Local Government TV

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Ten Reasons Why You Should Dump Dertinger

Yesterday, The Express Times' editorial board endorsed five of the ten candidates seeking a seat on Northampton County Council, recommending three Republicans - Peg Ferraro, John Cusick and Tom Dietrich, as well as Democrats Deb Hunter and Bill Wallace. Far more interesting than the actual endorsement was their decision to pan incumbent Charles Dertinger.

"Incumbent Charles Dertinger ... has given voters all the evidence they need to end his council career. He's been a divisive force on council, thwarting Stoffa's plans to expand the county juvenile center and build an inmate center without suggesting credible alternatives. The council needs more consensus-building and less obstructionism."

Whether you are Democrat or Republican, you'd be nUtZ to vote for this guy. A vote for Charles Dertinger is a vote for bad government. Let me give you ten reasons why Dertinger is bad for Northampton County.

1. He refuses to level with the voters about his dates with a statewide grand jury. - Dertinger has been hauled before a statewide grand jury ... twice ... to answer questions about deceptive campaign practices in Northampton County. When I asked him about it, during a debate before a slate belt audience, he responded by attacking me. Shouldn't he come clean with the voters?

2. He's a liar. - Four years ago, County Council candidate Charles Dertinger solemnly pledged he would vote to kill the funding for a $3 million road benefiting an industrial development owned by famous campaign contributor Nolan Perin. Perin wanted a Wal-Mart. Once elected, Dertinger went back on his word, repeatedly voting against killing the project. In the meantime the county wasted $440,000 in engineering studies.

Asked about his broken promise during a debate, he lied again, claiming he supported the road only because Wal-Mart was no longer part of the picture. Here's how he put it, in his exact words. "I voted not to withdraw the money for the industrial drive after the Wal-Mart was out. You know that, and you're trying to conflate something otherwise."

County council minutes tell a different tale. On June 15, 2006, when Wal-Mart was very much under consideration, Dertinger voted to support the road. On February 15, 2007, after Wal-Mart had already given hope, Dertinger still voted for the road.

3) He has been a divisive force on Council. = Northampton County Council is the laughing stock of local legislatures, largely because of him. Want some examples?

* In 2006, he launched an obscenity laced tirade as Ron Angle tried to leave council chambers. He cornered the more diminutive Angle, pointing fingers in his face, getting closer, louder and redder. I had to insert myself between the two of them.

* In 2007, he tried to have Angle barred from voting on a matter in his own district, which prompted the late Wayne Grube to accuse Dertinger of having an "agenda." "This is nothng more than vindictive stuff."

* In 2008. while numerous nominees to various boards were forced to stand in front of Council like schoolchildren, Dertinger directed a lengthy hissy fit at County Exec John Stoffa, insisting on calling him "Stoff-er" after being corrected.

* In 2008, blasted Stoffa administration for its cautious approach to expensive capital projects. "We have an administration that can't build a birdhouse."

* In 2008, he engineered a votes expelling Exec John Stoff-er from the Higher Education Authority. Stoff-er smiled at me and said, "Crushing defeat."

* If you want to hear how petty and divisive he can get during a council meeting, listen to the clip below. (Note: If you have an old dial up modem, click here, look for the 64Kbps M3U (Lo-Fi) at the left sidebar and you can stream the audio).


4) He's lazy. - In my annual review of Council attendance, Dertinger ties for last place in 2006, is third from the bottom in 2007 and is tied for last place in 2008.

5) He's a one-man tax increase. - His broken promises concerning the Wind Gap road to nowhere cost the County $440,000. Because it's borrowed money, his lie will actually l cost you twice that amount. But that's only part of a pattern over the last three years.

* He tried to shove an IT contract down the County's throat that was $1.8 million more than the one Stoff-er eventually negotiated. He even refused to accept Solicitor Zito's advice to resolve the matter because it might "set a precedent."

* He supported wasting $650 thousand for renovations to Council's star chamber, which includes his very own laptop, but completely failed to include a nickel to videotape or webcast council meetings.

* He called the County's $70 million and growing pension deficit, the main reason for the tax increase, a mere "paper problem."

6) Ruins Morale Among County Workers. -

* He voted to demand the resignation of the county's personnel director, without even giving her an opportunity to be heard, to placate a green T-shirted lynch mob of county union workers, his real constituents.

* Called the county's relatively flawless presidential election a "screw up of epic proportions," resulting in the resignation of the Voting Registrar.

7) Too Union Friendly. - Believes county should just cave in on union grievances because fighting them is too costly.

8) Too Partisan. - He routinely votes against cabinet level officials who belong to the "wrong" party, ignoring the bipartisan approach to government suggested by President Barack Obama. He helped eject a Democratic council candidate from a party meeting for complaining about primary endorsements.

