Possible 120th HD candidates

First of all I want to say say thank you to Phyllis Mundy for being for being a friend and an outstanding State Representative.

Just as I was getting worried that we wouldn't have many competitive state legislature elections next year Phyllis drops a bomb shell. Right now Pashinski, Carroll, Mullery, Toohill, Yudichak and Baker don't have an announced opponent but that will change as some guy with a tri-corner hat gets the itch. So far only Karen Boback has a serious opponent in Laura Dickson.

Bill O'Boyle in the TL runs down the likely candidates.

On the GOP side 2012 nominee Aaron Kaufer gives kudos to Phyllis and sounds like he will run again. She cleaned his clock 56%-44% after the state GOP pored a ton of money into the race. And there is always  speculation that Kingston Mayor for Life Jim Haggerty will try to lose another election outside of the Municipality after getting shot down for State Senate and Judge. I'm sure some other names will pop up.

The Dems will have plenty of candidates. Edwardsville Councilor Gary Mack is interested as is West Pittston attorney Laura Dennis who is said to be able to self finance. This line from the TL article kind of bugs me. Dennis said she wants to run for elective office; she has to decide if the state legislature would be the best fit for her. In other words she wants to run for office to be somebody instead of doing something. She has time to clear that up.

The early frontrunner for the Democratic nod has to be West Wyoming Council Prez Eileen Cipriani. She has been at Phyllis' side and organized the West Side Council of Governments that has been able to pool the resources of the west side to get things done.

Other names being thrown around include:

Former W. Pittston Mayor Bill Goldsworthy who is working for the the Guv and ran against Phyllis in 2010. He may want to get off the Corbett sinking ship before it goes under.

Just for shits and giggles a commenter says:  I say Michael Szustak- did a bang up job with Gelb and Cartwright. Has what we need for the job!

 And we all know that Joe V has always wanted to be elected to something...anything

If Mundy does retire, who knows, maybe I’ll tap into that communion money and throw my hat into the ring as well.

More acrimony in Plymouth

Over the weekend it was announced that the DA won't pursue the removal of  Plymouth Councilman Bill Dixon. That came as bad news to Borough Coordinator Joe Mazur after he got the council to hire a $200/hr. lawyer to get rid of him because of state charges that have been pardoned by the Governor but there is a  federal conviction that has not been pardoned,  yet. Jim Haggerty is working on that.

Now Councilman Cliff Madrack wants a copy of the proposed budget that Mazur drafted but he can't get it. TL: “They said they can’t give me one because it’s a proposed budget,” Madrack said. “Why would we not want to give a copy of the proposed budget to anyone?”
Mazur said he is required to draw up a budget proposal and make it available for public review for 10 days before council votes on it, but not to provide copies.
“He’s not deprived of it,” Mazur said. “He’s a councilman; he can sit there and look at it all day."

This is so petty that it makes me laugh. It would infuriate me if I was a resident of Plymouth.  How hard is it to make some copies?  Madrack told me that Mazur is living in the 1950's. Mazur said "But to put it out on the street, we would run into so many problems that you can never get a budget done.”I don't think he has heard of the internet or a Xerox machine.

There seems to be some bad blood between Madrack and Mazur that I picked up from this story in CV by Michael Sisak last month: Mazur blamed Madrack for the divisiveness on the council, but scoffed when asked whether the borough should be investigating Madrack instead.
"Who the hell cares about him?" Mazur said.

A job in the street department has come open and Madrack want's it advertised in the local papers but  Mazur said he already had a stack of applications.

People tell me  that Joe Mazur is an expert on job applications. He has recommended many applicants for positions as a member of the Wyoming Valley West School Board.

Bill Dixon Victory Party

What was billed as a benefit to offset Plymouth Council member Bill Dixon's legal bills turned into a celebration when his lawyer announced that the DA had declined to get involved in the case.

MC Scott Cannon thanked the people that put together the event and introduced Bill.  He was almost speechless. He thanked everybody and choked up when he thanked his wife saying she "is the reason  I am the man I am today." I know the feeling.

Jim Haggerty  delivered the good news and the crowd erupted in applause.

