From the witness box on Friday, Stoffa was asked whether he's the County Exec."I'm afraid so," he replied.
Then he was asked whether he was in his second term.
"Second sentence," he corrected Solicitor Karl Longenbach.
There was some levity, but everyone in that packed courtroom knows that the matter being decided by Judge Baratta - the fate of Gracedale - is probably the single most important issue to face Northampton County in a generation.
On one side of the Courtroom, County Solicitor Karl Longenbach had a commanding pile of paper, and Assistant Solicitor Jill Mancini kept sending a poor secretary out for more and more. On the other side, Larry Otter, Gary Asteak and two union lawyers from Philly were in the house. Controller Steve Barron, sitting behind them in the front row, insisted on handing lawyers note after note, which were politely disregarded.
As a Home Rule Charter form of government, Northampton County is different from counties that still follow the County Code. One of these differences is in the amount of direct citizen participation allowed. Unlike most municipalities, home rule charter forms of government do provide for direct democracy, i.e. initiative and referendum. But because of legitimate concerns over mob rule, this right is very limited.
Northampton County's Home Rule Charter expressly states, "The power of initiative and referendum shall not extend to the budget or capital program, to the appropriation of money, to the levy of taxes, or to the salaries of elected officials, officers, or employees of the County." Since Gracedale makes up 20% of the budget, it necessarily follows that any initiative concerning its sale will directly impact the County's budget. Judge Baratta, at a Friday hearing, conceded that point himself. But he has nonetheless concluded, at least tentatively, that the initiative does not "extend to the budget."
According to Judge Baratta, the County's failure to include the Gracedale sale in its 2011 budget is an indication that any initiative concerning the nursing home does not extend to the budget. He ignores the fact that the County, in anticipation of an upcoming sale, only funded it for six months.
Baratta hammered Fiscal Affairs Director Vic Mazziotti on Friday about the failure to include Gracedale's sale in the 2011 budget, or to provide for it in the capital plan. Baratta suggested several times that good accounting practice would require the sale to be acknowledged somewhere, but Mazziotti suggested that there were too many uncertainties.
"You took the words right out of my mouth, Your Honor," stated election law expert when it was his turn to continue examining Mazziotti.
"I have know idea what would come out of your mouth," wisecracked Baratta.
Baratta also took a shot at the County. He mistakenly called Attorney Mark Stewart the attorney for Gracedale's buyer. Stewart corrected the jurist, telling him he had been retained as a special counsel in connection wth Gracedale's sale.
"I thought that was why we paid our Solicitors," snarked Baratta, a former assistant County Solicitor who is well aware that the County sometimes reaches out to outside attorneys for matters requiring expertise in a given field.
At first, I was upset by this barb. But on reflection, Judge Baratta slammed everyone.
Based on what I know of the case law, Judge Baratta will be quickly reversed if he rules against the County. Several years ago, an attempt at initiative over the sale of a water authority was invalidated by Commonwealth Court. In that matter, like Northampton County, the home rule charter banned initiatives over matters that "extend to the budget." He seemed to acknowledge that, whichever way he rules, this matter is going up.
Baratta's ruling, which is expected to go against the County, will be released early this week, possible today or tomorrow.
Some County administrators have suggested that Stoffa should just accept Baratta's ruling, even if it is adverse. But should all the voters suffer from successive tax hikes as a result of what public sector unions demand?
no wonder you're going to lose this if you have laughing stock longenback misrepresenting you.he's a bigger joke than you are bo
ReplyDeleteWhat was Barron doing sitting there? He never gave a damn about Gracedale. Is this his chance to latch onto these poor peoples emotion into another term as Controller.
ReplyDeleteWhat is up with that. As Controller he should have done a study a few years ago to help save the place.
Now he wants to ride the emotional train for votes. I am not happy with Angle about this business but I am just as unhappy with this Barron.
