Tuesday, November 3,2009

IT'S OVER...AND WE WON HANDILY!!!

If Mayor CHRIS DOHERTY didn't get the message....it's over... AND WE WON!!! Scranton voters easily reelected Councilwoman Janet Evans to a third term and swept into office her running mates, Pat Rogan and Frank Joyce. Write-in candidate Gary DiBileo nearly made it a clean sweep, garnering nearly 43% of the vote against Doherty's 57%, an almost unheard of tally.

The newly elected Council of Evans, Rogan and Joyce effectively places Mrs. Evans in the position of Council President with a new majority, in her favor, with Rogan and Joyce. In January, Councilman Bill Courtright, the easy winner for Tax Collector, will resign and the new majority will appoint his successor, affording the Evans team a "Super Majority" with the power to override any Doherty veto.

Stressing the fact that the City government is now "back in the hands of the citizens", the winners also are in a position to force Doherty to face accountability for all actions he may undertake in the future. In addition, the new Council will be able to ride herd on others who have been negligent in making themselves accountable to the citizens, a long sought answer to citizens' concerns.

Doherty's "endorsed" candidate, Doug Miller, and challenger Lee Morgan, failed to garner a sufficient number of votes to even hint at making the winners the slightest bit nervous. Write-in candidate Judy Gatelli, who was ousted by the voters in the primary election,also failed miserably in her attempt to regain her seat on Council and will soon join fellow Councilwoman Sherry Fanucci who was also defeated badly in her primary campaign. Hopefully, they will get the message that the voters have spoken and they were not satisfied with the 3-2 Doherty majority on Council. Doherty appointee (who won reelection last year) Bob McGoff will now face the prospect of being the lone Doherty voice on City Council and will relinquish his seat as Council President.

We take particular delight in this overwhelming win and feel justification for our long fight to unseat the Doherty majority. Our only regret is that DiBileo's campaign fell short of defeating the "Dictator", but time may soon come to an end for "His Honor"!

Our joy is enhanced by the fact that Gatelli and Fanucci have met the fate they had brought upon themselves. Judy and Sherry, "you were right, the voters have spoken" and you are on the outside looking in. Are we gloating? You'd better believe it! We sure are!

We offer our heartfelt congratulations to Janet Evans, Pat Rogan and Frank Joyce and also to Bill Courtright. You gotta believe, and we really did. It proves one thing, there really is a Santa Claus! And congratulations to the voters! You spoke and they heard you!
JT

SCRANTON-AT-LARGE may be contacted at: Joe Talamini. SAL, # 502,
537 N. Washington Ave.,
Scranton, Pa. 18509
(570)342-1033
email: Scranton-at-Large.com or
Scranton-at-Large@gmail.com
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Tuesday,October 27,2009

WE HEARTILY ENDORSE.....

FOR MAYOR OF SCRANTON: GARY DIBILEO, write-in candidate...Mayor Chris Doherty has claimed he wants another term as Mayor, yet he has decided to declare his candidacy for Governor in 2010. It is inconceivable that this man would have the unmitigated gall to declare he wants another 4 years as Mayor, and then, blatantly declare he will run for higher office less than one year later. We cannot see paying his salary as Mayor while he campaigns for the Governor slot. Di Bileo is our choice!!! In order for your vote to count, you must fill in the box, then write in G A R Y D I B I L E O. (Spelling is important!)


FOR 3 CITY COUNCIL SEATS: JANET EVANS, PAT ROGAN and FRANK JOYCE...Mrs. Evans has been a council member for 2 terms and deserves a 3rd term. She is a candidate "for the citizens" and is well versed and in tune with the needs of all the citizens. Her history shows she is not only very capable, but honest and sincere. Mr. Rogan and Mr. Joyce are running as part of a team, with Mrs. Evans and Mr. DiBilio & with Mr. Courtright and are intelligent, qualified and dedicated to serve the whole community. They deserve our vote and we urge their election at this important juncture of political turmoil.

FOR TAX COLLECTOR: BILL COURTRIGHT, current long-term Councilman for this important role. We believe he is most qualified to straighten out the mess at the Single Tax Office and to perform his duties with dignity and dedication. This extremely important job needs to be filled by a dedicated individual and we believe Bill Courtright is that person!