The challenge to Dixon was engineered by Joe Mazur who is a past Luzerne County Democratic Chairman  but now has been reduced to trying to run a little town of 6000 people. He is not doing it well.

Plymouth Council member  Cliff Madrack ripped into Mazur.

 "He thinks he is in the 1950's. He want's to be the boss. It's easier to say come along instead of do what I say."

http://www.timesleader.com/stories/DA-not-pursuing-Dixons-removal,241524

Breaking News: DA will not remove Dixon from Plymouth Council

In a letter to Attorney Jim Haggerty Luzerne  County District Attorney Stefanie Salavanits said she will not seek the removal of Bill Dixon from Plymouth Borough Council.

The letter states in part:

"Obviously, since it has been confirmed to my office that Mr. Dixon has been pardoned as described herein by Governor Corbett, we have determined that it would be imprudent for this office to pursue Mr. Dixon's removal from his elected position as member of the Plymouth Borough Council via Quo Warranto action.

Preliminarily, I note that in cases where a citizen was duly elected by the electorate (rather than appointed), it has been the policy of this office not to interfere with the will of the voters. We presume the voters make a knowing and informed choice in choosing their representative and therefore, it is not the intent of this office to be used as a political pawn by those unhappy with the candidate's victory, nor to supersede the voters' choice by unseating an elected official thereby. "


More on this to come.

Or as Drudge would say

Developing........

A night with the Republicans

Alex put together a great event last night to watch Mitt Romney accept the Republican Party nomination to be President. About 60 people came and went before Romney took the stage but only 20 or so actually hung around for his acceptance speech.

Before we joined the fun at Mulligans Irish Bar I popped into Boscov's to buy a new blazer for Blogfest. It was great to see all the businesses open  in downtown Wilkes-Barre. A few years ago Public Square was a ghost town after 5PM.

The first person I ran into was my 2nd favorite back cracker, recovering politician turned radio talk show host Dr. David Madeira. You can catch his act weekdays 6-9AM on 94.3FM. Luzerne County Controller Walter Griffth told me he loves his job despite being shorthanded because of budget cuts and spoke highly of county manager Bob Lawton. He said he will definitely be running for reelection next year. It was good to see past candidates Gina Nevenglosky and Joyce Gebhardt. Kingston Mayor Jim Haggerty said he suggested one of the names for the AAA baseball team, the Blast. It was great to meet the Right Wing Fringey guy.

I asked some people in crowd what they liked about Romney. Lynette Villano said he has the business experience that will help turn the economy around. She is planning a big luzerne/Lackawanna County GOP dinner and is looking for a headliner. I suggested Rick Santorum. Lori Vandermark also cited Romney's business experience and added that he managed a successful Olympics. Luzerne County GOP chair Bill Urbansky said he was an American success story. Walter Griffith said "I have to hold my nose to vote for either of them" but he likes Paul Ryan. Host Alex Milanes critiqed his party on several issues saying "I think the Republican's are on the wrong side of history on gay rights." He thinks if the party loses this election it needs to reinvent itself and he won't jump ship but will try to build bridges.

Bill Wellock covered the event for the CV and Steve Mocarsky quoted me in his write up for the TL. I was expecting to see Andrew Seder but Bill told me he works bankers hours.

County GOP viewing party lures undecideds

Pick of Romney buoys local GOP

New Luzerne County GOP chairman

In a bit of a surprise Kingston attorney Bill Urbanski was elected as Luzerne County Republican chairman defeating incumbent Terry Casey 79-72 at the party convention Sunday at Genetti's.


Casey was elected in 2008 succeeding Lynette Vilano. and it's fair to say that his record has been more hits than misses. In 2007 the Luzerne County Republicans lost EVERY contested county election. Their only winner that year was Steve Urban because one Republican had to be on the board of commissioners. His first move was hiring Renita Fennick as executive director who was able to deal with the various factions and got people to work together. A year round headquarters was opened in downtown Wilkes-Barre with space donated by a real estate outfit and he got the back mountain money boys to kick in some bucks to pay for it all. It paid off in the 2009 county elections when the Republicans won 2 out 3 of the Row Offices up that year. In 2010 the focus was getting Lou Barletta elected to Congress that was helped by the national wave.