Right on Bernie, should all the voters have to accept subsequent tax increases? By the same token, should all the voters have to accept the consequences of a subsequent sale? Or should they not just have their say, in a vote? All the voters have the opportunity to weigh in on this then, should they so choose. You state that the case against selling Gracedale is mostly being made by Public Sector unions. I think opponents of the sale would say that the case for selling Gracedale is mostly being made by a councilman who represents one-fourth of the county. No one campaigned on selling Gracedale in 2009, why not let the voters take a hack at it in 2011? If the people want the place owned by the public, why shouldn't it be?
ReplyDeleteRising Sun,
ReplyDeleteBy voting to keep Gracedale county owned, you are condemning taxpayers to a 20% tax hike that will have to continue for a few years, and mostly to pay the personnel costs associated with public sector unions on a reimbursement rate that is well below what would be paid to a private owner. If you think the voters should be able to pick and choose what issues they should weigh in on, then Gd bless you. I just don't share that view. It is difficult to inform oneself about a candidate, to say nothing of a complicated issue.
The notion that it must be exposed to referendum bc nobody campaigned on the issue is ridiculous. Show me that in the Charter.
"f you have laughing stock longenback misrepresenting you."
ReplyDeleteIf you want to insult Karl, go ahead, but you really should identify yourself and take responsibility for what you write. Otherwise, you're just a coward.
Bernie, so the voters aren't smart enough to vote on this, but we should believe Ron Angle and 8 other council members are? I think that's kind of elitist, don't you? I don't see the harm in letting this go to the electorate, personally. If the public wants a 20% tax increase to keep Gracedale, then they should get to have it, shouldn't they? If it's terribly managed, which I'm taking your word for, then the case for the County Executive, Mr. Angle, and all supporters of the sale should be rather easy, don't you think? I'm not claiming to be an expert on the issue here, I'm just saying that, if it's literally a choice between keeping the home with huge tax increases and piss-poor management, or selling the place, shouldn't this be a slam dunk election? Apparently the other side of this thinks they'd win a vote. I'm not saying this "must" be exposed to a referendum because of the lack of discussion in 2009's campaign, I'm saying the voters voted on other grounds in 2009, and deserve some say, one way or the other on this. If they don't get the referendum, obviously those who support sale understand that this issue will be front and center in the 2011 fall elections right?
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing elitist about this at all. We live in a representative, not a direct, democracy. Complex issues like Gracedale should be decided by the people we elect to study the issues, not people who can be misinformed and subjected to all kinds of passionate appeals that are unrealistic.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what would happen in a plebiscite, but I suspect the unions would unite forces and claim the County wants to build a casino and take all th residents and use them as cordwood. In the meantime, there is no similarly galvanized group that supports the sale. I believe the initiative might very well pass bc reasoned arguments would be shouted down by flamethrowers.
The face of Gracedale would be associated with Ron Angle, and yet another attempt would be made to drive him from office. Democrats like Steve Barron would trumpet it as a reason to re-elect him. Lamont McClure would use it, too.
Pennsylvania takes a very dim view of initiative and referendum bc of the very real danger of mobacracy. The County Home Rule Charter is clear. There can be no initiative or referendum on any matter that affects the public purse. If Judge Baratta rules otherwise, he needs to be appealed and reversed.
I have been associated with this issue from the onset, and have seen first hand just how reckless and nasty a mob can be. I get emails with pictures of a dead Hermann Goering.
Fear and emotion, not logic or the best interests of the County and the residents, is what motivates most of the "Save Gracedale" crowd.
Let's take Barron and McClure out of it for a second then, because whether there is a referendum or not, they will campaign to supporters on their opposition to the sale, and will be judged accordingly by the public. Under the scenario you are laying, supporters of selling are basically slitting their own political throats. The way I read it, you believe the other side is better organized and would win a referendum vote. You seem to attribute that entirely to misinformation, but let's lay that aside. They'll still be well organized and better prepared in November then too, if you're right. You say they'd paint Ron Angle as the face of Gracedale's sale, which is to say he's not popular in the county, which he's not, and he won't be in November either. Basically, the bottom line is, not holding a referendum vote in May, means holding a referendum vote on the people who support this in November, and in November of 2013. If the other side of this debate is so strong, which I'm not sure that they are, and would win a referendum, they will likely win the actual election in November. So basically, you think the people would be against your side, but you want to do it anyway.
