioner Greg Skrepenak, $10,324.

.

Deputy Warden Sam Hyder, $7,604.

.

Human Resources Director Doug Richards, $4,526.

.

County Clerk/Manager Sam Guesto, $3,630.

.

The Bureau of Elections, $2,696.

.

Former Commissioner Todd Vonderheid, $1,772.

.

I wonder why they didn't give Steve Urban one?

.

Now county Controller Maryanne Petrilla has started an investigation about 2 years too late. Before now she was busy doing audits of the row offices held by Republicans. She will be one of the new majority commissioners this January. Can anyone say "conflict of interest."

Some other law enforcement agency has to look at this situation. I just don't trust the Courthouse gang to investigate itself.

.

The state Attorney General or the FBI should be looking into this.

Guesto out

WILKES-BARRE — After enduring months of criticism and scrutiny stemming from the Luzerne County debit-card controversy, County Manager/Chief Clerk Sam Guesto announced Wednesday he was resigning as the county’s top administrator.

He has applied for the new Court administrator job and I will be disappointed but not surprised if he gets it.

From the CV:

GUESTO’S DEBIT-CARD PURCHASES

March 2, 2006 — Edwardsville Price Chopper, $24.73, bought soda for Emergency Management Agency workers, cost reimbursed.

March 6, 2006 — Daily Grill, Washington, D.C., $451.65, dinner while attending National Association of Counties meeting.

March 7, 2006 — Marriott, Washington, D.C., $466.42, two-night stay at hotel for National Association of Counties meeting, $54.22 reimbursed, portion of receipt covering $43.59 not provided.

March 15, 2006 — Patte’s Sports Bar, Wilkes-Barre, $60.62, meeting with assessor’s office employees, cost reimbursed.

March 23, 2006 — Perugino’s, Luzerne, $60.80, meeting with prison officials, cost reimbursed.

March 30, 2006 — Manhattan Time Share, New York City, $208.44, overnight stay for crime suppression meeting.


April 13, 2006 — Manhattan Time Share, New York City, $208.44, overnight stay for crime suppression meeting.

April 25, 2006 — Pasquale’s, Hanover Township, $34.24, meeting with Wilkes-Barre Township officials, cost reimbursed

Nov. 30, 2006 — Conference Trade Show, Illinois, $440, registration cost for National Association of Counties meeting.

March 4, 2007 — Hilton Hotel, Washington, D.C., $217.55, lodging for National Association of Counties.

March 8, 2007 — Hilton Hotel, Washington, D.C., $622.37, lodging, National Association of Counties, $53.51 unallowable.

June 6, 2007 — Conference Trade Show, Illinois, $390 refund, cancellation of registration for National Association of Counties meeting, $50 cost reimbursed.

June 25, 2007 — Exxon Mobile, Bear Creek, $42, fuel, no receipt submitted.

Aug. 9, 2007 — Tom’s 22, New Freedom, Pa., $51, fuel, no receipt submitted.


Aug. 10, 2007 — Sheraton Hotel, Baltimore, $692, lodging for 911 meeting, $12.99 unallowable purchase on a movie, video game or Internet service.

Total charges: $3,630.26


Allowable charges validated by receipts: $3,493.67

Unaccounted charges/no receipts: $136.59

Unallowable charges: $66.50


Should reimburse: $203.09Paid back: $1,268.03;

Refund due: $1,064

The jury is out

Democratic Luzerne County Commissioner Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla has been getting some high marks from some of my friends lately. She has been joining with GOP Commissioner Steve Urban in making all the right noises about the countless scandals that have come to light over the last year. But what action has she taken?

She called for an investigation of Judges Mark A. Ciavarella and Michael Conahan business relationship with PA Child Care owner and Cargo Airport builder Robert Powell after it was widely known that the FBI and IRS had already launched a probe.


She called for Sam Guesto's head when it was revealed that he was strong arming county prison officials not to bid out items that were previously bid and deciding on his own to build a bigger prison. Not to mention the Debit Card Debacle. But Guesto has a job with the courts now and his boss is Ciavarella who says he's doing a great job. I have an idea, since this newly created court director job was invented for him after his position as chief clerk became untenable how about the salary board meet and eliminate the job.