Elections for the county council under the new Home Rule form of government was on the ballot in 2011 and the Republicans snagged 4 of the 11 seats and Stefanie Salavatis knocked off DA JAckie Mo. Not bad for a party that has been on the outside for a long time with a significant deficit in registrations.

 But some Republicans said they should have done better after all the corruption that has seen a slew of Democrats go to jail. Some have complained that the county party didn't help out municipal candidates enough particularly in Wilkes-Barre but that is not the focus of the county party.

The county Republicans haven't been able to fill all of the committee spots and got a big black eye when a race hater wrote himself in for one of them.One of my Republican friends said it was not a priority to recruit county committee members but 6th District honcho James O'Meara said he tried his best to get people to sign up without much success.

Bill Urbanski sounds like a Republican populist if there is such a thing CV: "My vision is simple: do away with unnecessary expenditures and bureaucracies and build a more inclusive county Republican Party," Urbanski said. "Too often committee members and even average voters feel as though they are on the outside looking in, or what may be worse, on the bottom looking up. In my mind, the contributions made by the rank-and-file members of the GOP are just as important as the contributions made by those in positions of power."

It looks like Kingston Mayor Jim Haggerty is the next coming of Marty Murray on the Republican side. He wrote the Home Rule Charter and now this.  "Winning the Republican county election is proof of your grassroots ability," Haggerty said.

Bill's brother posted this picture  :

Update: James O'Meara corrects me in the comments..

Actually, Gort, this year we were successful in the 6th getting new committee members. We have filled 8 of 10 slots in Plains, for example, and I will find people for the other two slots. It was similar throughout the rest of the 6th District. Recruiting those slots is a primary duty of a District Chair, so the empty slots ...and the responsibility to fill them ...are my responsibility.

Luzerne County government

In the recent election the Luzerne County GOP did well. Dick Hughes will now be a judge and Stefanie Salavantis kept hammering the kids for cash scandal topping Jackie Mo in the District Attorney race showing what a ton of money and a savvy media campaign can do.

The race for the new County Council was the most unpredictable yielding a somewhat surprising result with only 6 Democrats winning seats in a county with a big Dem registration edge. There will be 4 Republicans and an Independent rounding out the newfangled 11 member body. Kingston Mayor and study commission chairman Jim Haggerty told me before he wrote the new charter that he wanted to try to minimize the influence of campaign contributions For the most part each candidate ran a solo effort with a few alliances that at times crossed party lines but didn't work out. My good friend David Yonki said that name recognition would be a key in this race because of the crowded field predicting that Urban the Elder and Urban the Younger would top the poll. It was good to see that the CV quoted a real political expert in addition the Captains Obvious college professors. I would add that the Independent Rick Williams TV spots raised his name recognition contributing to his win. I expect (hope) that party loyalty will be put on the back burner and our new Councilors will do what is best for us all. It will be interesting to see what alliances and deals that will be made in the coming months and years.

Now the hard part.

Members get applicant details

The first job of the new council is to hire an unelected county manager but this story tells us that they can't even agree on the ground rules on applications.

In other news the present Commissioners have decided to spend $1 million to tear down the Hotel Sterling after pissing away $6 million trying to save it. The place was wreck even before the recent flooding.

Another boondogle on the horizon is the Market Street Square property that the county bought from Thom Greco for $5.8 million in 2006. They voted to sink another $2 million into the place to clean it up that will let the county put a senior center and the tourism bureau office in the station. $7 million plus for a senior center and tourist office for this place ? Another property that should be bulldozed and start from scratch. I worked at the Station years ago and it was an eyesore and hazard even then. There was some entertainment value when Greco and the owners of the Woodlands owners the Cornfelds got into a pissing contest that resulted in some expensive cars getting towed all over town.

Greco and Greg Skrepenack should enjoy the show on TV.

Home stretch for Home Rule

Read the Luzerne County Home Rule Charter at this link.

