Andy Reilly and the GOP Council candidates can't keep their partisan politics out of the way of the public good.
Delco Times: Democrats slam GOP mailing on FAA issue
This week, the GOP sought to undermine progress made by Joe Sestak and Bryan Lentz by putting out a mailing claiming that the Democrats have no plan. This break from bipartisanship shows how irresponsible the GOP council candidates are.
Here's a Democratic "plan" for you: Work with your congressman and legislator, instead of working against them.
Clearly, the GOP would rather undermine Joe and Bryan to make themselves look good, rather than work in the public interest on the FAA problem.
Showing posts with label County Council. Show all posts
Showing posts with label County Council. Show all posts
Friday, November 2, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Putting Another GOP Lie to Rest
David Landau, Ann O'Keefe and John Innelli have made their case (very effectively) against the patronage at the Court House. In response, the Delco GOP has tried to twist the work David Landau did for Nether Providence as patronage. While I have related the basic facts as I understood them, Sara Petrosky, (a Nether Providence commissioner from 1994 to 2006) tells the full story and sets the record straight in a Delco Times letter to the editor.
The whole time the Democratic Candidates, particularly Landau, have pointed out the rampant and wide-spread cronyism, patronage and nepotism, the ONLY thing the Delco GOPcandidates handlers could come up with is David's work on this one job in Nether Providence that preserved open space.
It was bad enough that Delco GOP's only argument against charges of corruption was that Dems were doing it too at a much smaller scale. Of course, it turns out, that the Dems were awarding contracts in a open bipartisan manner (exactly like the Dems have been advocating) and not engaging in patronage on any scale.
The Delco GOP had one bullet in the chamber and it was a blank. The rest of chambers are empty, like their ideas and their message.
The courthouse political machine repeatedly attacks David Landau for his role in the Nether Providence Township. As usual they have the facts wrong.
I served as a Nether Providence Township commissioner from 1994 until 2006 and was president of the board in 1996 when the Democrats took over.
Under my direction, the board requested proposals for various professional services such as solicitors and engineers. We interviewed candidates, both Republican and Democrat, and had a competitive process for choosing the candidates.
David was not part of the hiring process and neither he nor his firm was selected for these jobs. The board strongly believed that good government involves having a competitive process to hire the best-qualified person with the most favorable rate package. We did that.
The township board later hired David to defend the township against a Republican developer who tried to block the preservation of open space. That was also the result of a competitive process.
David spent countless hours, many of them without pay, to help us achieve our goal. The insurance carrier covered the fees, other than the deductible. Through David’s work, the township won the case at trial and on appeal, and now there are two parcels of open space and a Field of Dreams in Nether Providence.
Money Magazine recently named our community the ninth best in the United States, partly due to this parkland. We would not have received that honor without David’s help.
For decades, David has played a positive role in our community. As a lawyer hired by the township to work on this issue of open space, he delivered positive results. He recognized the need to be efficient and cost-effective. I can think of no one who can better serve our county.
The whole time the Democratic Candidates, particularly Landau, have pointed out the rampant and wide-spread cronyism, patronage and nepotism, the ONLY thing the Delco GOP
It was bad enough that Delco GOP's only argument against charges of corruption was that Dems were doing it too at a much smaller scale. Of course, it turns out, that the Dems were awarding contracts in a open bipartisan manner (exactly like the Dems have been advocating) and not engaging in patronage on any scale.
The Delco GOP had one bullet in the chamber and it was a blank. The rest of chambers are empty, like their ideas and their message.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Dem Candidate Swings. GOP Pitch-Hitters Strike Out
In today's Delco Times, Council candidates come out swinging, we find quotes from a Dem Candidate, but ALL the GOP Candidates let others speak for them.
Democratic Candidate, David Landau, went after yet another ALL Republican department at the courthouse. This time it was the county controller’s office, run by County Controller Cynthia Leitzell. ALL 19 employees of this office are (drumroll please....) REPUBLICAN! Landau also noted that 45 percent of those employees — four of them Republican committee members — also donated to Republican campaigns and committees for a total $55,000 over the last five years.
