Wake Up Wilkes Barre: Low Time, No Money

One again, Council Tony George was the only councilperson with the fortitude to even attempt to offer solutions that would begin to correct the years of overspending, mismanagement we have seen under our current (Gas Pilfering) King.

Councilman George may not be very popular at City Hall today, or the Court House for that matter, as he once again brought up the notion of the city unloading the (Town of Ashley sized) Municipal Golf Course we “The City” owns up in Bear Creek.

This is the very same Golf Course where Judges, Elected Officials, and Cronies have been known to Golf for FREE!

Tony’s Cuts:

Police Department: Deputy Police chief at $75,000 and captain at $68,000.

Fire Department: Four assistant chiefs at $71,000 each

Public Works: Assistant to the director at $55,000 and deputy director $75,000.

City Hall: IT director at $71,000

Purchasing director at $62,000

Clerk in the controller’s office at $49,000

Assessor at $36,000

A position in the tax office at $48,000.

Parking Enforcement: Three attendants at $27,000 each, supervisor at $30,000.

Didn’t the King just hire these parking enforcement people, when he was trying to sell it down the river, to cover up this whole cash shortage?

His plan included the elimination of the training bonus for police and fire for a savings of $208,500

Selling the golf course may pose legal hurdles. Land donated for recreational use may be used only for that purpose. However, if the land does not benefit most of the city residents, a petition can be filed in Orphans Court to sell the property possibly to one of the area’s gambling casinos, George explained.

Most of the residents didn’t even know we owned it, yet alone benefited from it!

“I think fire and police are more important than playing a round of golf,” he said.

Fire & Police more important than golf? Unless a rash of fires break out in Barney Farms (Calling all Pyromaniacs), or someone should decide to swipe more sewer gates (Calling all Thieves), I don’t think you’ll be able to sell that idea.

“We don’t have much time left,” George said.

Well as time runs short here are a few more ideas for you Tony,

Stop all Council trips:

Council Trips $10,000

League of Cities $17,000 it should be noted there are only 80 members!

Also if you look at "machinery & equipment" & "Operating supplies" line items -- they seem to be in each office, and well-funded for many past years. Just for The Mayor & City Council, it's been $24,000/year for the last 3 years. What in God’s name are you people buying?

There are also substantial line item totals for advertising, publications, & printing (ex: 110-1320-454000 City Admin Advertising $25,000). These appear in EVERY department, for mayor to city council, to tax collector. I've never seen any adverts by the tax office...

A favorite: line item 110-1320-454015 Tax Administration, postage. Don't we pay Berkhimer for this? The envelopes from Berkhimer say "U.S. Postage Paid Berkhimer."

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

ALERT: This just in, The King to Layoff 15 MORE Firefighters

And it is rumored that he is looking to CLOSE the new Hollenback Station.

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