In our last poll I asked you if the home rule charter would be approved and it is a dead heat. Both sides are holding many events to persuade voters. The Yonk moderated an informational meeting with members of the study commission and WVIA had supporters James Haggerty and Rick Morelli and charter critics county Chief Solicitor Vito DeLuca and county Controller Walter Griffith debate the merits yesterday.

Even more events are scheduled. The details are on the pro and con websites.

Friends of Home Rule

Charter No

Most ballot questions (bond issues for fire companies, etc.) pass easily for some reason which is why I usually vote no but this one is different. Luzerne County has a habit of voting down progress such as the last home rule charter that Skrep and Vondy said was unnecessary because we could trust them. Before that a group labeled itself Taxes No defeated a bond issue that would have given us a bigger Arena.

Former State Representative Kevin Blaum was the driving force in building the arena and favors the home rule charter.


In 16 days you get to decide the future of Luzerne County government. Will voters choose to remain where they are – stuck in a ditch and mired in muck – or will they break free from the past, turn out in large numbers, vote YES enthusiastically and usher in a new era of professional stewardship that your children and grandchildren so richly deserve? It is up to you.

One thing is certain; those in control of Luzerne County government and the power, benefits and contracts it bestows do not want the system changed. They and their political supporters will be out in force come Election Day. No amount of wind or rain will stop them. They intend to defeat your new constitution and its professional council-manager form of government used so widely throughout the United States. If they get their way, this wonderful regional opportunity will be lost and tragic fiction will be reality.

My inbox has been flooded with anti-home rule opinions but not one pro missive. Here is an anti view and I welcome guest posts from those of you who favor the charter.

Folks,

While the opportunity continues to be available, I would like to offer another "guest post".

I have written letters to the editor numerous times and the bell that I'm trying to ring right now is the Home Rule warning bell.

Aside from a finance career in private industry, I worked in government for over 20 years including federal, county and local government. This appointed manger situation is the most dangerous threat to the taxpayers that has ever faced us.

The appointed manager will be the now often quoted "mini king". The manager will be appointed, not voted on and he will have powers and authority that no government official ever had or should have. He can hire and fire with no oversight. He can move money from one department to another without oversight. He can make contracts up to $25,000 without oversight. He can do these things behind closed doors and without the requirement of doing so at a public meeting. There are other powers he will have but I'll just address these few.

Appointed, not elected. This means that the voters and taxpayers of Luzerne County will be controlled by a public official that answers only to himself and the Council majority who appointed him. Kinda reminds me of a Superintendent of Schools but without public oversight and much more authority.

Let's take a closer look at these powers:

Authority to hire and fire. Having the absolute authority to hire and fire, what is to stop this manager from selling jobs such as happened in the school districts? What's to stop him from hiring friends and family, not just his own but those of the Council majority? What's to stop him from firing people who are a political pain to the Council Majority? This authority will allow majority Council members to get family members hired and then have the luxury of standing up and saying, "I didn't hire my son (or daughter), I don't have a vote. That Council member is correct, he does not have a vote on the hiring of relatives but he absolutely does have influence over the manager his Council majority hires. The appointed majority will always be in a position of intimidation by the Council majority and he will dance to their tune to keep his high paying job.

Authority to move money within departments. This would be like the current commissioners taking money out of the Road and Bridge department budget and moving it to the Clerk of Courts department. How does the Road and Bridge department operate effectively? This authority alone is enough to destroy county government.

Authority to make No Bid contracts up to $25,000. Isn't that a sweet deal? One man can spend up to $25,000 and the elected Council will have no input or oversight. There is a term used in government that is used to avoid public bids, it is called "Bid Splitting". An example would be an anticipated year's cost of office supplies to be $40,000. Bid Splitting would be issuing a contract for $20,000 and later writing a second contract for the remaining $20,000. Thus, the manager just made a deal that required no oversight because he stayed under the $25,000 maximum expenditure for a single transaction. But even without the danger of Bid Splitting, the manager can spend up to $25,000 for any item regardless of value for dollar spent. This is a major step backward. Look at the number of purchases made in the county each year that is over $10,000 but under $25,000. You will find that the number of transactions are staggering and we will now make those purchases without benefit of public bids. Absolutely unbelievable and terrifying for the taxpayers.