ReplyDeleteHow can we trust there will be a 20% tax increase because Gracedale is kept. The administration has been off for years. The home only lost 2.8 this year and the administration and Angle were planning for a $6-$8 million loss.
ReplyDeletebut bo u must have enjoyed my comment about laughing stock longenbach or see the honesty of it. if not u would have deleted it. I have my reasons for being anon and you have used my facts in the past to pursue ur own agenda so don't be so pompous
ReplyDeleteThat nudge Barron is milking this controversy for all it is worth. He is using his office to pander for votes as he seeks higher office. Him passing notes to Otter and Asteak is like the class dunce giving suggestions to honor roll students. It was totally inappropriate.
ReplyDeleteRising Sun, You got the politics all figured out, don't you. I am thinking about the HRC and the right of initiative and referendum.
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:06, I did not see much humor in your shot at Karl, who is not an elected official or running for anything. I let it stand bc it is not terribly offensive and Karl is an appointed official. People who personally attack others, without identifying themselves, are cowards.
ReplyDelete"How can we trust there will be a 20% tax increase because Gracedale is kept."
ReplyDeleteBecause the budget for Gracedale will call for it.
Well where to start
ReplyDeletethe alleged 20% tax increase is meant to scare people
there is no basis for this
that been said The County adminstration ,ie, Stoffa, continuously inflated the budget requests for Gracedale for years.
in some of those year, all but the last 2, Gracedale made money and it was returned to the General Fund and used by Stoffa to avoid a tax increase
In one of those years Stoffa and Co was off by $11,000,000.00 in the black not in the red. Where did that money go?
as to to the notes from Mr. Barren--Lawyers get notes from witnesses and clients all the time
during the course of a hearing
it is not improper, illegal unethical, immoral or fattening. SO WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?
bernie,
ReplyDeletelet's wait until the decision comes out and see if Stoffa appeals
No, it's just foolish. Barron passed so many notes he became a nuisance. As recently as Friday afternoon, Stoffa told me that Gracedale will require at least a 20% tax hike if it "extends" to the budget next year.
ReplyDelete"The home only lost 2.8 this year"
ReplyDeleteOh, wee. Only $2.8 million. That's chump change, eh.
My remarks about receiving a picture of a dead Herman Goerring have been slammed by Molovinsky.
ReplyDelete"he claims he received a picture of Hermann Goering. He omits the fact that the sender is unrelated to the Gracedale controversy, and that O'Hare did a search and published liens filed against the man."
The stalker in question is Henry C Schaadt, aka River. Schaadt has been going at me for years before Gracedale, but has been emboldened by the criticism of the Gracedale Goons, and has chosen to attack me personally over that as well.
In response to one of his many vicious attacks, I published two recent liens filed against him and asked him to explain them. That's when he started sending me pictures of dead guys, and he has sent a few since.
I think that qualifies Henry for membership in the Gracedale Goons.
Instead of being concerned about a stalker who sends emails of dead people to his prey, MM has set up an O'Hare Watch to keep an eye on me.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteAn anonymous personal attack has been deleted.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of the Reibman Administration, putting scare tactics to play with residents of Bushkill Twsp and Upper Nazareth, regarding building the Prison next to Gracedale. They should have built a brand new state of the art prison there. It probably would have been a lot cheaper, and would have freed up the existing Courthouse and Parking Problem.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure if it weren't for Reibman's $110 Million Bond Refinancing and the prison being put at the same spot. We wouldn't be worried about selling Gracedale now.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteProof Stoffa should not be making 35 million dollar deals when he can't do the budget for one year he had to have Angle do it for him and that didn't even budget take care of gracedale for the entire year. Now they will probably have to reopen the budget until this legal nightmare is done. All I have to say is pathetic. The politicians and wanna be reporters in the county blogging personel attacks and false information look like monkeys screwing footballs. If you ask me just let the voters decide then you truely know what the county wants done with the place. Our founding fathers would puke and how this county is abusing the goverment this way.