FOR LACKAWANNA COUNTY JUDGE: MARGARET BISIGNANI-BOYLE, in a tough call. Both candidates are very experienced and appear to be dedicated civil servants, however we feel she is the more experienced candidate and can bring a "new light" to the bench.

OUR HONEST BELIEFS

Based on our many years of experience in the field of journalism/politics, we have had the opportunity to study the true picture in Scranton. Since the inception of our publication, we have been an observor and participant (as a citizen) in the political arena. We have, at times, been facetious and tried to be witty. However, due to the severity of the present situation in Scranton, and the surrounding area, we honestly believe we have selected the most appropriate people to be our representative government!

We firmly believe that Scranton's city government needs to be back in the hands of the people...the citizens....the taxpayers, and consequently we have selected candidates we feel would best represent those interests. The present Administration, under Mayor Chris Doherty's rule, has been far too
indifferent and aloof and is out of touch with the true needs of this City and has failed to address those needs.

Making yourself immune from contact with the people who pay the bills is not the proper way to lead this City out of its distressed status. Chris Doherty has proven to be a friend of the business sector, developers, lawyers and his cronies, while completing ignoring the needs of the populace. He has turned Nay Aug Park, a part of the City recreation scene, into his personal playground and has been extremely discriminatory in keeping that facility for the "elite".

Now, in a time of our extreme need for fiscal responsibility, he has arrogantly decided to seek reelection to an office he has no intention of filling. Instead he has chosen to further his own political ambition by announcing his intent to run for Governor, seeking to gain another term as Mayor in case his Gubernatorial run should fail. In the interim, Scranton taxpayers would be literally funding his avowed Statewide campaign while he should be tending to local business. While our city flirts with economic and social disaster, he has decided to ask us to subsidize his campaign for higher office. He has claimed hundreds of jobs; considerable "progress" in the city; and has failed to prove any of these claims. In other words, he has been blowing his own horn and delivering empty promises! It is time for him to go!

Councilwomen Judy Gatelli and Sherry Fanucci, both Doherty cronies, let their egos interfere with common sense and the voters did not hesitate to express their extreme displeasure with them by voting them out of office. Their consistent belittleing of citizens and their overt disdain for the rights of citizens to speak out against their governnment led to their downfall!

Obviously, despite their protestations to the contrary, the citizenry was not with them and chose to replace them. YES, you can fight city hall, and YES, you can win! The proof of that is in the pudding and the ousting of these two incumbents should be evidence enough.

Other council candidates just don't cut the mustard! Lee Morgan, while offering some good points, may have something to offer, but not as a City Councilman. Doug Miller, a young man who can't decide which side of the fence to stay on, is far too immature and definitely is not ready to serve in that capacity. His record as a Jr. Council member; his track record as a "quitter" after being elected to office in high school; and his youthful arrogance lead us to believe that he is too far away from being ready to lead.

WE HEARTILY SUPPORT THE RALLYING CRY OF THOSE TO WHOM WE LEND OUR SUPPORT, "VOTING FOR "5" KEEPS SCRANTON ALIVE!"

WE URGE THE CITIZENS OF SCRANTON TO GET OUT AND VOTE FOR GARY DIBILEO, JANET EVANS, PAT ROGAN, FRANK JOYCE AND BILL COURTRIGHT! THEY REPRESENT OUR BEST HOPE TO RESCUE SCRANTON FROM FURTHER DISTRESS. AND BY ALL MEANS, BE SURE TO FILL IN THE BOXES NEXT TO THE CANDIDATES NAMES AND WRITE IN THE NAME OF GARY DIBILEO (SPELL IT RIGHT) SINCE THIS CITY NEEDS A NEW REGIME...ONE WHICH IS DEDICATED AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE CITIZENS NEEDS!

NOVEMBER 3rd COULD BE THE
RESURRECTION OF SCRANTON!

PLEASE VOTE IN THIS ELECTION! JT

SCRANTON-AT-LARGE may be contacted at: Joe Talamini. SAL, # 502, 537 N. Washington Ave., Scranton, PA. 18509... (570)342-1033
email: Scranton-at-Large.com or Scranton-at-Large@gmail.com

Read our archives on-line