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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Friday, June 21, 2013

Stoffa: We Don't Need No Steenkin' Gracedale

That's what Gracedale fanatics claim.

As he reported at last night's Council meeting, Executive John Stoffa has spent nearly $28 million for capital projects at Gracedale since he assumed office. This does not include $4.3 million proposed for generators at Gracedale, which are part of the bridge bond scheduled for adoption on July 2.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

He hates Gracedale and tried to dump it. Just the facts.

Anonymous said...

You are a funny man Bernie. These titles are terrific.

Anonymous said...

Facts are he didn`t have to spend any money on Gracedale but he did anyway.He spent more money modernizing Gracedale then any other Eecutive in the history of the county without raising taxes.

Anonymous said...

12:12, the days of your BS defense of this moron are coming to an end. Thank God.

The worst county executive in county history.

Anonymous said...

should have sold the white elephant

Anonymous said...

"He spend more money modernizing Gracedale then any other executive in the history of the County without raising taxes". Stoffa started his administration with nmore than 60 million dollars in a slush fund, wasted 27 million of that fund on the "swaption" that he neglected, and mismanaged the government for almost eight years. He neglected "capital improvements" for all areas of County owned buildings to the point where he now finds it more beneficial to sell those buildings than repair them,. The money spent on the swaption (which he ignored for years) could now pay for bridge repairs. Not everyone who reads this blog is stupid. The majority of your readers are right Bernie. Stoffa has to be one of the sorriest excuse for county Executive that we ever had. He doesn't beat Reibman, but that's only because he is more honest than reibman.

Anonymous said...

We'll be the last stupid county in the state trying to prop up a nursing home in order to protect union jobs. Seniors and taxpayers deserve better than the money pit and below average-to-average performance of Gracedale. Like Stoffa or not for being a zany fiscal whipsaw (e.g. sell Gracedale one day, float bond debt for $186,000 parking spaces the next day) but Gracedale should have been, and still should be sold. It's better care for seniors and a better deal for taxpayers.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Stoffanever fkoated a bond for $186,000 parking spaces. That is just a lie.

Bernie O'Hare said...

The majority of my readers admire Stoffa, and as his tenure draws to aclose, even the workers are beginning to regret seeing him go. Most of his haters are aninymous cowards. Other than Barron von Footinmouth, McClure, the Fake Rev and his flock of three, crazy Gregory, crazier MezzaKKKappa, and even cRaZier Blog Mentor, he is admired as a good and decent man. Were he to have run for a third term, he might have even beaten Callahan. His approval ratings are quite high. But now you crazy people are gearing up to kick callahan around, even though his job has not yet started.

Anonymous said...

In two years the Stoffa haters will change their tune after they drag Callahan through the same mud. They will yearn for the Stoffa years when there was honest government and things got done without payoffs to contractors. He did the right thing in trying to sell Gracedale and paid a political price for it. But he did not hold a grudge and instead he and Marcus are working hard to help Gracedale succeed. But the Gracedale Goons and other haters won't acknowledge that. The Christian hypocrite Martinez and his flock of evil haters will continue to attack Stoffa and call for his resignation over two hours of questionable legal payments and his attempt to sell the county nursing home. What ever happened to Christian values of forgiveness and redemption? Stoffa has remained steady in his determination to run the county in the best interests of its taxpayers and citizens regardless of personal attacks. He is arguably the finest executive Northampton County has ever had.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Before I ask whether he was the best or the worst, I'll wait a few years. Most agree that the county's best Exec was either Marty Bechtel or Gerry or Gene.

Stoffa himself acted honestly and with integrity. He engaged in no pay to play. But for his entire first term, he was hampered by a Council unwilling to work with him.

The Gracedale question undeniably hurt Angle, but it did not hurt Stoffa. Ron was out in front on that one, and took all the heat. When Ron decided to run again, he did a poll, and realized he was in big trouble. But in that same poll, Stoffa remarkably still had an approval rating in the 60s.

He did advocate Gracedale's sale, as did I. He did fight the referendum bc this is the kind of decision that requires a lot of homework that most voters simply don't have time for. That's why they elect Council members.

But once the people did speak, and voted to retain the nursing facility, Stoffa has done everything he can to turn things around. The biggest improvement was bringing in a private manager, as is the case at Cedar Crest. He has invested money in the facility, contrary to what his haters claim. The current bond calls for another $4.3 million. It could easily be more bc it does not address the parking lot and other big problems.

Callahan, whose election is all but certain, will bring a completely different perspective to the office. Unlike Stoffa, he is aggressive and is much more likely to wield his immense power. He is extremely innovative, as he has demonstrated in Bethlehem. After 8 years of a relatively subdued Exec, his different style of leadership is going to shake things up. That is going to scare some people. It's also going to result in positive changes like CI.

Callahan will focus more on economic development, which Stoffa does not view as a core function of county government. He will push harder for regionalization. But there will be more questions of pay to play bc Callahan, unlike Stoffa, is willing to raise money for his races.

I believe it will take Callahan about two years to find his way, although he might surprise me. He will be blessed with a Council that is willing to work with him, and will surround himself with hard-hitters.

I see good things down the road.

Stoffa's successes are not sexy, but they matter.

His big failure was Gracedale. We pushed to sell without making sure that the people were ready and without adequately exploring alternatives. Some might fault him for a lack of economic development, but I share his view on that point.

His successes include a fiscal approach that has resulted in no tax hikes over 8 years (except the one he promised for open space); an incredible open space program; a focus on Gracedale that it never received before; a centralized human services building for 18,000 people who have no one to speak for them; and very high ethical standards that will never be replicated.

We can talk about his legacy in a few years. But for me personally, he is the best I've ever seen. He beats Jerry bc Jerry only had 4 years.

I am well aware there are those (very few) who call him a liar and every other name in the book. Haters gonna' hate.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I am no longer going to allow anonymous personal attacks aimed at Stoffa. If you can't ID yourself, you'll be deleted.

Anonymous said...

Bernie,

This is somewhat on topic and somewhat off topic.

But I just read on the Express-Times website that Ron Angle, Jr. was cleared on all charges but one.

Now what happens to all those people that posted nasty things about the father and this young man when he was initially charged? I even remember a blogger doing a hit piece on the father because of this. Amazing!

When you come at them like they did with Angle, you are a stalker and a bottom feeding blogger. But when they post stuff about Stoffa, Callahan, Angle and his son, or whatever; it's okay?

I hope they all now print retractions for the bad stuff they printed about Angle and his son.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Those people will continue to trash both Angles.