In the most amazingly blatant and bull***t defense of patronage we've seen this campaign season Leitzell
Here's a shocker, CURRENT GOP CANDIDATE, District Attorney G. Michael Green also threw his support behind the GOP team. I betno one everyone saw that coming! And here's another shocker, prosecutor Green was opposed to Landau's work on Civil Liberties 20 years ago.
Civil Liberties laws are meant to prevent over-zealous prosecutions or violations of due process. Landau did co-author a review of a proposed 1981 law during his tenure with the ACLU that "a government right to appeal sentences would conflict with the purpose of the double-jeopardy clause, which is to prevent the government from overreaching by limiting the prosecutor to one opportunity for conviction and sentencing."
Otherwise, prosecutors like Green could go on appealing and "fishing" for a judge/jury that would convict someone that had already been acquitted. This is the same mentality that prosecutors have against re-opening cases when DNA shows they convicted the wrong person. It's apparently more about having a high conviction rate than getting the right person or what a jury of one's peers think.
Even though we talk about the County Council race a lot, there are also TWO seats on the Court of Common Pleas on the ballot and two great Democratic Candidates: Frank Daly and Mike Farrell. I think Delaware County residents deserve some judges that can protect their Constitutional rights.
Democratic Candidate, David Landau, went after yet another ALL Republican department at the courthouse. This time it was the county controller’s office, run by County Controller Cynthia Leitzell. ALL 19 employees of this office are (drumroll please....) REPUBLICAN! Landau also noted that 45 percent of those employees — four of them Republican committee members — also donated to Republican campaigns and committees for a total $55,000 over the last five years.
In the most amazingly blatant and bull***t defense of patronage we've seen this campaign season Leitzell
supposed people working at the courthouse would be registered Republican because they agree with the philosophy of the party in power, but said she has never asked her employees their political bent or where they contribute money. [Um, you don't have to ask, the records are public, and some of them give to your own committee.]
"It may just be … that there are people who are interested in government that work for government," said Leitzell. She added denying anyone the ability to donate as they choose would disenfranchise a segment of the population from participating in democracy. [Apparently, choosing to donate to Republicans is how they get enfranchised.]
As to her also being the treasurer of the Upper Darby Republican Committee, where Landau said some of the contributions from her office went, Leitzell said she saw no conflict of interest. [We've gone from the Three Stooges, to the Three Monkeys: See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil.] The rules for financial disclosure have become so complicated, she said, it’s common to see a Certified Public Accountant such as herself at the financial helm. Leitzell was running finances for that committee before coming to the courthouse. [Gee, I wonder if that committee work got her there?]
Here's a shocker, CURRENT GOP CANDIDATE, District Attorney G. Michael Green also threw his support behind the GOP team. I bet
Civil Liberties laws are meant to prevent over-zealous prosecutions or violations of due process. Landau did co-author a review of a proposed 1981 law during his tenure with the ACLU that "a government right to appeal sentences would conflict with the purpose of the double-jeopardy clause, which is to prevent the government from overreaching by limiting the prosecutor to one opportunity for conviction and sentencing."
Otherwise, prosecutors like Green could go on appealing and "fishing" for a judge/jury that would convict someone that had already been acquitted. This is the same mentality that prosecutors have against re-opening cases when DNA shows they convicted the wrong person. It's apparently more about having a high conviction rate than getting the right person or what a jury of one's peers think.
Even though we talk about the County Council race a lot, there are also TWO seats on the Court of Common Pleas on the ballot and two great Democratic Candidates: Frank Daly and Mike Farrell. I think Delaware County residents deserve some judges that can protect their Constitutional rights.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Case Against the Courthouse and the Patronage Factory
As promised, some details backing up the charge of hiring and patronage based upon political party....
The Landau campaign released the results of their analysis of the Executive Director and Personnel Departments at the Delco Courthouse:
Of the 40 employees working in the Personnel and Executive Director's offices, 38 are registered Republican and 31 are Republican Committee people or local GOP donors.