The prison board suspended Warden Gene Fischi and the Purchasing Director for a week for violating the county bidding policy and possibly breaking state law. They should have been fired. Some sort of secret police organization is supposed to be investigating this mess according to DA Jackie MO.

And why does Sam Hyder still have a job on the public payroll?

Remember when Controller Steve Flood was screaming about the 20 year lease with PA Child Care and a bunch of other things. He was making too much noise and asking uncomfortable questions so he had to to go. So the County Dems recruited Maryanne Petrilla to take him out in the Primary of 2005. In her 2 years as Luzerne County Controller I don't remember her making any waves except for auditing the Republican Row Officers and even then she didn't find much wrong.

With all that said I hope that she does kick ass and takes names but I'm a cynical old bastard that has to see results.

Luzerne County update

“Next year is not what I am ruling on.”- Judge Ann Lokuta


Luzerne County Commissioner Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla is promissing cuts in next year's budget but Judge Lokuta doesn't buy into it. Walter Griffith and Ed Chesnovitch have been drilling county officials in the hearings on their request to borrow $16 million to cover last year's bills and she has let them question the officials dealing with this mess.

It would be helpful if Sam Diaz and Sam Guesto testified on how the county got into this bind in the first place.

Petrilla wants to cut 20 percent from the county’s 2009 budget


Judge Lokuta will decide if county can borrow $16 M


Judge grills Petrilla on ’08 deficit


The latest version of the Life Transiition plan claims that $1.8 million will be saved in 2009 with the acceptance of an early-retirement incentive plan by 127 county employees. The last time they tried this the county hired back many of the so called retired employees through a temp agency. I have yet to see an accounting or progress report that documents any money that has been saved. The temp agency that the Bond Brothers (Greg Skrepenak and Todd Vonderheid) used was One Source Staffing Solutions owned by 10th CD Republican candidate Chris Hackett who gave his first ever political contribution to the Bond Brothers reelection committee.



Musto chosen to fill county judge vacancy


Joe Musto, brother of State Senator Ray Musto, will serve out the term of Judge Michael Conahan on the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas who supposedly resigned last year. Conanhan has moved on to being a senior Judge presiding over bench trials that everyone who pays attention knows who will win. The rumor mill says that Conahan is in deep doo doo because of his actions involving PA Child Care. Musto was appointed to the bench in 1993 by Governor Casey but lost the following election to Conahan. I think we got that one wrong.

Skrep is feeling lonely

“I don’t think it’s a secret that my party has abandoned me, but I still have a large following – a following that asks me every day for direction. I want to provide them with that direction.”-Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak

.

Poor Skrep. He continues sniping with fellow Democratic Commissioner Maryanne Petrilla and his pals Sam Guesto, Sam Diaz and Todd Vonderheid have moved on. And I doubt if he exchanges Christmas cards with Steve Urban. Now he says that County Democratic Chairman Mark Bufalino isn't talking to him and he's not being invited to Obama campaign events. Bufalino and the Obama camp both dispute that claim.

.

I'm not sure what he means about that large following. The way he's been talking about reassessment he might be angling to be the next Mayor of Harveys Lake.

Untangling the web

"I just look at the little tab that has my name next to them and I sign them.- Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak


Mike Buffer has great rundown of the latest web of deceit that we call Luzerne County government in the Citizens Voice today.

The crime fighting research trips to New York City by a bunch of county officials who have nothing to do with law enforcement were never approved by the board of commissioners and in many cases were paid for by county debit cards that got them all into hot water. The crime fighting superheros are Skrep, former Chief Clerk Sam Guesto, former Human Resources Director Doug Richards, indicted multi job holder Bill Maguire, exotic dance critic prison Deputy Sam Hyder and the best dressed man in Luzerne County, Bill Brace. No changes in policy resulted from the research although Skrep wanted to buy a $2 million computer system that none of the local police departments could agree on.

Since then we have learned that Doug Richards invented a company to do payroll work for the county drawing up a contract that was never approved by the commissioners but invoices were still approved by the Controller's office. Nobody seems to know anything about Continental Consultants Group Inc. and B&M Investigations Inc. or William Grub and John Luango. Grub and Luango are retired NYC cops that have done well in the security consultant business. They are doing so well that Luzerne County paid B&M $35,000 for a background policy report that no one can find. Reputation is everything.

