Legalized bribery

In today’s Citizens Voice: W-B councilman calls for towing operator's firing

Wilkes-Barre Councilman Tony George said Tuesday he's reached a conclusion on LAG Towing owner Leo Glodzik: He should be fired.

"I want his contract terminated," George said.

"I want to make a motion (today) to request the mayor do it."

• As much as we “the citizens” Thank you, Councilman George, for your honest hard work, investigating LAG, we know the King will never fire his Boy Leo! 

• So you will need to pass a resolution limiting Leo’s fees!

There's an explanation for everything," Glodzik said

Glodzik was shown the documents last month, and he declared them fake.

"Most of these are fictitious," Glodzik said from his Morgan Drive home.

"All or most?" he was asked.

"Most, yeah, most. I'd say all," he replied without looking at each receipt.

• Wake Up Leo, at least look at them before offering up your lie!

But George said he believes the receipts are authentic because Glodzik has no documentation proving otherwise.

"If he isn't doing anything wrong, you sure get the impression he is hiding something," George said.

• Councilman George a former chief of police, I’m sure can spot a liar from a mile away in the dark, and boy oh boy does he have your number Leo!!

Glodzik and Leighton have adamantly denied the city's towing operator strayed from his standard rates. People are simply upset when they're towed, they said, and extra charges can be justified.

• Yup that’s it just upset they were towed gouged, and all but financially RAPED!

Police Chief Gerard Dessoye and Leighton have framed these complaints to George and The Citizens' Voice as isolated incidents.

• Go figure the King and his boot licking cousin, making excuses for a mobster!

Glodzik told The Citizens' Voice in 2005 he planned on charging $85 for tows

"I don't know, I don't remember saying that," Glodzik said Wednesday about the less expensive rates. "That's like asking a contractor how much it is to put in a door. Every one is different."

• Leo may want to see someone regarding his memory problems! IDK like AA!!!

Glodzik said last month he soon hoped to charge even more.

"It's exciting," Leighton said in 2005. "But if he is going to charge $200 a tow, that might change things. We'll weigh our options and make the best decision for the city."

• Wake Up King Tommy, you always say you’ll make the best decision for the city, when what you really mean is you’ll make the best decision for YOU!

Glodzik contributed $11,100 personally and $700 from his business to the Kings campaign, records show.

"This is all basically legal," said Joan Mandle, executive director of the nonprofit Democracy Matters. "We call it legalized bribery."

• Legalized bribery: isn’t that what Mark Robbins has been saying for some time now, or are we going to stick with “he’s just mad he was towed”?

Leighton has denied in the past that he's been swayed by such contributions, but he's defended Glodzik's practices for years and renewed Glodzik's contract in 2009.

• Oh come on our King can’t be bought!!

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Gas-Gate: It’s NOT over!

In The Citizens Voice: City pumps could have tracked missing gas

Drew Mc-Laugh-lin said Tuesday electronically inputting the employee ID number, vehicle ID number and mileage was more time-consuming and less efficient than keeping a written log.

• Really Drew, how’s that paper & pen system working?

• I bet it would have been way too much trouble to give each vehicle a swipe card?

Mc-Laugh-lin said "The decision was made that manual record-keeping would be more than sufficient,"

• What droopy drew is trying to say is: if they used the electronic tracking system, then we would know for FACT that the King, his wife, and kids were all stealing gas!

Councilman Bill Barrett: "Any system is better than no system."

• Ya think?

Councilman George Brown said: "Naturally I was shocked," "You would think there would be records or something."

• Wake Up Georgie Porgie, you know better!!!

Council President Mike Merritt believed it was more of an issue of poor record-keeping than theft

• OK I’m just gunna go out on a limb here in saying, Mike is still drinking the Kings Kool-Aid!

Councilman Tony George said he couldn't believe so much fuel had gone missing. "I thought there must have been a leak or something," he said.

• Remember Tony this was only a 6 month investigation! Take that number times 2 & you’ll get the annual missing amount, and then times the # of years the King has been King!

• The King was also hoping a leak of some kind would be found!

• In Fact the leak was where the pump connected the cars owned by The C.A. Leighton Co.

Barrett said he didn't understand a policy that allowed Mayor Tom Leighton and public works Deputy Director Ken Pahler to fill their private vehicles. 

The former police chief said he last filled up a patrol car about 12 years ago - and the city had an electronic system in place even then.

"It's common sense," Barrett said. "Unless it's owned by the city, it shouldn't be there. I don't care if it's a lawn mower or what.

"I can tell you what is wrong is putting city fuel into private vehicles. Where I work, that would be a quick way to get you fired."

• It is common sense Bill, and we agree FIRE KEN!!! 

• How many strikes is this for the guy who uses city equipment, and now city gas like it’s his?

Wake Up Wilkes Barre