Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
Local Government TV
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Saturday, October 29, 2011
Norco Council (Bethlehem): Ken Kraft v. Seth Vaughn
"Seth and I are the only ones here for an open seat. I'd like to first say thank you to the LWV for having this tonight and everybody for coming out tonight in this horrible weather we have outside.
"I'd like to say that I got involved in government many, many years ago with the Monocacy Creek stabilization thing in Bethlehem. I was appointed by a Republican mayor to the Monocacy Creek Watershed Association. Since that time, I spoke in public numerous - I can't even count how many times - for, you know, they wanted to privatize garbage. That gt me involved. They wanted to do all kinds of things that I didn't like at the City level. So I started speaking there; I started getting involved.
"I started making myself available for boards, commissions, whatever government needed. Mr. Stoffa has appointed me to committees. I served on them proudly. I never missed a meeting. I think I've been to one, Joan [in the audience] can attest that I was there with the flu one time because I didn't ant to miss the meeting. So I'm one of those guys who never misses a meeting. I haven't had a sick day from work in twenty-five years.
"So I have the time to put in, I will be here, I'll be here all the time. I feel that at this age in life - 50 years old, my kids are grown up, I have the time that this job takes.
"This is an all-consuming job. It's not just two nights a month. There's committees, there's subcommittees, there's all kinds of things we have to make ourselves available for, and I'm available for that. I'm available to work for the voters and the taxpayers because I'm a taxpayer, too.
"I'm one of us. I'm not a career politician. I'm just somebody who likes to come out and help, and I've always been there for everyone, and I'll continue to be here for anyone who needs it. Thank you."
"I'd like to start off by saying that I've knocked on a lot of doors throughout this campaign. I worked very hard. I've listened to a lot of concerns of the citizens in District 1, and I do understand where they're coming from. My pledge to you tonight is that I will exceed your expectations if I'm elected.
"I will remain focused on the issues presented to me, and I will research the issues before I vote on them. I will also do my best to try to keep the voters involved in the decision-making process, and keep their suggestions at hand.
"I ask you to consider me, to vote for me, in District 1, as your representative. I hope you not just consider my political party, but actually me specific motivations, my intentions and my objectives.
"I think I made my objectives very clear. They're on my web site. I'm for preserving Gracedale, and I think that my health care background can help Council do that. I'm for keeping taxes stable, cut wasteful spending, and revitalizing our parks and preserving farmland. I'd also like to expand our veterans' benefits from $100 for funeral reimbursement to about $500. I think our wartime veterans deserve a little more money than $100.
"I'd also like to preserve the ideology that County government was established for the people to serve the people.
"As I stated before, I do not accept any special interest group money or political action committee money. I think that creates a bias within our politicians, and I'm completely against that.
"I will make sure that your tax dollars are well spent. I will not squander them on senseless programs like swaptions, and, if you would like, a new, fresh perspective on county government. I urge you to vote for me in November.
13 comments:
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Nice political speech by Kraft. To bad Vaughn didn't have the heart to go right after Kraft on ducking the Atiyah re-hab vote. for a guy who brags about never missing a public meeting, he misses the most important and politically charged meeting his board has.
ReplyDeleteLong Dem's are never afraid to fly in the face of facts with a good speech.
if you want to win Seth, you need to be willing to fight for the seat.
And to Anon 3:30 i was working not skipping, if it was at 7 i would have made it. Maybe you should volunteer and get on the zoning board, you cab have my seat, i am sure you will do a stellar job
ReplyDeleteFolks, If you see a comment by "ken kraft," look for a link with his name. Also, realize that someone out there is impersonating him.
ReplyDeleteOne who cannot attend important meetings, for whatever reason, should not serve.
ReplyDeleteHe brags about making "every" meeting but mysteriously misses the most controversial meeting the zoning board has faced.
ReplyDeleteA tad on the angry and defensive side when explaining it. Mr. Kraft when one volunteers for a position, one is expected not to bitch at others. No one twisted you arm for this Callahan clan assignment. You asked to do it so do it.
You use the union goon thug tactics of a Long Dem. You will work well with Lamont.
This is the last time I will answer this then you can say what you want, I have not missed ANY zoning board meetings since I have been appointed, the only one I was absent for, due to work, is a few years back when I was in DC for work, and that was the Elias farmers market case.
ReplyDeleteI did not miss any meetings on my own, and have made and continue to make All of them.
I wish or rather I hope that you would identify yourself, and start serving on these boards, you may learn a thing or two and end up having a deeper understanding of what the laws really are.
Ken
Nothing to understand. You ducked a meeting on the Atiyah project because it is a hot button issue for a guy running for office from the Bethlehem area.
ReplyDeleteNot really that hard to understand. Whether anyone else serves on aboard or learns something is immaterial. Keep projecting your anger on others.
You and your new best friend O'Hara want to hide and protect. Usually O'Hare is on things like this like stink on shit but he is protecting you. People are just curious that all.
If Mr. Kraft was at the Atiyah meeting, then he deserves an apolgy. Mr. O'Hare indicated he missed the meeting but now Mr. Kraft has stated he did not miss any recent meetings.
ReplyDeleteAsk Judge Moran if he skipped the meetings, the Judge will know.
ReplyDeleteMr. Kraft did miss this last meeting and he stated several times that he did due to a work conflict. I believe he says on his first response that if it was held at the regular time of 7 there would have been no conflict, but since they started it an hout early, he could not get away from the other obligation.
ReplyDeleteI think that sums it up and is the answer
ken kraft originally said:
ReplyDeleteAnd to Anon 3:30 i was working not skipping, if it was at 7 i would have made it.
ken kraft later said:
This is the last time I will answer this then you can say what you want, I have not missed ANY zoning board meetings since I have been appointed, the only one I was absent for, due to work, is a few years back when I was in DC for work, and that was the Elias farmers market case.
Was ken kraft at the Atiyah meeting or not? can ken kraft reconcile these statements posted two hours apart?
That is the problem. As an O'Hare mancrush he has immunity here but a resonable person could ask that question.
ReplyDeleteAt the county council debate he braged about how he attends every meeting. Yet he misses this meeting. It was only the most controversial meeting of the board.
Then more conflicitng stories. It just has so much of the Long Dem bs to it.
You've made this point like a broken violin since the date that Kraft missed the meeting. How many times do you have to repeat it?
ReplyDelete