Northampton County Council District 3 is a big chunk if the middle and southern portions of the county. It includes Williams, Lower Saucon, Bethlehem, Lower Nazareth, East Allen and Allen Townships. It also contains Nazareth, North Catasauqua and Northampton Boroughs. It is represented by algebra teacher and Williams Tp resident John Cusick, who has 12 years of service combined. Heis being challenged by Luke Verdes, who works for a consulting firm assisting nonprofits. I will be voting for Cusick. The reason is quite simple. Cusick asked. Verdes did not.
I live in this District so I pay attention to Cusick. He is Council's most knowledgeable member, next to Ron Heckman. He comes to nearly every meeting, is always well prepared and has been a very effective check on Executive Lamont McClure. He is something of a wonk, loves to attend County Comm'r Association meetings and understands county issues thoroughly. And he asked for my vote.
Though I am a Democrat, I have heard nothing from Luke Verdes, the man who wants to represent me. I've never seen him at a meeting, although I confess I would not know him if he did because he never bothered to introduce himself.
If he wants to screw me on Council, I expect at least some kind of courtship. Cusick sent me a mailer. Verdes sent me nothing.
To make matters worse, Verdes is running on issues that have nothing to do with county government. Abortion, labor law, gun reform laws and our environment are the domain of the state and federal government. If Verdes is interested in those natters, he should run for the state legislature or Congress.
We already have one Council member who distracts us at every meeting with non-county issues.
County government provides human services and has numerous contracts with nonprofits. I worry that Verdes, a consultant for nonprofits, will use his position on Council to advance the nonprofits he represents.
Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
Local Government TV
▼
Thursday, October 31, 2019
12 comments:
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.
Can't vote for Cusick. He's been horrible for Gracedale.
ReplyDeleteYeah, everyone's terrible for Gracekdale. McClure is getting slammed for that, too. It seems to me the nurses have been horrible for Gracedale or they would never have allowed a resident's dressing go unchanged for a month. It is time they look at themselves instead of pointing their fingers at everyone else.
ReplyDelete"I worry that Verdes, a consultant for nonprofits, will use his position on Council to advance the nonprofits he represents."
ReplyDeleteLike, maybe, the union employees on council that don't represent all the workers?
This makes no sense. This guy is part of the team wanted you wanted tossed two years ago in an election. You wanted the democrats to win. They won and now you want them to lose?
ReplyDeleteSo after two years how do you rate your all star democrats team you pushed for the county council and executive? Be honest!
Why doesn't the Executive, his team, and you go help out and better yet live there while you are helping to see what is truly going on before you slam the nurses. They work hard for the shit pay and extra mandated shifts.
ReplyDeleteUm, where I or anyone lives is irrelevant. Nursing is a profession of service. 14 Gracedale nurses ignored a resident's pressure dressing for a month, and falsely claim to have changed it. So I don't think you work hard at all, and are in no position to point fingers at anyone. You should be hanging your head in shame. When you whine about Gracedale, you have no credibility and only make yourself look worse. McClure was the best friend you had, and you even turned on him. I agree no public employee deserves less than $15 per hour, but people like you disgust me. Get rid of your bad nurses first. You know who they are. Consider yourself lucky I don't live there or there would be changes.
ReplyDelete"This guy is part of the team wanted you wanted tossed two years ago in an election. You wanted the democrats to win. They won and now you want them to lose?"
ReplyDeleteYou are incorrect. I supported two of the 4 Rs running for Council that year. Get it right. And Cusick was not on the ballot two years ago.
You mention Ron Heckman in your post. If he is so effective why do democrat party leaders not want him to run for office again? Did you support him last election? Would you vote for him again as you are a democrat?
ReplyDeleteParty bosses do not like him because he is his own man. They don't like McClure, either. Yes, I supported Ron when he ran last time, and would do so again. I supported Heckman, McGee, Ferraro and Phillips.
ReplyDeleteWhat about District two and four? What are your picks?
ReplyDeleteI will post about those races on Monday, as well as the DA and judicial race.
ReplyDeleteI will vote for Luke Verdes. He has been endorsed by the democrat party award winning Tara Zirinskli.
ReplyDeleteShe is the new face and leader of the local democrats. She and election loser and patronage job filler Amy Cozze are the stars!