A question for Tom Leighton

Earlier today, somebody asked me if I thought Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton would seek to replace retiring state Senator Ray Musto.

I told him that I have no idea. So he encouraged me to get Leighton on the blower, since he knows that, on most days, I probably can.

Anyway, the question was a direct result of the following newspaper story.

From the Times Leader:

Full story: Three hope to replace retiring state senator

Three big names in Luzerne County politics have risen to the top of the discussion about who will replace retiring state Sen. Ray Musto in the 14th Senatorial District.

State Rep. John Yudichak, D-Nanticoke, Wilkes-Barre Democratic Mayor Tom Leighton and Republican Luzerne County Commissioner Steve Urban all have expressed interest in the seat – at least to the extent that they are conducting meetings to determine the viability of their chances.
　
Here’s the scoop.

Even if I got Tom Leighton on the phone today and asked him if he was going to run for the senate seat, he’d more than likely give me that trademark evasive answer of his, “We’ll see.” That’s what he usually says when he doesn’t want to answer questions about the future, especially his future.

If I were to ask him a question today, it’d go as follows:

Tom, could you better serve the residents of Wilkes-Barre as the mayor of the city, or as a freshman state senator?

Personally, I’m inclined to believe that Wilkes-Barre would be better served if Tom Leighton were to decline the sudden invite to the state square dance, and stick with the (bottom) line dance here in Wilkes-Barre.

Them’s my thoughts on all of that developing stuff.

What else?

Uh, as of this morning’s county commissioner get-together, the proposed county property tax upsurge has increased from 10% to 15% percent. Nice.

Anybody shocked by that?
　
And, what’s this?

County Controller Walter Griffith is questioning why a few employees of the county sheriff’s department were paid $190,000 in additional fees for performing what could only be called sheriff-like duties.

Apparently, some of these people even doubled their base salaries by serving legal documents on unsuspecting civilians. You know, by doing something or other--keeping busy--when there were no suspects to be escorted in shackles.

My only question is, do I have to take a civil service test to eventually partake of this overly generous cash cow?

Sign me up, baby!

Give me my gun, my taser, my lunch money and my double-secret, extra paycheck.

Later