Local Government TV

Friday, November 01, 2013

Three Nontransparent NorCo Council Candidates

O'Donnell, Borso and Phillips
Yesterday, this blog had 6,341 visitors. I'd venture to guess that most of them are politically engaged, too, and vote in Northampton or Lehigh County. So you'd think a candidate would want his views known here. But three Northampton County Council candidates would prefer to keep you in the dark. These are Christen Borso, Tom O'Donnell and Hayden Phillips. This trio has refused to answer a questionnaire based in part on your own questions. 

Phillips told several other candidates he had no intention of responding. Borso made repeated promises that she would complete the questionnaire, but never did. O'Donnell can't even file his campaign finance report, so it appears that a questionnaire is asking too much. 

Phillips and O'Donnell can both argue that they'd never get a fair shake here because I've been critical of their candidacies. But this was their chance to prove me wrong. I gave each of the six candidates who answered a fair shake, and refused to allow any commentary at all with their answers. So the Borso, O'Donnell, Phillips refusal to answer is an insult, not to me, but to you.

In Borso's case, she broke her promise to me, given several times. 

As the campaign has worn on, Borso has struck me increasingly as a lightweight. In the primary, she latched onto Lamont McClure, who went down in flames in his bid for Executive. She praised his negative attacks. Then she latched onto O'Donnell, and the two of them started running on their own, ignoring the other Democrats in this race. Her Facebook Page is incredibly partisan, making absolutely no effort to appeal to Republican or Independent voters. She even goes so far as to instruct people only to buy only union made candy for Halloween. That's just nuts, especially from someone who has never belonged to a union.

At Monday night's debate, she spent most of the night looking down at her talking points instead of stating what she honestly feels. When asked to provide three examples of ways in which she'd economize on a County level, one of her answers was more PLAs.

"What's a PLA?" asked a student.

"Project Labor Agreement," she answered.

PLAs are a way to inject unions into construction projects. The advantage is that they ensure good wages for the workers on site. In most instances, they serve the public interest for that reason alone. But the knock on them is that they are costly.

Whether PLAs are good or bad is an argument I can save for another day. But they certainly are no way to economize costs.

Borso's answer was complete nonsense.

Like her candidacy.

17 comments:

  1. Her expenditure reports are the funniest thing you will read in a while.

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  2. Most of the candidates for Council are light weights.

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  3. You really think Ron Heckman, Jerry Seyfried and even Deb Hunter are lightweights? What the hell would be a heavyweight, Clinton or Bush??

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  4. borso doesn't look like a light weight

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  5. The Rs would never get a fair shake and are to be saluted for ignoring you. Your race-baiting has been particularly despicable. You should be ignored like David Duke and Al Sharpton. Our grandchildren have been horribly treated by you. You seem determined to leave them a more hateful, devisive world than the shitty one we inherited before the 60s. Disagree with politics if you like. Injecting race baiting is really the lowest, especially with your feigned stories on the subject.

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  6. Thanks for linking to Borso's Facebook page. I will definitely be voting for her. We need to sweep out these Ted Cruz tea party clowns and it starts at the local level.

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  7. Talking about PLAs in 2013 local election is such a timely and relevant issue. She's really in touch with the average voter.

    Sincerely,

    Detroit, circa 1962

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  8. Borso has NOT A CLUE. She is kept on a short leash and told what to say & how to answer.
    Hey Lamont next time you want us to vote for your puppet can you find a good looking one that can speak in sentences? At least fake it a little bit.

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  9. i wonder how many classes it took for her to remember PLA

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  10. "The Rs would never get a fair shake and are to be saluted for ignoring you."

    Maybe you're a numbers cruncher like o'Donnell, but the Rs have not ignored me. 4 of the 5 candidates responded to my questionnaire. 2 of the 3 people who did not are democrats. learn how to count, or stop taking your meds so early.

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  11. Thanks for keeping us informed, Bernie. For good or bad, I use your blog posts to give me some insight into candidates whom I don't have time to go see myself. While some allege you are partisan, I find your posts on this subject mostly unbiased. And you've been around these parts for some time and are familiar with those candidates who have been also.

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  12. The thing is if the county were in super shape I could see voting a certain way. However, we went "brand new" four years ago and the county is in the shitter. You can only blame people from twenty years ago so many times before it gets a bit old.

    Leadership is stepping up to the plate and "doing" something not complaining and whining about it. The huge surplus in four short years is almost gone. Basic maintenance has been ignored. That is on the current official watch, stop looking back talking to the past.

    This time around I want some experience as well as smart. Old Johnny C. will be on a huge building spree and I would like some folks who won't be as easily fooled over a few maintenance issues.

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  13. They have no obligation to respond to this distorted biased mish mash of half truths and lies.

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  14. Well Anon,3;46 beat me to the draw! That has not been done before in public. Bernie ,when you use the part about -But to you, I disagree as people who follow your blog will tend to be more astute about politics, Our general voter and guy with a lunch box never see's this blog.

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  15. That is the sad thing Peter. The average voter will push the buton of the extremists teabaggers and the county will go even more in the hole then it did the first time they pushed the button four years ago.

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  16. Don't be too angry at Borzo, she is coached by Kraft and McClure. One is clueless the other is lazy. She never had a chance.

    Yet give Kraft credit, he convinced unions heavily finance her and blow off established candidates with real records. I am sure they will be thrilled with him after the election.

    Also, nice touch by asbestos lawyer McClure tapping into the asbestos fund and getting her a fat check. These guys are classic.

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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.