Landau also pointed to contracts given to political contributors, including those for independent audits on county expenditures.
"Our supposed independent auditors are some of the largest contributors to the local GOP coffers in the County," said Landau, pointing specifically to one auditing firm which doled out nearly $50,000 to local Republicans.
The Delco Times also covered this story: They added that ...
Mingis, Gutowski and Co., which has donated nearly $48,000 to various Republican candidates and the Delaware County Republican Finance Committee since 2000, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State Campaign Finance Reporting Web site.
Last month, county council approved Mingis, Gutowski for various single audits worth a total $83,400. Gee, that's a pretty good return on "investment". Kind of suspicious that an "independent" auditing firm is contributing money to the party of the people hiring them.
The Times also clarified one of Pat's claims about Landau getting $136,000+ from Nether Providence a supposed. example of Democratic patronage. Turns out the Democrats weren't the majority at the time.
Back to Landau's press release:
Nepotism:
Landau also took exception to the high percentage of family members working in the courthouse. Eight of the 40 employees in Personnel and the Executive Director's office had family members working elsewhere in the county government.
Conflict of Interest:
Pointing to other potential conflicts, Landau noted that two executive county employees hold office in their local municipality.
And in Bucks County:
Sadly, this type of GOP behavior is not limited to Delco. In Bucks County, a study conducted by the Santarsiero & Marseglia campaign of
county-related Boards and Authorities in Bucks County found that patronage
and pay-to-play is prevalent to an embarrassing degree.
The Landau campaign released the results of their analysis of the Executive Director and Personnel Departments at the Delco Courthouse:
Of the 40 employees working in the Personnel and Executive Director's offices, 38 are registered Republican and 31 are Republican Committee people or local GOP donors.
Landau also pointed to contracts given to political contributors, including those for independent audits on county expenditures.
"Our supposed independent auditors are some of the largest contributors to the local GOP coffers in the County," said Landau, pointing specifically to one auditing firm which doled out nearly $50,000 to local Republicans.
The Delco Times also covered this story: They added that ...
Mingis, Gutowski and Co., which has donated nearly $48,000 to various Republican candidates and the Delaware County Republican Finance Committee since 2000, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State Campaign Finance Reporting Web site.
Last month, county council approved Mingis, Gutowski for various single audits worth a total $83,400. Gee, that's a pretty good return on "investment". Kind of suspicious that an "independent" auditing firm is contributing money to the party of the people hiring them.
The Times also clarified one of Pat's claims about Landau getting $136,000+ from Nether Providence a supposed. example of Democratic patronage. Turns out the Democrats weren't the majority at the time.
Peterson referenced IRS 1099 forms from Nether Providence Township showing law firms Landau worked for received more than $136,000 in legal work between 1998, when Peterson said Democrats took control of council there, and 2001.
But Democrats actually got a voting edge there late in 2005. During a January 2006 reorganization, they did bring on several firms employing or run by Democrats, such as Bruce Bikin’s firm, Montgomery, McCracken, Walker and Rhoads, which was appointed as special counsel on labor and personnel matters, and Frank Daly, of Daly, O’Brien and Bongaardt, who was appointed solicitor.
Between 1998 and 2001, Landau’s firms — Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis-Cohen LLP — racked up $113,006 from the township, and Hoyle, Morris and Kerr in 1998 received $23,381; a total $136,387 to the two firms.
But Sara Lynn Petrosky, former Democratic Nether Providence councilwoman and council president during that period, said council brought in all candidates for the various legal positions and reviewed them, Democrats and Republicans alike. Sometimes, she said, Democrats didn’t get who they wanted, just as some Republican council members didn’t get the people they wanted.
Back to Landau's press release:
Nepotism:
Landau also took exception to the high percentage of family members working in the courthouse. Eight of the 40 employees in Personnel and the Executive Director's office had family members working elsewhere in the county government.
Conflict of Interest:
Pointing to other potential conflicts, Landau noted that two executive county employees hold office in their local municipality.
