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Monday, March 16, 2009

In Hellertown's Crowded Magisterial Race, Is Hill Over the Hill?

Nine candidates are duking it out for the magisterial seat currently held by Diane Repyneck in Hellertown and Lower Saucon. Candidates include Dano Guerrieri, Stephanie A. Hoppes-Kovacs, Herb C. Payung, Kristin M. Seyfried, David Tidd, Donna Zawick-Long, Carol Ortwein, Tony Branco and James W. Hill.

Yes, former Northampton County Council member Tony Branco, who actually lied about using campaign consultant campaign consultant Scissorhands Severson during his county council bid, thinks he has what it takes to be a mini-judge. According to a sexual discrimination lawsuit he filed against Douglass Township, which fired him as their manager, he suffers from "anxiety" and "heart disease." What's really sad is that he has a serious shot at winning, too.

But this post is actually about one of Tony's rivals, James W. Hill. He just changed his voter registration from Springtown in Bucks County to Northampton County on February 9th. Anyone who wants to be a district judge must live in the district for an entire year preceding his election. Hill tells election officials that he will have lived in Hellertown for a year, and just got around to changing his registration in February. So if Hellertown is really his residence, where did he vote in November's election?

The Hellertown property Hill lists as his residence is actually a rental property owned by Winfield and Lona E Hill, who themselves live in Bucks County. Hill has been practicing law in Springtown, Bucks County, for the past eight years.

Will one of Hill's opponents challenge his residency? Stay tuned.
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12 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 16, 2009 at 7:47 AM

    good grief... what is going on in hellertown city council? police chief resigns under controversy and is now running for city council? that town is messed up.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bernie O'HareMarch 16, 2009 at 7:52 AM

    Have some sympathy for the poor guy. He had to go to grade school w/ me, and it probably left him emotionally scarred.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMarch 16, 2009 at 10:09 AM

    he may be scarred, but sympathy should translate into votes. The guy comes from the same political circles as Tony Branco.

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  4. WhetherVainMarch 16, 2009 at 10:09 AM

    Veeeeerrryyy interesting. If I'm not mistaken, isn't the chief's wife currently on council. Shame on me, that shouldn't make any difference (or should it - when you're talking politics?) Yeah, I know, her term will be up this time around. Let's keep it in the family I always say.

    Hey, whatever "the people" want is fine with me. Good ole Hellertown.

    I know I'm emotionally scarred and I know it was from going to grade school w/you! This post is proof of THAT!

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousMarch 16, 2009 at 11:25 AM

    Branco? Seriously?

    Remember, "Peggy Ferraro has ran and ran ...?"

    The guy can't complete sentences in proper English. Who keeps completing applications for this guy?

    I think he's "ran and ran" enough himself.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousMarch 16, 2009 at 8:45 PM

    Any position Tony Branco won't run for?

    Seriously. It's bordering on the ridiculous.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousMarch 17, 2009 at 10:10 PM

    I heard HILL has started the legal battle, disputing petitions to get candidates kicked off the ballet.

    Any truth to this?

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  8. AnonymousMarch 18, 2009 at 5:55 PM

    someone else has not lived in there district for a year. He is running for dj in a different race

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousMarch 18, 2009 at 11:24 PM

    Rumors of people moving back to Lower Saucon/Hellertown just to run for DJ are flying. There is one about a Bethlehem Dispatcher using his parents address to run. So Bernie, any truth to this one?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Bernie O'HareMarch 18, 2009 at 11:30 PM

    I don't know whether any of these rumors are true. Today (3/18), I checked the civil computers to see if any challenges had been filed. If that has happened, it is not yet in the computer. Unless challenges are filed, a candidate can be a three-headed orangutan from New Zealand and will stay on the ballot.

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousApril 15, 2009 at 2:25 PM

    Hill and Tidd are the only candidates with any "real" legal experience. I am still struggling with the idea of any average person simply taking courses to become a district judge. I don't think I would want to stand in front of them if I had a dispute to be settled. Another thing that bothers me is the fact that some people on the ticket own businesses in Hellertown. That could become a conflict of interest in some cases.

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnonymousSeptember 28, 2009 at 10:11 AM

    Is it true three police officers from Hellertown raided a "massage parlor" using an officer as a "John" and had sex with the prostitute? Is this legal? I did'nt think officers could break the law in order to enforce it.

    ReplyDelete

You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.