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KINGSTON — In rapid-fire delivery, all 10 Luzerne County Council candidates conveyed their views on a range of topics within allotted time limits during Thursday’s Wilkes-Barre Area League of Women Voters forum at Wyoming Seminary.
Voters are free to choose five council contenders of any party affiliation in the Nov. 7 general election.
The league has been holding county council forums since the first 11-member council was elected in 2011 as part of the January 2012 conversion to a customized home rule government structure. WBRE-TV reporter Andy Mehalshick served as moderator.
As the council wrestles with the 2018 budget and administration’s proposed 2 percent tax hike, the candidates were asked how they would save taxpayers money.
Here’s a snapshot of their responses, starting with the Democrats:
• Wendy Cominsky, 45, of Dallas Township, a hairdresser and owner of Au Salon in Dallas, said she does not want to pay higher real estate taxes because she is a single mother and does not make a lot of money. She said she would focus on finding more grants and attempting to increase revenue because she also wouldn’t want to eliminate county jobs to reduce the budget.
• John Gadomski, 63, of Wyoming, who worked in the carpentry and contracting field for 44 years before his recent retirement, wants to boost the tax base to increase revenue. He said he expects a gas-generated power plant in Salem Township will help attract industries seeking proximity to a cheaper energy source for their operations.
• Linda McClosky Houck, 58, of Kingston, a teacher and county council member since 2012, said she instituted a line-by-line budget review as council chair and supported debt refinancing to save money. She stressed council — not the manager — decides if a tax increase is imposed, and the 2017 budget would automatically remain in effect if council did not approve a new plan.
• Sheila Saidman, 67, of Kingston, a retired lawyer who has worked as a county assistant district attorney, legal counsel for various entities and in private law practice, said many were shocked by the manager’s proposed tax increase and request for new positions. She said she supports council’s intensive budget review and debt refinancing.
• Matthew Vough, 24, of Pittston, marketing manager at Keystone Automotive Operations Inc. in Exeter, said he could not immediately offer on-the-spot savings proposals, but he would not raise taxes. Vough said the county must find other ways to raise revenue.
A synopsis of the Republican answers to the question:
• Marc Dixon, 47, of Wright Township, business development director for Kodak Alaris in the Americas, wants to encourage regionalization of municipal police protection and other services. Consolidation would save money that could be spent on parks and other community improvements, he said.
• Harry Haas, 41, of Kingston, a teacher and county council member since 2012, said counties are required to operate courts, run a local prison and administer human services without receiving sufficient state funding to meet these mandates. He said he has been pushing for additional state revenue as chair of council’s legislative committee.
• Chris Perry, 67, of Fairview Township, a retired Hazleton Area School District athletic director and teacher, commended sitting council members for seeking savings, performing detailed budget reviews and refinancing debt. Perry said he does not expect taxes to increase 2 percent and does not personally support all aspects of the proposed budget.
• Stephen J. Urban, 43, of Wilkes-Barre, an IT support coordinator and county councilman from 2012 through 2015, said the budget has increased too much, and he would not approve any tax hikes. He would support reopening the budget to seek additional cuts if he is elected.
• Gregory Wolovich Jr., 24, of Newport Township, a food selector for Wegmans Food Markets, said council should discuss shrinking government, including the number of council members. He said understands the reality of living on a tight budget.