ReplyDeleteAs I sit here at home I must ponder this thought...how long will the unions continue to stand under the dry faucet of the public till with their mouths gaping open?
ReplyDeleteThe tap has run dry, but they stand there in unison waiting for one last drop. It is so sad to know that they will stand their indefinately and die of dehydration
BO you are so full of sheet
ReplyDelete20% was RONS number
and only
RONS number
quit passing around lies
or show us the exact figures you have
its just like the millions of votes to sell the place RON receives everyday in his surveys
BTW I thought it was about the deplorable 4 per room situation
oh that didn't work so its
back to the tax attack
piece of work
Dear anonymous, BO is not full of shit. 20% is true. people do not realize that the federal medicaid reimbursement rate has fallen, and is likely going to be cut again. Former profits of gracedale will not return with the union and pension system in place. The private company can make a modest profit, but that is without the union contract and the pension system
ReplyDeleteRising Sun 3:28AM
ReplyDeleteGracedale has been a mess for a long time and needs to be sold. The population is decreasing due to the fact that there are cheaper and better facilities and ways to get care when you are old. I know where of I speak in that my mother and my mother-in-law are both in facilities that are better and cheaper then Gracedale. In fact consideration is being given to keeping your loved one at home and getting government okay on that.
More importantly is the fact that we do not need a 20% tax increase that will make no difference at all except to the union members who despite their claims migh live better without a union. Keep in mind that only about 12% of the work force is unionized. The only reason the union ever had an impact is because of the fact that they were able to beat up on large industrial companies eg. automobile industry. Today many who work in large non-union industries are making as much or more with benefits as union members.
Allow me to suggest that once we privitize Gracedale, and I do hope council simply defunds it, lets privitize the prison. Two larger rocks around our collective necks would be gone.
I keep reading comments about how gracedale is poorly managed and has been for a while. if that is the case, then where has the executive been in trying to change the operation and management? have angle, dowd, mchale and mclure done anything to change the operation? did they simply bury their heads in the sand or did they intentionally let the place turn so far south that unloading the damaged asset was the only option?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I trust the messenger of failed management to offer a solution that doesn't include his/her removal from power.
Signed, a Democratic Stoffa voter.
The prison is next! I am beginning to think that since the county can't run these institutions, then they shouldn't. Then again, maybe it is just time to get rid of county council.
ReplyDeleteeveryone keeps saying about the "union" pension.. well isn't it the same throughout the county? I believe so. The "union" benefits, same.. just thought i would let everyone know.. the union employees do NOT get anything above and beyond the rest of the county employees.. maybe they should think of selling off the court house!
ReplyDeleteI really dont have anything against unions at all...most of the time wish I had one. Its that public pensions are so unsustainable, that they are about to make the whole system crash, including gracedale. They cant privitize everything.
ReplyDeleteDem Stoffa voter.,
ReplyDeleteGracedale has been poorly managed for years. In his 11 years on Council, Angle has wanted to do something. In his first three years, Stoffa did not see the problem bc he was pretty busy putting out fires. When he saw it, he acted.
Brenda
ReplyDeleteYou certainly have the art of regurgitation down
I don't here any hard numbers coming from your comments
just old stories
I do agree the pension system must go
COUNTY WIDE
"Gracedale has been poorly managed for years. In his 11 years on Council, Angle has wanted to do something. In his first three years, Stoffa did not see the problem bc he was pretty busy putting out fires. When he saw it, he acted."
ReplyDeleteStoffa had 4 years to learn and only learned in his 5th year. Fail!
Angle has been on council 11 years and accomplished nothing on this matter. Fail!
John has been goofing up so badly for 5 years that it's difficult to continue supporting him. And I voted for him against Reibman.
The only consolation as a D is that Angle has 11 years of even worse results so we can at least rest assured that his failures won't get elected county executive. Can't wait until the 2013 elections when we can elect somebody who hasn't messed Norco up.
