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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Monday, July 29, 2013

Luzerne Co DA May Sue For More Staff

When Northampton County DA John Morganelli wanted to give mid-year raises to four of his assistant DAs, he had to sue for it, even though he had the money for the positions in his own budget. Now, Luzerne County DA Stefanie Salavantis is threatening to sue in Luzerne County over a shortage of DAs.

She has 26 in a County whose population is 320,920. That's one DA for every 12,343 persons.

Morganelli has 21in a county whose population is 297,735. That's one DA for every 14,177 persons.

The DA is an independently elected official.

Salavantis' First Assistant, Sam Sanguedolce, criticizes Luzerne County administrators:

"They have found room to hire managers, found room to hire assistant solicitors, found room to keep open Moon Lake Park, but if you take a look at crime, especially in Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton, how can you look at the district attorney's office and say we realize you lost people but we can't replace them? ... It's almost a pathological behavior that the government seems to be anti-law enforcement or at least soft on crime."

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

"... It's almost a pathological behavior that the government seems to be anti-law enforcement or at least soft on crime."

Salavantis needs to tell her First Assistant, Sam Sanguedolce, not to fire the big guns until they're needed. You don't try to publicly bash the Admins' heads in with a log when all you might need is some gentle poking with a sharp stick, if you take the problem public.

Anonymous said...

Government needs to learn to stop spending so much money.

Work harder. The rest of us do. So, suck it up.

Period.

End of story.

(And, no, I will not be moved by endless sob stories about runaway crime)

TOUGH BEANS

Anonymous said...

two different situations. Norco, it was a management issue: classification & salary amount. The budget had already been set. What the courts said, is that the DA manage the budget once allocated without having to go to council to specifically address hiring/firing/classification. LuzCo is talking about total allocation for the DA functions. The council allocates. If she wants more money, she needs to convince them. Once they allocate, she can high/fire as she sees fit.

Of course, I make this statement not having read LuzCo's home rule charter. I can't imagine the DA would have more power than Norco
s but I could be wrong.

And yes, she would be well advised to tone down the rhetoric. Sheesh. Diplomacy is such a lost art!

Anonymous said...

DAs offices do nothing to fight crime. County tax money for bloated DAs offices would be better spent on actual law enforcement, not the clean up afterwards. In NorCo, the money is being wasted at Gracedale.

Anonymous said...

I would give her whatever she wanted.

Anonymous said...

De-criminalize Marijuana and then you can eliminate another 5 positions...

Anonymous said...

get real , it is a county without money.

Anonymous said...

Don't spend money on Gracedale give it to the Banks. Please were is the sanity.

Anonymous said...

Decriminalize weed and a whole lot of jobs will no longer be necessary. Illegal weed has paid a lot of salaries and created thousands of unsustainable pensions. We don't need more DA office employees. We need FAR less. NorCo is one of the most bloated.

Anonymous said...

Luzerne is a cesspool of political corruption which has led to its near bankruptcy and a zero fund balance. And this prima dona has the nerve to whine about her need for more staff? But she may get her way with the crooks in black robes up there.

Anonymous said...

Yea man, 20 billion a year is spent combating weed. The DA can suck a dick

Bernie O'Hare said...

Settle down, Towlie.

Anonymous said...

They have to keep the corporate prisons full and keep guys like Kessler employed. Fuck the DA, bunch of pussies

Bernie O'Hare said...

"I would give her whatever she wanted."

I'm with 'ya, sexist or not.

Anonymous said...

Sorry

Miles Long, Esq. said...

She's smoking hot and I have a large staff to offer. What exit is Wilkes Barre?

Bernie O'Hare said...

I think you'll have to get in line.

Anonymous said...

They have her and we're stuck with Morganelli and Martin to look at. The whole gay thing is a real downer around here. Remember stewardesses before they were either fat girls or gay guys stinking of patchouli? Give the little lady anything she wants. I'm heading to San Diego, now.

Anonymous said...

It costs approximately 38,000 a year to house an Inmate and 68,000 for an over 50 a year. Stop the police state before it's too late

Bernie O'Hare said...

... and you'll end up in San Francisco. Not that's there's anything wrong with that.

Anonymous said...

And a while bunch of cops

Anonymous said...

She likes pearl necklaces...

Bernie O'Hare said...

At the rate you're going, it's only a matter of time before I get slapped with a PFA.