And in Bucks County:
Sadly, this type of GOP behavior is not limited to Delco. In Bucks County, a study conducted by the Santarsiero & Marseglia campaign of
county-related Boards and Authorities in Bucks County found that patronage
and pay-to-play is prevalent to an embarrassing degree.
- Breakdown of the partisan Development, Planning and Emergency Service Boards
- 9 Republicans and 0 Democrats on the Bucks County Agricultural Land Preservation Board
- 5 Republicans and 2 Democrats on the Conservation District Board
- 9 Republicans and 0 Democrats on the Federal Lands Reuse Authority of Bucks County
- 11 Republicans and 1 Democrat on the Housing Development Corporation
- 5 Republicans and 0 Democrats on the Housing Finance Board
- 5 Republicans (chaired by Harry Fawkes) and 0 Democrats on the Industrial Development Authority
- 11 Republicans and 0 Democrats on the Local Emergency Planning Committee
- 3 Republicans and 4 Democrats on the Open Space Review Board
- 8 Republicans and 0 Democrats on the Parks & Recreation Board
- 8 Republicans and 1 Democrat on the Planning Commission
- 4 Republicans and 0 Democrats on the Redevelopment Authority
- 11 Republicans, 1 Democrat (a county employee) and 1 Other on the Solid
Waste Advisory Committee - 4 Republicans and 1 Democrat on the County Water and Sewer Authority Board
Executive Committee - 18 Republicans and 0 known Democrats on the Bucks County Economic
Development Corporation
and Authorities:
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Sexton's Man, Reilly's Girl and Daddy's Little Boy
The Delco GOP Candidates (aka The Three Stooges) represent the weakest field of GOP candidates in recent memory. They have no message other than to pretend things are fine and to carry on business as usual. What little change they do mention is merely hollow rhetoric about increasing openness in government.
With Andrew Reilly running the campaign, the GOP machine hopes to extend its time on life-support and hold onto the cash-cow that monopoly rule as brought to the GOP, its patrons and its cronies (at the expense of the voters).
Weak Candidates:
The GOP candidates are suffering from a lack of broad support.
Tom McGarrigle is from Springfield (power base of Charlie "County Prison Board Deal" Sexton), and his campaign appears to have little appeal or funding outside of Springfield. Christine Cannon is Reilly's protege and represents what the voters want to change. Andy Lewis peaked when he became a Ward Commissioner in Haverford. Without "Daddy's name and/or money", he wouldn't even be in the race.
The Delco GOP machine is suffering some major breakdowns. This latest set of spare parts might as well have been made in China.
No Message, No Fiscal Responsibility:
More of the same is not a message. It is the absence of a message. From their campaign site: The candidates are committed to the same common sense approach to county government that has resulted in no tax increases for three straight years. The REAL REASON for no tax increases is that we are already taxed over 50% more than neighboring Montgomery County. See my previous Blog Post for details and a budget comparison.
Hollow Rhetoric:
On their site, the GOP candidate claim to want to increase transparency and openness in government through continued investment in new technologies.
New technologies? Since when does holding well-publicized public meetings at a convenient times require "new technology"? They can already publish a budget online, but making it clear where the money goes is another matter.
Besides, Andy Reilly is running their campaigns and already controls the council. If the GOP was really interested in open government or transparency we would already have it.
With Andrew Reilly running the campaign, the GOP machine hopes to extend its time on life-support and hold onto the cash-cow that monopoly rule as brought to the GOP, its patrons and its cronies (at the expense of the voters).
Weak Candidates:
The GOP candidates are suffering from a lack of broad support.
Tom McGarrigle is from Springfield (power base of Charlie "County Prison Board Deal" Sexton), and his campaign appears to have little appeal or funding outside of Springfield. Christine Cannon is Reilly's protege and represents what the voters want to change. Andy Lewis peaked when he became a Ward Commissioner in Haverford. Without "Daddy's name and/or money", he wouldn't even be in the race.
The Delco GOP machine is suffering some major breakdowns. This latest set of spare parts might as well have been made in China.