If they continue with their record, the Angle/Stoffa team is going to be viewed as an unmitigated disaster.
Okay RON proved my point that you ARE full of sheet BO
ReplyDeletehe was on the news just now and said 15-18% increase
of course that is more lies
the final numbers can't be known at this time
Ron is shaking in his f n boots and now will try to show he beleives in democracy
SO HE CAN GET RE ELECTED
TO LATE
TO BAD
The ship is now going to be steered in the direction of his removal in May or November
He should have come to his senses long ago
Anonymous,
ReplyDeletethere are hundreds of articles posted online about the federal medicaid reimbursement rates to nursing homes declining in the recent past. To the best of my knowledge, public or privately run, the rate per day reimbursed is about $100. Do some of your own math to figure out why it is hard to break even when cost of lodging, heat, meals and 24/7 nursing are in place, not to mention the ancillary services. Other info can be obtained at www.medicare.gov. Check out www.nytimes.com and www.usatoday.com and search for articles about nursing homes cost, care and profit. You can also google nursing home statistics and have your pick of info to read.
The County cost to just pay the overhead will be $7 MM. THat's 1 mill right there. On top of that, there will be another $7 MM in capital improvements. That's more than a mill. It translates to about 20%.
ReplyDeleteWhy not YOU search and provide the numbers that are GRACEDALE releated, I am quite sure the Times and USA Today did not use Gracedale as an example in the stories Try this BEFORE speaking without the benefit of knowledge in the matter.
ReplyDeleteAnd Ron said it is HIS estimate of 15-18%
Let us see the real numbers
I certainly hope you are claiming the monies from Ron that you receive as income to the IRS BO
ReplyDeleteyou never know someone might inform them of that.
Battle Cry of Freedom....
ReplyDeleteWOW, better care and cheaper...WHERE!?! FYI, Gracedale was the ONLY facility in the Lehigh Valley that would accept my mother due to having a tracheotomy! Oh but wait....maybe I could have cared for her at home, her being paralyzed on her whole right side would have only been a slight hurdle for me to overcome....right! If it would take a 20% tax increase....why didn't we have at least a 10% tax increase to fund it for one year...or better yet, how did Mr. Stoffa come up with an initial budget to fund for a complete year and no tax increase! But then the last statement you say for county council to defund it.....so then what....throw all the residents out in the street. You should be ashamed to make such a comment. I have never seen someone so disgraceful to make such a comment with no regard for many residents that have contributed and paid taxes for probably 2 times the time you have. SHAME ON YOU!!!
dj
FYI anonymous 1:13am If you were really up on this whole issue, you would have known Barron was a proponent since day one! You would have also known that during a county council meeting when he discussed the overtime audit that he completed and no action was taken by the parties that it was given to that he did have a concern. You might want to get some facts before slamming!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cms.gov/center/snf.asp
ReplyDeleteThis link provides a wealth of info about the numbers, but sadly, you need to be a statistician to understand most of it. The biggest problem with the medicaid reimbursements is that once the patient is transferred out of the nursing home to a hospital, the reimbursements stop and do not start again until they are re-admitted. Therefore, revenues decline each time a patient needs a test or a procedure that cannot be done in a nursing home. The best way to combat this revenue loss is to ask all patients to sign "no hospitalization agreements" when they are admitted to Gracedale. Unfortunately, this agreement requires a co-signature of a family member and the physician. In PA, the tort laws are so strict that no medical practitioner in his right mind will execute this document until the time that death is imminent , and hospice orders are in place. Because medical malpractice in PA is not in favor of the doctor, they tend to avert their medical practices to aggressive care and defensive medicine. Because of this, patients are shipped back and forth to hospitals constantly, and the nursing homes lose the federal and state reimbursement rate every day that the patient is hospitalized. If PA would revise its tort laws, nursing homes would not be scrambling to survive, public or private.
Anonymous 3:15 PM said...
ReplyDeleteeveryone keeps saying about the "union" pension.. well isn't it the same throughout the county? I believe so...