Perhaps it is time for Luzerne County to operate under Home Rule but this proposed Charter is not the vehicle to get the job done. An Eleven member Council with NO minority representation is simply a bad form of government. How can we possibly elect enough people to change the direction of an 11 member Council? Right now, we have one county commissioner (minority) watching the actions of two county commissioners and to make a change we simply have to elect one new Commissioner to effect a change. We can't control our school boards of nine members so how do we control a county Council of eleven members?

If you like the way your School Board operates, you will love Home Rule.

Wil Toole

Haggerty responds

Gort,

Just read the Kathy Dobash post. Quite entertaining.

A couple of points:

1. Please don't fall into the trap of letting charter opponents attack the charter by ripping on me, Morelli, or anyone else. If someone wants to attack the charter, let them attack what's IN the charter. That's the question for voters: Is the plan of government set forth in the charter better than our current three commissioner/row officer system?

The charter plan is plainly better than the current system, and in dozens of different ways. Dobash cannot in any way, shape, or form make a coherent argument that the current corrupt system is better than the system set forth in the charter. Hence, the personal attacks. Don't let her get away with dodging the main issue.

2. Facts are clearly not an impediment to a Dobash argument. I was delighted to learn that I'm a "good friend" of Bob Powell. While he, like dozens of lawyers, donated to my state senate campaign in 2006, I can't remember ever meeting the man, although I can't say for sure we never crossed paths. But Dobash here is just making stuff up. She does that. Another case in point: Dobash alleged at a public meeting (as did Steve Urban to the Standard Speaker) that, under the charter, the controller can't access county books until 18 months after a transaction. Well, the charter actually gives the controller access to any county record or employee upon "reasonable notice." Somebody made up the "18 month" argument. Hey, why let the facts get in the way of an important public policy debate?

3. Steve Urban came out against the charter before we even had a charter, and Dobash is a Steve Urban acolyte. Check out her posts worshipping Urban on WILK's website. If the charter passes, Urban loses his job as county commissioner since the office is eliminated. Dobash is clearly unhappy about this.

4. I think Norton may have mentioned to you that study commission members would love to meet with the blogger community to discuss the charter. (And you can see our awesome slideshow comparing the existing form of government and the charter!) Is this something you can set up?

Thanks for listening.

Regards,

Jim

Against Home Rule

This is a guest from my pal Kathy Dobash who is a regular poster at NewsTalkPA which is part of the ever growing GrassrootsPA internet empire.





I know it is common practice for TV interviews with local candidates and politicians. Sometimes these interviews are paid by the candidates as a commercial for their agenda and ideas about government.

These expenses are reported as part of the campaign.

The latest "interviews" on a local Hazleton TV show has Chairman Haggerty promoting Home Rule as a business run by a CEO. We all know that can be even more corrupt than the Wilkes-Barre School District. View the video at this link: http://www.ssptv.com/show.php?show_id=21

INSIDE SCOOP

Special Guest Jim Haggerty (28 minutes)
2010-06-28

Topics 1. Home Rule Charter 2. County Accountability

Does Jim Haggerty, Tom Marnell and David Sosar help pay for the air time with this show? Why? I was wondering how other citizens can be guests on this show. Is this a way for the Kingston Mayor to have the whole county pass a tax to cover the levee fee for the people of Kingston? Does the Southern Region of the county have enough population to cover other costs?

How can the Home Rule Study Commission use a TV show with the host( Rick Morelli, treasurer of the Home Rule Study Commission) to promote their new idea of government? Did the Home Rule Study Commission vote in secret to run these interviews? The citizens who disagree with important key issues about their written document do not have the money to speak out and be heard! Is this how we want to do business? Those with differences of opinion must have equal opportunity and time. All of these actions: Paying for ads to promote only the Commission's idea, waiting until someone leaves a room to address concerns, and run television programs where no one else can debate the topic give me concern to reconsider the motives of the Home Rule Study Commission members. They just want to win to save face.
The concerns about the authority of the transition team, the duties of a County Controller, Elected or Appointed County Executive and Districts are still important topics for many voters.

