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By P. DOUGLAS FILAROSKI; Times Leader Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 21, 1997 Page: 1A
WILKES-BARRE — For most of the night, Bill Brace appeared headed to an
underdog victory over endorsed candidate Tom Pizano in the Democratic primary
for county controller.
But that changed later when numbers from late-reporting precincts gave the
Exeter farmer an apparent victory.
With 313 of 315 precincts reporting, Pizano led Brace, 16,106 votes to
14,336 votes. Plains Township Commissioner Frank Pizzella lagged a distant
third with 9,064 votes, based on unofficial returns.
Both Democratic candidates attributed Pizano’s victory to the backing of
the Luzerne County Democratic Party.
“I think I had slightly better name recognition for the county,” Pizano
said.
Brace, who has served 27 years in Wilkes-Barre’s city government, said he
was disappointed he trailed — but pleased he came close. He considered his
candidacy a long shot.
“Basically, I lost because there was low voter turnout. Party workers are
the ones who get out the vote,” Brace said. “It wasn’t for lack of effort on
my part.”
In unofficial results in the Republican primary, taxpayer advocate Clarence
Michael defeated Daniel Pientka. With 313 of 315 precincts reporting, Michael
led Pientka 8,834 votes to 7,170.
Brace attributed his solid showing to running a positive campaign, even as
Pizano attacked his integrity in the final days of a campaign that lacked the
feisty issues of other county races.
“I entered with my integrity and I’ll end with my integrity intact,” Brace
said. “I don’t think my opponents can say the same thing.”
Brace, 51, said Pizano’s TV ads over the weekend criticized him for
qualifying for a hefty city pension and implied he is involved in nepotism
because his wife, Laura, also works at City Hall.
“Those are non-issues,” Brace said. “I never hid that fact from taxpayers.
I brought them forward … I didn’t hire my wife, I just married her” while
both worked at City Hall.
Pizano said Brace began the attacks by criticizing irresponsible spending
by county government, in which he served for many years.
“He was running ads that were negative against the county, and that
reflects badly on me,” Pizano said. “Look, I want to mend fences with Bill
Brace.”
The four-year controller post pays $34,800 per year. The controller is
responsible for managing a 15-person staff that tracks county spending.
Each Democratic candidate spent far more on his campaign than what the
office pays annually.
Pizano’s war chest of $59,915 was the biggest, followed closely by
Pizzella, who raised $55,405.
Pizano, 45, who helps runs the family farm, said he expected a close race.
“It was a hard-fought race between three candidates who fought very hard.”
Pizzella declined to comment on the race.
Brace lagged behind in fund raising, with $41,942, but held onto $24,000
until the final two weeks before the election, using it to outdo Pizano and
Pizzella on radio and TV.
“They had a little bit more money that I did, but we end-loaded our
campaign,” said Brace, who two weeks ago said he trailed Pizano in polls.
Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom McGroarty, who supported Brace and appeared on
recent TV ads, said he helped Brace gain ground.
“The county did some polling and they said I’m pretty popular around here,”
the unabashed mayor said as he sat on a bench inside the Luzerne County
Courthouse, his shoes off. “Pardon the shoes, but I had a long day … I’ve
been campaigning all day.”
Of the three candidates, Pizzella, 52, received the most attention from the
media.
But not the kind that helps win elections.
A newspaper article detailed a 1980 case in which Pizzella and Michael
Biskauskas were accused of offering a Pringle man $250 to break the legs of a
Plains Township commissioner.
Police charged both men with solicitation to commit aggravated assault.
But, as Pizzella pointed out, a jury acquitted Biskauskas, and the
prosecution agreed to drop the charges against Pizzella.
Michael’s apparent victory helps create a vocal general election race.
Michael, 61, a well-known watchdog from Dallas, is a fixture at county
meetings, known for taking commissioners to task for many public expenditures.
He regularly questions widespread use of county cars and opposed county
funding for both scandal-ridden Luzerne County Community College and a
controversial arena.
“When I’m in there I will provide you with a voice,” said Michael, a former
Dallas School Board member. “In order to attract business we have to get rid
of the nepotism and chicanery in Luzerne County government.”
Pientka, 68, of Plains Township, didn’t bother to raise much money for his
campaign. He used the news media to communicate support for a time-study team
and opposition to nepotism.
He wasn’t as confident in the Republicans’ ability to win in the fall
against the Democrats, who hold a comfortable edge in the county in party
registration.
“The Democrats hold a 35,000-vote plurality in registration. It’s pretty
hard to beat them. They hand out jobs and they even give Republicans jobs to
hush them up,” Pientka said.
“The way they’re spending money, I can’t believe it,” Pientka said.