Local Government TV

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Congrats to Mayor Sal Panto

On Friday, I cornered Sal Panto at the courthouse. He had dropped by to record a deed or something, and must have forgotten I search titles. When he saw me, he made a beeline for the door, but I cut him off. (I know the terrain, bippy).

Although genial as ever, Panto was scared to death. He was very aware of Mike Fleck's GOTV skills.

His worries are over. With all but one precinct in, Panto has 60% of the vote, and leads Fleck 914 to 606. According to The Morning Call's Tracy Jordan, Fleck conceded at 9:15 PM. "We wish Sal the best of luck, and we hope he's the next mayor."

So do I.

Now Fleck gets to rip down all those signs. That should take several years.

34 comments:

  1. your flipp flopping Bernie. Thought you had good things to say about Bersch, now your writting him off.

    Thought he deserved some credit too?

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  2. I do have good things to say about Mr. Bertsch. I have better things to say about Sal.

    I was writing about the contested race. What do you want me to do, wave pom poms because Bertsch won a race with no opponent?

    Whoopee!

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  3. This wasn't Fleck's time.

    Seriously, Fleck has a future, but he better stop trying to play the good old boy game.

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  4. But - if Mike is smart, he'll be at Sal's door in the morning offering to asist with SAl's campaign. Nothing would be better for easton thatn the combination of Fleck's balls-to-the-wall enthusiasm and Panto's seasoned hand.

    Easton HAS TO BE more than a one man show. Mike is new blood, and, under Sal's guidance, Easton has a real shot at a progressive, yet reasonable, future.

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  5. Fleck was very clear last night that he is endorsing Panto.

    KP had this one reported before channel 69.

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  6. Perhaps Sal's first order as Mayor will be the removal of leftover Fleck signs!

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  7. Fleck handled his loss with a lot of class.

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  8. My point was calling him mayor. He's "former" mayor still. It sounded as if you have declared november by your wording.

    And would you wear a cheerleaders outfit with those pom poms?

    And BTW Bertsch got two write in votes in eaton's 9th ward. Both were absentee voters.

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  9. J.Spike....Everyone knows who sent those in. Did you count how many write-ins Panto got up on the hill? It was alot more than 2. And did you see how many Republicans had Panto signs on their front lawn? Bernie, maybe you can lend your pom poms to that political acrobat on college hill....I think they call her Carol Heffley.

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  10. I had to laugh when i read her letter to the editor about Mike Fleck. I think Carol forgot that she rode to city hall on three names; Corpora, Panto and Brown. Tony Bassil almost beat her. She won by less than 70 votes. I voted for Carol for one reason and one reason only; I saw her standing next to Pam Panto!!!!!!!
    She is the liaison for the Easton Police Department and she is just now asking for more officers. Come on Carol, you should have done it at budget time.
    She should be embarrassed.

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  11. I had to laugh when i read her letter to the editor about Mike Fleck. I think Carol forgot that she rode to city hall on three names; Corpora, Panto and Brown. Tony Bassil almost beat her. She won by less than 70 votes. I voted for Carol for one reason and one reason only; I saw her standing next to Pam Panto!!!!!!!
    She is the liaison for the Easton Police Department and she is just now asking for more officers. Come on Carol, you should have done it at budget time.
    She should be embarrassed.

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  12. Spike!

    Where is that spike, anyway? Are you sitting on it?

    Look, I'm sorry your dude lost. I'll give a day or two to cry and whine about it. But the election's over.

    And Panto is the once and future mayor. My reference to him as Mayor is intended to reflect that reality. It's his race to lose. No cheerleading. Just the real world.

    Now go cry on your little pillow and kiss your autographed 8x10 of Mike Fleck. If you're still sad after a few days, I can send you to a Fleck grief counselor. His name is Jim Hickey, and he'll beat the shite out of you.

    There's no crying in baseball or politics.

    Move on.

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  13. Whatever Bernie.

    Your just avoiding the question. ARE YOU WEARING A CHEERLEADER OUTFIT with your Pom Poms?

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  14. Or is this just your anger I occasionally correct your wording on these post?

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  15. Spike!

    I got the cheerleading outfit yesterday on Buskill Street at some table next to a bunch of Fleck signs. I think I bought it from you! Now please, get to work on removing those signs. There's a bunch of them plastered under the free bridge.

    Insofar as correcting my wording is concerned, you need to learn the difference between "your" and "you're." Check your 7:28 post. And you're a gonzo fan? That's probably what killed him.

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  16. Spike, I'm so sorry that Fleck broke up with last night. I guess Melhem didn't want to share him anymore.

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  17. Anon!

    Don't be sorry. I got that cheerleading outfit cheap.

    I just drove by his house and poor Spike was sitting on his stoop, crying his little eyes out, looking into his auographed picture of Mike Fleck.

    "Why Mike, why??? Didn't you like the color of that cheerleading outfit?"

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  18. Bernie rember Dan Capora is Current not former meber of city council here. ;)

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  19. I would like to address the issue of "flip flop Carole." True she has a very short memory and how if it wasn't for the Panto, Brown and Corpora camp she would never be in the position she now holds and soon to be vacating not only City Council but the City as well.

    There is no doubt that she flip flopped on her support for Panto and I saw her not only his kick off but I understand that she even wrote a check. Several months ago when I spoke to Flip FLop she told me that Fleck is like a nephew to her but that he can not be the Mayor.

    The main problem I see with her letter is that she blamed it on police. That is ludicrous, Panto has stated and laid out plans to decrease crime and nuisances. The real reason is her single issue of Riverwalk.

    Carole Heffley needs to be reminded that she IS not only th the police liason as she calls herself, she is also in a position to do something about additional police officers and not only hasn't she added police she allowed the administration to REDUCE the number of police officers and fire fighters.