No Message, No Fiscal Responsibility:
More of the same is not a message. It is the absence of a message. From their campaign site: The candidates are committed to the same common sense approach to county government that has resulted in no tax increases for three straight years. The REAL REASON for no tax increases is that we are already taxed over 50% more than neighboring Montgomery County. See my previous Blog Post for details and a budget comparison.
Hollow Rhetoric:
On their site, the GOP candidate claim to want to increase transparency and openness in government through continued investment in new technologies.
New technologies? Since when does holding well-publicized public meetings at a convenient times require "new technology"? They can already publish a budget online, but making it clear where the money goes is another matter.
Besides, Andy Reilly is running their campaigns and already controls the council. If the GOP was really interested in open government or transparency we would already have it.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
It's Unanimous: GOP Council Shares a Single Brain
At a recent press conference with the three Democratic County Council Candidates, David Landau pointed out the following:
"Since 2003, there have been 2,012 votes cast in council. Every single one was voted for unanimously," said Landau. "Every spending bill approved, every ordinance approved. Not once was a dissenting vote cast."
Has anyone ever heard of FIVE politicians that agreed on 2,012 votes in a row? I certainly haven't.
Since scientists haven't perfected brain-cloning, the most likely explanation is that someone else is calling the shots and that all five council members are little more than puppets doing as they are told. What is the point of having a 5 member council when 4 could leave and nothing would be any different?
Unless you've been a coma for the past 30 years, this scenario will not shock you.
In attempting to clarify why Council has voted unanimously in every vote since 2003, County Executive Director and GOP Spokeswoman, Marianne Grace, informed voters "It's not like council members are debating something that would require the partisan give-and-take found at higher and lower levels of government." Grace cited the War in Iraq and rubbish disposal contracts as two issues which were substantive enough to warrant debate.
"Amazingly Partisan" Grace seems to believe that all issues between "rubbish disposal" and the War in Iraq are not really topics for debate by GOP Council members. Well, it seems to me that this kind of thinking is the kind of rubbish we need to remove from County Council
If multiple contractors are competing for work, wouldn't you expect that at least once a member of Council might disagree with the other four? Oh, wait, I forgot. This is Delaware County where no-bid contracts are the rule, not the exception.
This lack of debate and fresh ideas is symptomatic of the stagnation in Delaware County and the aging GOP political machine that has mismanaged it.
And what of the new crop of GOPhopefuls hopeless hapless? Well, council boss Andy Reilly is running their campaigns (translation: attaching the strings for the next generation of puppets).
Ann O'Keefe, John Innelli and David Landau are diverse individuals, but unified by a real desire for truly open government:
Instead of paying FIVE GOP Council people for ONE set of weak ideas, voters can finally get their money's worth.
This November, Voters can end this cycle of monolithic incompetence and vote for change (for a change).
"Since 2003, there have been 2,012 votes cast in council. Every single one was voted for unanimously," said Landau. "Every spending bill approved, every ordinance approved. Not once was a dissenting vote cast."
Has anyone ever heard of FIVE politicians that agreed on 2,012 votes in a row? I certainly haven't.
Since scientists haven't perfected brain-cloning, the most likely explanation is that someone else is calling the shots and that all five council members are little more than puppets doing as they are told. What is the point of having a 5 member council when 4 could leave and nothing would be any different?
Unless you've been a coma for the past 30 years, this scenario will not shock you.
In attempting to clarify why Council has voted unanimously in every vote since 2003, County Executive Director and GOP Spokeswoman, Marianne Grace, informed voters "It's not like council members are debating something that would require the partisan give-and-take found at higher and lower levels of government." Grace cited the War in Iraq and rubbish disposal contracts as two issues which were substantive enough to warrant debate.
"Amazingly Partisan" Grace seems to believe that all issues between "rubbish disposal" and the War in Iraq are not really topics for debate by GOP Council members. Well, it seems to me that this kind of thinking is the kind of rubbish we need to remove from County Council
If multiple contractors are competing for work, wouldn't you expect that at least once a member of Council might disagree with the other four? Oh, wait, I forgot. This is Delaware County where no-bid contracts are the rule, not the exception.