Some choice Skrep highlights and quotes:



Skrepenak also denies knowledge that two retired New York City police detectives involved with those trips had business ties to county contracts now being investigated by the FBI and the county solicitor....Skrepenak has acknowledged that several former top aides are talking to federal investigators and could implicate him in the ongoing corruption probe...Skrepenak said he didn't know this month Grub and Luongo had ties to contracts between Luzerne County and two companies - Continental Consultants Group Inc. and B&M Investigations Inc..."What we found is guys who have 20 years in the police department, they don't make great money with the NYPD," Skrepenak said...


Skrepenak said he didn't notice that Grub was listed as B&M president when he signed the $35,000 contract. He said he "didn't know specifically who B&M was" and doesn't "look at whose names are on" contracts he signs.

The Urban Terrorist stikes again

Luzerne County Commissioner Stephen A. Urban had the nerve to tell the people about what is in the super secret audit of PA Child Care, owner of the juvenile jail in Pittston Township. PA Child Care threatened to file a lawsuit if information from the draft audit was given to the press citing "trade secrets." I don't buy it. The state Department of Public Welfare conducted an audit of how taxpayer money is being spent and we have a right to know. According to Urban taxpayers may be on the hook for $30 million to $40 million because of the lease.

County Children and Youth director Frank Castano and County Manager Sam Guesto refused to give a copy to Urban so he got a copy from the Dept. of Welfare. Commissioner Chairman Greg Skrepenak backs them up hiding behind the lame excuse of a threatened lawsuit if information from the audit was given to the press. Let them sue, what are they afraid of? Or a better question is, what is Skrep afraid of?

In an attempt at damage control the county Dems are in full insult mode:

Skrepenak said Urban could not be trusted with a copy of the draft audit, and on Thursday, Skrepenak said Urban proved him right. He called Urban “a coward.”


Skep also called him an “albatross,” a “liar” and a “sneak.”

Skrepenak said he will sue Urban if he is sued.


County Commissioner Rose Tucker said he’s a “bum” and said she wants to “strangle him.”

A law firm representing PA Child Care, which owns the Pittston Township center, said Urban’s audit release was “a desperate act by a desperate politician trying desperately to get re-elected.”

And to add to the nonsense:

“This would be displeasing in the eyes of the individuals who trained Mr. Urban in the military,” Guesto said. “You don’t call the press if you should move your battalion forward.”


Urban's response

“Rose can call me whatever she wants. I like Rose. She’s a sweet lady, but she has a responsibility here and she should not have shirked her responsibility by refusing to see the audit. She has a responsibility as an elected official to get involved in matters, no matter how difficult they are.”

Urban said Skrepenak is the one who put the county “at risk” with the lease.
“He’s got this county in a serious situation because he did not act prudently. He’s going to attack me because he has to cover it up.”

Remember that in 2003, Urban and then-Commissioner Tom Makowski voted to borrow roughly $9 million for a new county-owned juvenile facility. And then the money was pissed away on other projects.

Take me out to the ballgame

“I would never solicit tickets. It would feel like it’s graft.They’re asking for things for their personal use.”-Commissioner Steve Urban



TL: Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak and former chief clerk/manager Sam Guesto solicited tickets to sporting events from at least one vendor that does business with the county.


Larry Bickford, of L. Robert Kimball and Associates, said Thursday that his company, which is working on a proposed new county prison design, has purchased tickets for Guesto and/or Skrepenak several times over the last few years...


The county has paid Kimball $2.35 million to date for prison design.

If anyone out there can get me good seats to the Phillies-Red Sox series in June I promise to write nice things about you.

The latest outrage in Luzerne County

Luzerne County has paid a New York company more than $670,000 since May for employment services through a no-bid contract not approved by county commissioners.

Under the contract, Continental hires workers chosen for county work and provides workers’ compensation and payroll services for those employees. The county is charged two fees — 1.19 percent of clerical employees’ hourly rates and 1.33 percent of field employees’ rates. The county paid OneSource Staffing Solutions more than $707,000 for similar employment services from January 2006 to May 2007. Both county employment contracts didn’t include expiration dates or maximum payment amounts.