----------------------------------
I was at one of the informational meetings and asked why haven't the pensions been switched from a defined benefit package to 401(k)like most other industries have imposed on their union & non-union workers. State law requires the defined benefit package was the answer. So yes, the pension is part of the union contract but the county is locked into maintaining it as a defined benefit plan and not something more economical.
Why "pick" on Gracedale if other county areas have the same pension drain on the budget? Because there is no requirement for the county, any county, to maintain an old folks home. Nor is there any evidence that they can consistently run one well or should be expected to. Unlike other county functions, retirement homes are well represented by the private sector.
I don't think they can sell off the courthouse. But you can try if you want.
Bernie I realize you have been blowing the Stoffa horn for years. Nothing anyone says or does will ever change that. However, I do believe that some perspective is required regarding Gracedale. As I have been here for many years whether Gracedale is sold or kept in the County the impact on me personally is minimal. In fact probably better with a sale, that said, I readily admit I lean towards the County keeping it.
ReplyDeleteMy problem is that you claim the Home has been run terribly for decades and only John Stoffa after "putting out fires", has addressed it.
First for most of the past thirty years Gracedale has funded not only itself but numerous other county programs.
I remember that around six or seven years ago there were concerns about the future. I do remember it well because I was there. The Human Services Director Mr. Heckman and Councilwoman Ms. Ensslin came out and said a private company consultant was going to help Gracedale do a better job of making money and being more efficient. The Gracedale bosses were mad as Hell. Since both Council and the Administration agreed, no one listened to the complaints the way they had in the past. As time went on money was saved and it seemed to work, though many of us ween''t to happy.
Then Mr. Stoffa came in and I remember managers saying that he would dump the consultants as soon as he got into office. Once elected the consultants were dumped.
Let me say in defense of Mr. Stoffa anyone who has been around the county a long time knows that is how it has always been this way. Every time a new Executive comes in they throw out things from the old Executive for better or worse.
I believe in this case it was a mistake. Once the consultants were gone things starting going back to the way they were. A new consultant came in but it was one recommended by the very managers that would be running things.
My point is that while I am not bashing Mr. Stoffa, I don't believe he was the only one to try and fix Gracedale. I believe many of us at Gracedale made a mistake attacking the former consultants and Mr. Heckman and Ms. Ensslin, who hired them.
Concerned about Gracedale
Stoffa has himself acknowledged that mistake. He now is stating he should have kept those consultants.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I ever said Gracedale was run terribly for decades. It's only in recent years that the luster has worn off, and really, the quality of care is still quite good.
I find myself in agreement with most of what you say.
Stoffa has himself acknowledged that mistake. He now is stating he should have kept those consultants.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I ever said Gracedale was run terribly for decades. It's only in recent years that the luster has worn off, and really, the quality of care is still quite good.
I find myself in agreement with most of what you say.
You know for fancying yourself an intellect
You fail to remember your own words
I thought the employees were down there breaking arms on a regular basis? I that quality care?
There certainly has been instances of patient abuse, but I never really had a complaint with the quality of care offered.
ReplyDeleteI will vote against it but I would like it to be on the ballot. I don't think John Stoffa should pursue this any further if he loses the court decision.
ReplyDeleteHow much are the Harrisburg attorneys charging the County for the court work.
Just to sell Gracredale thy are getting a half a million. You know this is being tacked on as extra.
The contract for the law firm is not to exceed $300k.
ReplyDeleteThe cost of Gracedale is far from a 20% tax increase. If this question does go to the ballot we will be sure to get accurate information to voters.
ReplyDeleteIt was nice to see the judge not put up with Mazzioti's non-answers and unswayed by Stoffa's unfunny funny answers during a very serious hearing. It would be even better if the Press would do their job and not just blindly print the Stoffa press releases. Stoffa sounded like an angry child in his newspaper quotes after the hearing. His corn pone humor may play well with you and the media but the judge was having none of it. Good for the judge. I am glad someone in this county is competent.