This lack of debate and fresh ideas is symptomatic of the stagnation in Delaware County and the aging GOP political machine that has mismanaged it.
And what of the new crop of GOP
Ann O'Keefe, John Innelli and David Landau are diverse individuals, but unified by a real desire for truly open government:
- end No-Bid contracts
- disallow members or employees of pension boards to accept any gifts from money managers,
- call for a swifter process for making county records available,
- broadcast all council meetings on television, and
- require the text of all proposed ordinances to be made public before the council considers them for final passage.
Instead of paying FIVE GOP Council people for ONE set of weak ideas, voters can finally get their money's worth.
This November, Voters can end this cycle of monolithic incompetence and vote for change (for a change).
Friday, August 31, 2007
The 60% Solution: 3 out of 5 Wins It
One of the best kept secrets in Delaware County is that the majority votes for Democrats in the big races. Even though the Republicans have held onto a registration and local political majority, they consistently lose the biggest races.
Let's take a look:
What do Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Ed Rendell, John Kerry, Bob Casey, Joe Sestak and Greg Vitali have in common? 3 out of 5 Delco Voters picked them when given the choice.
There are 5 seats on Delaware County Council. The current five GOP council members, and their 2007 candidates (aka "The Three Stooges") ALL supported George Bush, Rick Santorum and Curt Weldon. Does they sound like people that represent the values and the voters of Delaware County?
Shouldn't the voters have THREE Democrats out of FIVE seats? Particularly, since Innelli, O'Keefe and Landau ALL supported the Democrats that the Delco voters have consistently selected. Currently, the majority of the voters have ZERO representation on Council. (And, yes, when the GOP took over Council 30 years ago, they changed the Charter to remove the guarantee of minority party representation).
What do the voters want?:
1) More open government and less patronage.
2) Responsible Budgets, not bloated, no-bid contracts to GOP cronies.
3) County-wide Health Department.
4) Fair employment, without regard to party, for civil service jobs. (And, no strong-arming employees to work the polls.)
5) Council members that reflect the same political principles as the majority of voters in the "even-numbered" elections.
It is critical that Delco Voters elect the ENTIRE DEMOCRATIC TICKET: Innelli, O'Keefe and Landau for County Council and Frank Daly and Mike Farrell for Court of Common Pleas.
In the weeks to come, I will profile each of the Five County-wide Democrats on the ticket, some of the local races, and explain how the GOP's "Three Stooges" would continue the current misrepresentation on County Council.
Let's take a look:
What do Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Ed Rendell, John Kerry, Bob Casey, Joe Sestak and Greg Vitali have in common? 3 out of 5 Delco Voters picked them when given the choice.
There are 5 seats on Delaware County Council. The current five GOP council members, and their 2007 candidates (aka "The Three Stooges") ALL supported George Bush, Rick Santorum and Curt Weldon. Does they sound like people that represent the values and the voters of Delaware County?
Shouldn't the voters have THREE Democrats out of FIVE seats? Particularly, since Innelli, O'Keefe and Landau ALL supported the Democrats that the Delco voters have consistently selected. Currently, the majority of the voters have ZERO representation on Council. (And, yes, when the GOP took over Council 30 years ago, they changed the Charter to remove the guarantee of minority party representation).
What do the voters want?:
1) More open government and less patronage.
2) Responsible Budgets, not bloated, no-bid contracts to GOP cronies.
3) County-wide Health Department.
4) Fair employment, without regard to party, for civil service jobs. (And, no strong-arming employees to work the polls.)
5) Council members that reflect the same political principles as the majority of voters in the "even-numbered" elections.
It is critical that Delco Voters elect the ENTIRE DEMOCRATIC TICKET: Innelli, O'Keefe and Landau for County Council and Frank Daly and Mike Farrell for Court of Common Pleas.
In the weeks to come, I will profile each of the Five County-wide Democrats on the ticket, some of the local races, and explain how the GOP's "Three Stooges" would continue the current misrepresentation on County Council.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)