    And she doesn't have to wait until the budget time she can do it now with two additional votes --- if she has two supporters on Council.

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  20. Question. Has "Saint Sal" paid the city taxes, the water bills and the credit union back from his million dollar bankrupty or his he going to donate his salary back to the city he scammed out of money?

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  21. hey anon
    check the records and you will see that all real estate taxes for that property were paid when the property was sold and all water and sewer bills were paid when the store closed. Panto has never owed personal taxes or city utility bills. Are yours paid?

    Get off it already. I used to go to that store and I know the whole story and obviously you don't. If you did you wouldn't be so sarcastic.

    I am proud to support Sal, not only someone I know by name but someone who could have moved on to the burbs at any time but chose to stay in the city. Oh that's right so dod Bertsch - 5 years ago. Prior to that he was an Absentee LAndlord for more than 15 years by his own admission. Now the lepoard is trying to change his colors and supports home ownership and de-conversions in the city. Hmm doesn't he still own multiple apartment houses in the West Ward. He found a city with a golden opportunity and that's the only reason he is here.

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  22. As a member of the gentile poor, I believe Sal Panto handled his financial problems with dignity and for the noble cause of his own family.

    Personally, I like the idea of a public official who knows what it's like to go through financial hardship.

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  23. Do you like a city official who sells off the garbage rights to the Chrin Company and 5 months later when he is voted out of office takes a cushy executive position with the same company.
    Boy that smacks of Good Old Boy network to me!
    Doing favors for the people that can employ you later!
    I guess Easton is lucky we have no more assets to sell off. Too bad for Sal, he'll have to pander to the developers for his next big executive job. My, my what will be built in Easton next? A super walmart in centre square.

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  24. Well said Bernie! and to anon -- Panto DID NOT sell the garbage rights to Chrin. Tom Goldsmith privatized the city garbage and prior to that you are correct the Chrin Landfill was the depository for all your garbage and it was since the early 60's.

    You really need to get your facts straight. And by the way - all garbage bids in any municipality must be awarded to the lowest bidder.

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  25. Enough is enough. Bashing on Panto, Fleck, and Bertsch. Don't any of you have anything positive to say about any of them. I do. Panto is a great man with experience who can lead the City. Fleck is intelligent and full of energy and could have been a great Mayor and Bertsch does great work with the westward program. We had a bunch of good people running in Easton this year. Give some credit and stop always being such fucking assholes with no respect for anyone who puts themselves out there.

    Bernie, you are the worst and I can only say that some day I hope you get yours and it feels like you've been fucked by a giant elephant. LOL

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  26. Annon.

    Maybe J.Spike can be the elephant! I heard he likes men. At least thats what they tell me at Starbucks.

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  27. This just in... J.Spike spent all of Fleck's campaign money on twinkies and fuck'n whoppers. Check the finance report Bernie.

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  28. Bernie, you are the man. You tell it like it is. Most people on here bashing Sal Panto either don't know him or have been mis-informed. The one thing i do know is that you will never be able to please everyone but i will tell you this "Sal Panto" is the best man for the job and i don't see Bertsch giving him much of challenge. Don't get me wrong, he seems like a very nice guy but the one thing that will weigh in on half of the 20% turnout is the fact that Bertsch is not from Easton nor has he been around long enough in Easton to even be considered (in my book)for mayor. Sal is a great guy, knows the City, born and raised, worked most of his life here, been mayor before so he doesn't need 2 years of training to get the ball rolling, and just like someone said in an earlier post, even if there were some financial hardships years ago, the more it says to me that he is one of us so what more would you want to help pull this City out of the hole it has fallen into to the point where we don't even have enough police officers on the streets and are paying more money in overtime??? I will continue to support Sal Panto for mayor of Easton to the end. I urge all to do the same.

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  29. One thing about Easton and Bethlehem they like their office holders to have 'deep roots' in the community. Out here in the boonies they call us 'inbreeden types' for that.
    Ya all have a nice day, Yahear

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  30. Anon 6:06,

    I'll agree w/ your assessments about Panto ("great man with experience who can lead the City"), Bertsch ("does great work with the westward program") and me ("you are the worst and I can only say that some day I hope you get yours and it feels like you've been ....").
    Ouch!

    I do not share your assessment of Fleck. He has many outstanding qualities, but you're lying to yourself if you don't recognize he's got serious character flaws. And from what Lehigh County Dems have said in comments and posts to this blog, I doubt Fleck is fit for any office.

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  31. The primary is over and both dems deserve applause for running positive campaigns. I expected it of Sal but was concerned about Fleck. While he has some character flaws he showed maturity in his campaign and in his concession speech. Well done Sal and Mike. As for Bertsch, yes I am sure he is a nice guy but of the three he doesn't have a clue to know what he is getting into and more importantly the on the job training will destroy our city. He speaks of homeownership and was an absentee landlord for 15 years here and now that he moved here five years ago he wants deconversion and homeownership. But he does have the best job in town -- he gives away money that Phil Mitman successfully lobbied for from the hospital and Lafayette Bank.

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  32. As a Republican living in the West Ward I will not be supporting Bertsch and didn't vote for him in the Primary. Apparently a lot of other R's didn't either. In the 7th ward 50% of the R's did not vote for him. 21% in the 8W and 18% in the 8E. Out of the 570 votes cast by Republicans 104 did not vote for him. He is a true carpet bagger and uses his position in the West Ward to garner votes and that ain't right.

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  33. News Flash.....J.Spike is threatening Panto because he's now stuck working at Starbuck's for the rest of his life and not with the Fleck admin in City Hall. Don't worry Spike I'm sure they'll promote you to manager when your 40.

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