The study commission plans to approve a proposal on July 21.

The last meeting was about term limits. http://standardspeaker.com/news/home-rule-panel-discussses-term-limits-1.873783


Supreme power using Ad propaganda to promote a new form of government is questionable. Should Rick Morelli be involved in dedicating showtime without saying who is paying for it? Are they in violation of campaign expense laws? They fail to disclose the show sponsors. Someone is paying for the show airtime. Haggerty, an attorney and Morelli should know better. Haggerty is a good friend of Bob Powell.

He did nothing and said nothing about the Luzerne County corruption over a four year period. What is even more troubling? He has failed to change the judicial branch and the wrong doing in the DA's office in the Home Rule document.

He had no guts to talk to me when I was present in a room. Why did he wait until I left the area to address the audience about my public statements?

The use of the show "Inside Scoop" to promote the vote for the Luzerne County Home Rule Study Commission's new Charter is just plain wrong. Does it violate finance spending and reporting?

Is the television time donated on this TV show allowed. WHO is paying for the show?
I think having a political show is fine. I have a problem with the use to promote the work of the Home Rule Study Commission. If Rick Morelli was not treasurer of the Commission then all is well but it is a HUGE CONFLICT OF INTEREST. Does it violate any laws?

It is politically driven and the stars on the show have political interest with possible gain for power and money. The promotion to SELL their charter is obvious.

Who is fronting the money for the political airtime about Luzerne County Home Rule? It will be on the ballot November 2ND. If Home Rule passes I pray many step up to run for the 11 Council positions to keep those who wrote the Charter honest. I recommend THUMBS DOWN on Luzerne County Home Rule Charter!

Home Rule video

The Government Study Commission is in the home stretch to put the proposed Luzerne County charter on the ballot in November. Some procedures and policies were adjusted in the last meeting but the 2 big issues are still up in the air. Should the county council have 11 members elected at-large or should there be fewer members to be elected by district ? Is an appointed county manager better than an elected one? Like the 2003 charter this plan also eliminates elections for most of the row officers, which is a good thing.

Kingston Mayor Jim Haggerty states the case for the new plan in this video.







Study panel revisits hot-topic issues

Commission tweaks charter

Cordora backs Mullen

Most endorsements are good for a press release then forgotten the next day. This one isn't even worth a release but I got one from Tim Mullen anyway. I know the Libertarian candidate in the 120th State House district has a big hill to climb to even get on the November ballot and welcomes support from anyone but this one should have been quietly accepted then ignored.


I got this email: After several talks with him, it is pretty much official. John Cordora, Republican from Kingston, who was Phyllis Mundy's last opponent in 2006 has endorsed me. http://www.timesleader.com/opinion/letters/MAIL_BAG__ensp_LETTERS_FROM_READERS_06-14-2010.html I will continue to personally contact as many elected officials in this district as possible to win their support.

Yes, Cordora ran against Phyllis Mundy in 2006 but he got blown out of the water losing the election by a 3 to 1 margin. His top issues in that race was his opposition to gay marriage and abortion and "all the other liberal garbage." From what I have been reading the Libertarians favor gay marriage and think the Government should be kept out of the matter of abortion.

Last year he ran for Mayor of Kingston with a secret plan to prevent crime and despite his claim that he had visited thousands of homes whose residents agreed that Jim Haggerty should be replaced he only pulled 254 votes in the Republican primary. He then backed the Democrat in the race promising to deliver 500 votes. That didn't happen and Haggerty was easily reelected.

I actually like Cordora because he is good copy but I would never want him to get anywhere near an elective office. Mullen is an outsider and should quit wasting his time trying to get endorsements from failed candidates and elected officials who will just blow him off.

Bill Goldsworthy is the Republican candidate.

Mayor Jim on the mend

Gort,

Thank you for your kind words regarding my recent hospitalization. By way of update, I was released from the Wilkes-Barre General Hospital shortly after noon on Monday. I had been taken by ambulance the prior Tuesday morning, and I was the subject of a bypass operation later that morning. Six bypasses later, I began the recovery process. I am quite glad to be home.

