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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Friday, August 15, 2014

Aurand Opens State Senate Campaign Office

Aurand HQs in Nazareth
The old Nazareth Aluminum Supply Company, located at 324 S. Main Street in Nazareth, is now the campaign HQs for Democratic State Senate candidate Mark Aurand. His war room officially opened last night before a crowd of about 40 well-wishers, Aurand, who lives in Lower Nazareth and practices law in Allentown is running against Republican State Representative Mario Scavello, a former businessman who lives in Monroe County. It's a new state senate district that includes nearly all of Monroe as well as the northern half of Northampton County.

Volunteer Ed Del Viscio served as something of an informal MC, giving an opening speech that I thought would still be going on election day.

State Senator Lisa Boscola was more to the point. She told the audience that she wishes she still had Nazareth in her own district, but spoke highly of Aurand. She indicated she could work with Mario Scavello, but complained that "he cares more about himself than the people he represents."

Aurand, with Rich Grucela and Lisa Boscola
Former State Rep. Rich Grucela was also present, and told Aurand supporters that if they care about kids,education and property taxes, they need to pull the Democratic lever. He was on his way to Saint Rocco's Festival in Martins Creek, which started last night. "I have to get there or I won't go to heaven," he joked.

Aurand told the crowd that government can be justifiably accused of interfering with people's lives, but also can protect us. He then ticked off the following issues, where he gives both Governor Corbett and Scavello a failing grade:

* Public Education. - He pointed out that there have been large cuts in public education, voted for by Scavello, the derided at have resulted in larger classrooms, cuts in programs and out-of-control school taxes.

Mark Aurand
* Economy. - He complained that Pa. is 47th in job creation, that Monroe has an unacceptable 7.5% unemployment rate and that new jobs pay too little.

* Women's Issues. - He derided the lack of equal pay for equal work by women, and  complained about intrusive ultrasound examinations supported by many state republicans.

* Environment. - He referred to a recent report by the state auditor general, noting that the EPA is undermanned and is letting violators go uncited. He also complained about the lack of a severance tax, and the natural gas drilling in public parks proposed by the Governor.

* Good Government. - He complained that the Governor is paying for an education advisor who is doing no work. He also accused Scavello of accepting the 2006 midnight pay raise. "He took the money and used it to make himself popular," he charged.

Noting that he expects to be outspent by Scavello, he is calling for volunteers. "We need all hands on deck," he said.

He should be OK in Nazareth so long as his campaign stays away from stickers.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

FA
FA
FA
FA

Anonymous said...

We don't need another lawyer who can't identify a single Monroe County municipality. Please. No more lawyers in the legislature.

Anonymous said...

He also favors a job-crushing 10% extraction tax on gas drilling that even PA trades unions have protested against. Can you imagine union members protesting against Democrats? They did and this guy is one of their primary targets for his willingness to send union workers back on unemployment. That's what heartless, wealthy lawyers do. They already got theirs. Fuck the working guy when the environmentalists are writing campaign checks, right?

Anonymous said...

There's no drilling in this district so nobody cares. Wolf's simple message to tax drillers and fund schools easily carries the day. The question is how far Corbett drags down the Republican ticket and can Scavello separate himself from a Republican legislature that has been unable to enact any meaningful reforms.

Anonymous said...

There's drilling in PA, the state in which the lawyer is running. He will vote on statewide issues, including drilling.

BTW, how is Wolf's corporation doing after he moved it to Delaware to avoid paying PA taxes? Is he still going to raise taxes on middle income Pennsylvanians? He said he would. Does the lawyer guy support moving PA businesses to DE, as Wolf did?

Anonymous said...

Nice try but he's not running state wide. Drilling isn't an issue in the district and the Delaware loophole needs to be closed.

You can try to shift the focus on Wolf, but Corbett has been a failure and he is going to lose badly. With Republican control of the both houses, he failed to pass pension reform, sell the state stores, eliminate school property taxes or anything meaningful in 4 years. Oh but Corbett did raise the gas tax.

michael molovinsky said...

not only don't we need voters to pull the straight party lever, there shouldn't even be such a lever or touch spot.

Anonymous said...

Weak try. Do you know how the state legislature works? Representatives from every district in the state are elected and vote on things like 10% extraction taxes on drilling. Your guy is going to vote to raise taxes. Then, he'll vote to raise more taxes. That's why PA trades unions are furious with him and the others who are itching to raise everybody's taxes.

I'm glad you acknowledge the DE loophole needs to be closed so that shifty, lying businessmen like Wolf don't pull what he did and move their corporations to DE.

Aurand the lawyer can't wait to raise every tax in the state. He has lots of special interest donors to pay back. And can he please name just a few municipalities in Monroe County before deigning to "represent" them?

Anonymous said...

I know that the state legislature doesn't work, so sending Scavello means more of the same dysfunction. Nice scare tactic, but your guy Corbett has already raised my gas taxes, so what's the difference?

michael molovinsky said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Political labels have made so many people just mindless robots repeating canned partisan slogans. We are doomed.

Anonymous said...

Put a dead cat against Corbett. It will win by a landslide.

The Delaware loophole has been around forever. Many gas and oil companies that control Corbett are Delaware registered.

If the "Delaware" attack is the best Corbett can do, he should start packing his bags today.

Anonymous said...

Great to identify the issues but what are his solutions ?

Anonymous said...

"Former State Rep. Rich Grucela was also present, and told Aurand supporters that if they care about kids,education and property taxes,"

Go pound sand, Grucela. If YOU cared about kids, you and your troughfeeding pals wouldn't keep taking and taking and taking and leaving the goddamn tab for them to pay off.

You will say anything for more feed.

-Clem



Anonymous said...

Has anyone seen Mario Scavello in the valley? Seems like he only is focused on Monroe.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I've seen him several times at several functions. He won't be taking it for granted.