The people do not trust this Administration and Council regarding any information regarding the cost of running Gracedale.
The Truth Will Be Told!
I can only state that this is your second post on this topic, and it seems as the days have gone by, you have decided to be harder on the Judge.
ReplyDeleteYou did say yourself that you didn't ask that he be removed, because you felt he would be fair. You had the chance to, but you didn't. He decided against you, so now you decide to post this. I ask if you felt he would be fair, then you should accept the decision he gives.
I can't help but wonder what your agenda really is??
Union Goon,
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing in this post that is "hard" on the Judge. Had I written this Friday night, it would have to be on asbestos. But as I reflected on it, I came to the conclusion that he was even-handed in his approach. My post is factual. He did wisecrack, He did snark. But he did it equally.
His logic is flawed and I point that out. He is refusing to follow precedent and I point that out, too. But that has nothing to do with his basic fairness.
He's in a tough spot.
Thank God we have crazy Ron Angle and disbarred lawyer O'Hare to save us from highly respected and admired judges.
ReplyDeleteYou guys bump into any umpa lumpas in your travels?
Willy
The "fact" is the $6 million figure Stoffa claimed he needed to run Gracedale for all of 2011 is more like less than $4 million. That is amazing since the Administration is for all practical purposes stopping any advancement of improvement programs. Despite the Administration led sabotage Gracedale is moving forward.
ReplyDeleteSince $3 million was allocated already, that means no more than $1 million will be needed for all of 2011, maybe less.
The so called 20% tax increase to run Gracedale is a flat out lie. An Angle/Stoffa scare tactic fantasy. There is no more gentle way to put it.
In their haste to dump Gracedale Stoffa and Angle played fast and loose with the numbers and now they have lost the trust and confidence of the voters in the county's ability to be truthful about the real costs of Gracedale.
We need an "independent" oversight committee to ascertain the real numbers.
Give Us the Truth.
When Glen was there it made money, now Stoffa is there with his appointees running it and it's a loser. Maybe they should look to fire the mgmt. team and get something similar to Leigh counties mgmt.
ReplyDeleteNo one seems to understand that when revenues decrease and costs go up, there is a deficit. Private companies in the nursing home business are struggling with this also. I am with Bernie in that the judge committed an error by allowing the question on the ballot. This blows the entire election process out of the water. If the county could make money on running car washes, should this be on the ballot? No government should compete with the private sector wether its profitable or not. When governments do, we get tyranny.
ReplyDeleteAs far as a tax increase its going to come eventually if not this year than next year make no mistakes about it,do you think gracedale sale is going to solve the problems for years to come think again? Everyone says that management is the problem then change management put in competent people!!!
ReplyDeleteI am with Bernie in that the judge committed an error by allowing the question on the ballot
ReplyDeleteYou are with Bernie?
you probably ARE BERNIE
didn't he get caught in womans clothing
Yes he did. he and another "guy" dressed as women were caught in a courthouse men's room by the Court Administrator.
ReplyDeleteAnon 12:14 AM:
ReplyDeleteWhat "non-answers"?
I answered ever question.
Vic Mazziotti
P. S. Why don't you have the courage to sign your name?
STOFFA.
ReplyDeletewhat happened to "if the signatures are valid, the referendum will be put on the ballot, and I won't challenge it?
Everyone says Gracedale has been mismanaged for years..I think Mr. Granda just started administering Gracedale a year or so ago.. He is a money man, he can squeeze $.10 out of $.05.. GIVE HIM A CHANCE!! The mismanagement comes from the courthouse,not the admin. of Gracedale.. Get rid of the fiscal people at County level, not the "little" people running the home!
ReplyDeleteEveryone says Gracedale has been mismanaged for years..I think Mr. Granda just started administering Gracedale a year or so ago.. He is a money man, he can squeeze $.10 out of $.05.. GIVE HIM A CHANCE!! The mismanagement comes from the courthouse,not the admin. of Gracedale.. Get rid of the fiscal people at County level, not the "little" people running the home!
ReplyDelete