My most sincere thanks go to the professionals of the Kingston/Forty Fort Fire Department for all they were able to do for me on Tuesday morning. Also, I cannot thank enough the men and women of the Wilkes-Barre General Hospital for the first-rate and compassionate care they provided. They were tremendous.

Thank you as well to the hundreds of people who sent well wishes with calls, notes, cards, text messages, facebook postings, and gifts. Every one certainly meant a lot.

I'm looking forward to a complete and successful rehab and being back on the job as soon as possible.

Again, many thanks to all.

Jim Haggerty

Get well Mayor Jim

Kingston Mayor and Chairman of the Luzerne County Government Study Commission Jim Haggerty had emergency bypass surgery at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital on Tuesday. Let's hope they get his ticker on beat again. I've had a few conversations with Jim over the last few months about home rule and other subjects and found him to be very receptive to my ideas. He is one of the good guys on the local political scene.

Now he thinks he is Boss Tweed

I have to like John Cordora because he is a Blogger's dream. Cordora is like our own local version of Rick Santorum or Michele Bachmann.
If you want someone to say something that is bat shit crazy he is your guy.

In 2006 he won the Republican nomination for State Rep in the 120th District. He ran a stealth campaign and came out ahead of 2 very attractive candidates. In the general election against Phyllis Mundy he got blown out and then blamed his loss on Lynette Villano and the Luzerne County GOP. His top issue was gay marriage.

In a news release, Cordora also attacked Mundy for supporting "abortion on demand, higher taxes, gay marriage and all the other liberal garbage."

In the recent primary election he was a Republican candidate for Mayor of Kingston saying he had a secret plan to prevent crime. It had something to do with putting a large spotlight on top of the new fire station on Wyoming Ave. that projects the image of a winged mammal that calls a Caped Crusader into action. He claimed to have visited thousands of homes in Kingston and found agreement that Jim Haggerty was a lousy Mayor. On election day he got a whopping 254 votes.


Now he is backing the Democrats.

TL: “I’m going to make sure I deliver at least 500 votes to (mayoral candidate Stephen) Radzinski and (council candidates) Barry Adams and Curt Piazza,” said Cordora.

Let's do the math. He gets 254 votes in a town that is still leading in Republican registration and then promises 500 votes for the Dems after he gets clobbered in the primary.

Everytime I hear someone say our problems in Luzerne County are a result of voting in Democrats all the time I think of him. I agree that one party dominance is not healthy but our local R's have to recruit some serious candidates



More John Cordora fun is in my archives.

Who's running for what?-Mayor of Kingston

The TL has some announcements.

Jim Haggerty is running for reelection saying "The future of our community is as bright as ever.” He will probably cruise to another term in the job that he has held since 1998. He has basics down, the trash is picked up on time and the streets are plowed when it snows. The police force is professionally run and he has partnered with Edwardsville to provide better fire protection and ambulance service.


Haggerty is also running for the Luzerne County Government Study Commission. He told me that he can contribute to the study because he is the Mayor of a home rule municipality and would bring the nuts and bolts experience of governing to the formation of the new charter. He also predicted that Home Rule would win this time.

Mayor Jim has 2 opponents in the GOP primary, Jeanne Shuella and John Cordora. I don't know anything about Shuella but Cordora rings a bell. He said the centerpiece of his campaign will be the lack of crime prevention in Kingston. “I have a common sense, aggressive plan to reduce crime in Kingston and I only want one term as mayor to prove it.” If someone can figure out how to prevent crime they should patent the process and sell it.


Cordora ran for State Rep against Phyllis Mundy in 2006 and got trounced. Then his "centerpiece" was his opposition to gay marriage and the pay raise. For most of the campaign he was the invisible man and when he did raise his head he attacked Mundy for supporting "abortion on demand, higher taxes, gay marriage and all the other liberal garbage." I think he listens to too much talk radio. After the election he blamed his loss on Lynette Villano and the dysfunctional Luzerne County Republican Party.

There are 2 Democrats running for Mayor of Kingston, Curt Piazza and Stephen Radinski.