9) Opposes Transparency. - He's claimed he does he best work "outside of committee hearings," behind closed doors. He opposes campaign finance reform because some "little citizen group" might actually get together and challenge his reports. Despite the clear language of the Home Rule Charter, which he calls "yellow cake uranium," he believes citizens who own no real estate have no right to be heard.

10) Opposes Open Space. - Despite his claims to the contrary, Dertinger actually voted against John Stoff-er's "pay as you go" open space program.

30 comments:

  1. George Speros Maniatty, Jr.October 29, 2009 at 3:02 AM

    Eleven - bad hair piece!

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  2. If the Express is going to slam him for being devisive on Council.

    Old Deegan and the rest of the overpaid dicks at the Express better take a full page ad out on Angle when he runs.

    Without a doubt, Dertinger and everybody else, can't hold a candle to the most disruptive force in Lehigh Valley politics-Ron Angle!

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  3. God Bless the conscience of Northampton county Council, Charles Dertinger.

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  4. If Charles Dertinger is the conscience of Northampton County Council, then they are all heathens. So, in a sense, he does need God's blessing. And so does the taxpayers of Northampton County, if he gets voted back in.

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  5. Of all these lies, the last one is the worst. Dertinger did vote for John Stoffa's first "pay as you go" tax increase.

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  6. Just remember we have a bet. If he finishes in the top three ( which he will , you owe me a pizza..

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  7. The simple fact is he is first on the democratic ballot in a year very few people (my guess is 20%) will be voting. Even if by some strange twist of fate he doesn't finish in the top three there is no way on God's earth he will lose this election..No one from that ballot position has ever lost nor will they...My guess is that Charles, Wallace, Ferraro, and Hunter are definite winners. After that it's a crap shoot.

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  8. Don't forget his tirade at the Bethlehem Democratic Committee meeting against Karen Dolan and others!

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  9. Anonymous 3:20, Northampton County's so called Bulldog, Angle, can scream the loudest at whatever, because undoubtedly he has done whatever, the epitome being the tragedy of Mr. Snyder

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  10. Where was this picture taken? At the Nuremberg trials? Good Lord. Can't he smile?

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  11. "Of all these lies, the last one is the worst. Dertinger did vote for John Stoffa's first "pay as you go" tax increase"

    Click on the link at that portion of my blog and read. The truth shall set you free. He voted to kill the budget and actually made an allegal change to the reserve in violation of the HRC, and the screamed at Stoffa for not telling him he could not do that.

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  12. In defense of Charles - I don't think that's a hair piece.

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  13. With you almost 100%.

    Compared to Barack Barack the Chicago Hack, Dertinger is the epitome of bi-partisanship.

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  14. That is a (toothless) smile- sort of. And his hair appears to be natural. He is much calmer looking than at council meetings when he turns beet red and barks back at Angle. Must be Halloween.

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  15. The more recent photo is proof that we feed our councilors too much and/or permit them to park too close to the building. Time for a salad and a brisk walk.

    BTW, per the Jon Corzine campaign, this is a legitimate campaign issue and not a personal attack on a guy with more chins than a San Francisco phone book.

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  16. Have you seen Dirtinger's "CHARLES" signs? What a pompous poser! Thinking that he is so popular and well known to flash his first name. Remember the show "Charles in Charge"?? Well we should cast Dirtmeister as "Charles in Competent".

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  17. Post 4:11 is not only a personal attack but racist. Did Angle post it?

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  18. I can't believe Cusick and company are attacking the most prominent and popular Republican official in Northampton County. Ronald Reagan is rolling over in his grave. They have violated his 11th commandment. Are they seriously attacking a 70 year old grandmother for being Pro-choice in the mail ? OMG

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  19. Don't know if it attacks Peg. Am trying to find out.

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  20. "Post 4:11 is not only a personal attack but racist. Did Angle post it?"

    Ron does not know how to turn on a computer, but I'll bet he turns you on. There is nothing remotely racist about that comment. The writer is free to say a bad picture is a bad picture.

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  21. If the three non-incumbants Republican candidates were smart they would have run a piece against Ferraro and Cusick.

    They could have honestly said they will not be a rubber stamp for the Stoffa liberal spending government. They could have distanced themselves from two RINO's that support the Party Establishment in endorsing a liberal lifelong bureaucrat for Executive.

    Too bad they didn't since without that pop they don't have a chance in Hell of winning.

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  22. Charles is the most informed and straight-up person on county Council.

    Ohare has been ordered by Stoffa and Angle to try and tear down Charles. The employees and residents know what is going on.

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  23. Remember Vote CHARLES! on Tuesday.

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  24. When it comes to the County, "Charles is in Charge".

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  25. "He cornered the more diminutive Angle"...
    Bernie, are you smoking crack or something???
    I don't know who You are talking about.

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  26. I stopped smoking crack. Top much hair in the teeth. Angle is much smaller than Dertinger physically. He only seems larger because of his commanding presence.

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  27. Hey BO,

    R A seems larger, so The Norco Bulldog is all bark and no bite

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    ReplyDelete

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