Panto Makes His Wife an Easton Issue

When he was interviewed by Easton Undressed the day after his election, Mayor-to-be Panto insisted his wife's quest for appointment to city council would never be an issue. But that's precisely what's happening. As Hera plagued Zeus, so Pam has plagued Sal.

J. Spike Rogan withdrew his own application on Monday and urged council members to appoint Roger Ruggles over Pam Panto. A "visibly annoyed" Sal Panto insisted on trashing him, according to a Morning Call account. He would question Rogan, and then interrupt him before he could answer. Why are you "visibly annoyed," Sal? Because she's your wife, and that's the problem.

Obviously, Panto has a conflict. According to the city solicitor, he's unable to vote for her because her position carries a salary and he's her husband. If that's so, then he shouldn't be trying to make the case for her appointment, either. What he instead needs to do, according to the state Ethics Act, is "publicly announce and disclose the nature of his interest as a public record in a written memorandum" to the clerk of city council, and abstain.

Shouldn't the voters decide whether they want to invest that much power in the hands of one family? Does he really want to start his administration of a financially troubled city with ethical questions? Does he really think he will carry as much clout with county and state officials if they start whispering about back room deals to appoint his wife? And they will, Sal. Don't kid yourself. If she wanted the job so badly, why the hell didn't she run?

Today's Express Times says it best. "Pamela Panto serving on the same city council is bad form if not bad government. In fact, it runs counter to the fresh start that voters chose in approving a new charter."

Easton City Council: Ruggles, Warner & Brown

Easton City Council includes five members: Sandra Vulcano, President; Pamela Panto, Vice President; and councilpersons Ken Brown, Carole Heffley and Dan Corpora. They meet twice monthly and are paid an annual salary of $9,371. In addition, these part-timers get full medical coverage and a pension. As I learned last night, the actual compensation per member is $21,000.

The four year terms for Carol Heffley, Pam Panto and Ken Brown expire this year, but only Ken Brown has decided to seek reelection. His seat and two open seats are in contention. Jeff Warren and Elinor H. Warner join Brown in completing the Democratic ticket. They face off against Republicans Roger Ruggles, Peter Melan, and Bill E. Timmann.

Easton Undressed has thoroughly covered the Easton city council and mayoral races with a series of ten questions, over ten days. I'd like to commend Mayor Sal Panto (whose signs proudly sport the same colors as the Easton Rovers) and council wannabes Roger Ruggles (the LV's Engineer of the Year), Bill Timmann and Elinor Warner for responding.

The only candidate I distrust is Jeff Warren, who is State Senator Lisa Boscola's chief legislative assistant. He is too closely tied to developers and nonlocal money. He also embarrassed himself during a town hall when Easton activist Terrance Hand asked whether he even attended city council meetings.

Warren said he attended one meeting, but believed the question was too personal.

"I would like to talk about public policy," he said.

"I wasn't trying to be personal," Hand said. "If you are going to run for council with your current schedule, will you be able to make time if elected?"

Of the remaining candidates, the three I like best are Lafayette College's Roger Ruggles, Easton businesswoman Elinor Warner and incumbent Ken Brown. Ruggles and Warner have campaigned hard, and I'm told Ruggles has gone door to door through Easton at least twice. With his engineering background, Ruggles brings a practical approach to Easton's future. Warner has a wealth of new ideas. And Brown brings a heart. They're a good combination.

I like Timmann and Melan, too, but don't think they're quite ready.

EU: Ten Questions Over Ten Days to Easton Candidates

I've got good news and bad news.

First, the good news. Easton Undressed will be posting ten question over ten days to Easton's mayoral and city council candidates. This is a terrific public service and great blogging. The mainstream media will be the first to agree it simply lacks the space to cover local races in such detail, but people are still very hungry for precisely that kind of information .

Now, the bad news. Only half the candidates bothered to answer EU's questionnaire. Gary "West End" Bertsch is still talking at the State, and Jeff Warren is more interested in just buying this election than responding to pesky questions.

Whatever their answers may be, I'd like to commend Mayor Sal Panto (whose signs proudly sport the same colors as the Easton Rovers) and council wannabes Roger Ruggles (the LV's Engineer of the Year), Bill Timmann and Elinor Warner. They showed up. As for the others, I'd really like to know for certain why they ignored the questionnaire.

Update: EU's Terrance Hand prepared this candidate questionnaire. "We emailed them all. And I spoke to each of them about it."