Music to my ears

"We can’t continually run the county in a deficit and use bonds to balance the budget,” -

Crestwood School Board member and Luzerne County commissioner candidate Bill Jones.

It's great that a commissioner candidate has picked up on what I've been harping about for the last two years. Three of the last four years the Bond Brothers have had to float a bond just to meet the payroll. This year they avoided it by a bunch of accounting tricks. Pushing off debt repayment that will cost more in the future, inventing revenue from land sales that have not yet happened and "more agressive" tax collection. Presto, no tax increase. You can't run a business or local government by juggling the books. It will eventually come crashing down on your head.

Wilkes-Barre City Councilwoman Kathy Kane said she will run for re-election and skip the county race. Steve Flood, a former county controller, said Tuesday that he’s 90 percent sure he will run for commissioner, but he said talk that he would switch to a Republican registration is inaccurate.

Greg Skrepenak and his to be announced running mate (Maryanne Petrilla) have a head start in fundraising. Outgoing commish Todd Vonderheid said he is willing $100,000 in campaign money to the happy couple.

And the Bond Brothers gave a going away present of $3000 to a lucky few.