Not even the Commissioners know what is going on let alone our clueless former Controller.

TL: Eight people who retired from Luzerne County’s 2005 special early-out incentive are still working as consultants for the county – prompting complaints from union workers...Initially, some county officials argued that retaining consultants was a cost-efficient way for retirees to train their replacements. The retirees received their prior hourly pay but no health benefits.
However, Urban said he has received complaints from workers and taxpayers that consultants continue to work when they have already received early-retirement bonuses of $20,000 plus $1,000 for each full year of service and payment of accrued vacation and sick time.

This is what I wrote about the golden parachute scheme 2 years ago:

Our two Luzerne County Commissioners, Greg Skrepnak and Todd Vonderheid, who along with their army of consultants who came up with the Orwellian sounding "Life Transition Plan" hired back a bunch of people who were supposed to be let go. But the kicker is they are not on the county payroll but work for a temp service. So in addition to paying them the same salary the county is paying a premium to the employment service.

And the audit of the lease the PA Child Care facility in Pittston paints county officials as inept negotiators who blindly entered into an agreement that allowed PA Child Care’s owners to reap “unreasonable” profits at the expense of county, state and federal taxpayers. Remember that the people who own PA Child Care also want to build a useless airport near Hazleton with the help of a boatload of taxpayer money.

Sam Guesto was one of the people who negotiated this contract and is now being considered for a newly created position of director of specialty courts and alternative sentencing. Guesto was the guy that was supposed to monitor/approve spending on the county debit cards. Now Steve Urban and many others are calling for his head but it looks like he will end up with a soft landing.

And the new Commissioner's Maryanne Petrilla's solution to all the bad press that the county lately has been getting was to fire Kathy Bozinski as Luzerne County public information officer. And she did this without the normal personnel executive session or giving Bozinski a chance to defend herself. Yeah, Petrilla is real breath of fresh air.

The people in charge have been failing us for a long time and maybe it's time to shake up the whole system. Home Rule may not be the solution to the problems of Luzerne County government but it's worth a try because this system is not working right.

HOME RULE

Violate the law, get a week off

WILKES-BARRE — Luzerne County Correctional Facility Board unanimously voted Monday to suspend prison Warden Gene Fischi for one week without pay because the warden failed to inform board members about decisions to avoid bidding purchases.
The board also put Fischi and prison kitchen supervisor Jack Rentko on probation for a year.

And Sam Guesto still has a job after telling Rentko to ignore bidding requirements saying “do it or it’s your ass.”

Some sort of secret police organization is supposed to be investigating this mess according to DA Jackie MO but she hasn't named the agency. Why can't she tell us which one? And why are our great local reporters giving her a pass?

Bad eyesight

”We don’t pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes.” - Leona Hemsley

She would fit right in at the the Luzerne County Courthouse. Newly elected Recorder of Deeds James “Red” O'Brien has been getting a free pass on unpaid taxes dating back to 2003. He owes $17,855 in property taxes for his bar in Avoca which he is trying to sell. Last year's Sheriffs sale of properties that owed back taxes included many homes with unpaid taxes from 2005 and earlier but Red's business wasn't included. Why not? Commissioner Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla asked Sam Diaz who "said it was an oversight."

Wow, how did we ever get so many people working in the courthouse who can't see what is right in front of their nose? Sam Hyder claimed he used his county debit card at a strip club in Las Vegas because it looked just his own credit card and Commissioner Greg Skrepnak offered a similar excuse when it was revealed that he used his county card to pay for his family's extra hotel rooms at a conference. The lack of competitive bidding at the prison was explained as an oversight or misunderstanding of the law or regulation. And on and on.

With all these officials with eye problems I think that the county should look at hiring an Optometrist to make sure everyone has proper reading glasses and maybe a reading teacher to help them brush up on their comprehension.

I'm sure somebody in the Courthouse has a brother-in-law that is an Optometrist that could provide corrective lenses, just ask Judge Conahan or Ciavarella. No need to advertise the job.

Some bigwigs eventually do pay their taxes. Sam "the untouchable" Guesto, the former county manager and the director of specialty courts , paid off delinquent taxes he owed the county tax claim office last week, he owed $832.84 from unpaid 2007 taxes and fees.