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Why is Tony George running for mayor of Wilkes-Barre? Is it to get another taxpayer pension?
When do we say enough?
Tony George receives nearly $50,000 a year as a retired city police officer. He is working on his second taxpayer-funded pension as a school resource officer at Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center.
Now, he wants to be mayor so that he can collect two pensions and his mayoral salary of $85,000. In a city where the average taxpayer probably makes $30,000 a year, Tony, if successful, would be collecting an $85,000 salary, a nearly $50,000 police pension and another pension from Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center – all this while working on yet another Wilkes-Barre city pension. In addition, his wife and son are employed by the Wilkes-Barre Area School District. Again I ask, when do we say enough?
By his own admission, on the Steve Corbett show, Tony stated that he calls former Mayor Tom McGroarty when he has questions. When asked why, he said he gets confused. When he was chief of police, he retired early because it was too stressful. When he ran for mayor in 2007, he withdrew his nomination because he did not have enough energy. If he did not have enough energy and could not handle the stress of being the head of one department, how will he handle the stress as mayor? I am sure the stress level of mayor must be much higher than that of a department head.
Of course, he does have his old boss and friend, former Mayor McGroarty, who he calls when he is confused. Confused, stressed out and not enough energy – who really will be mayor? The energetic Tom? Will Tony be a figurehead? Will he be McGroarty’s puppet?
I will be voting for George Brown, a man who has served his district well. He listened to the people and rectified many problems in the district that he serves. Other than representing District A as a councilman, neither Mr. Brown nor his family have ever been employed by the taxpayer. Mr. Brown has the credentials and education to run the city of Wilkes-Barre. A bachelor’s degree in human resources, master’s degree in organizational management and 38 years of administrative work for multinational companies makes him the most qualified to serve as mayor of Wilkes-Barre.
Pat Carr
Wilkes-Barre