I'll start off. There are TWO people running in Matt Kluck's ward. They are Jack Doyle and Steve Silverman.
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| 2,000 students and staff in the high school every day, but only one will have a private bath … brought to you by our incumbent school directors … little doubt Moe, Curly, Larry or Shemp would ever stand for such a hoity-toity accessory. |
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| Foster School 11:45 AM |
27 comments:
Here are the write-in candidates for School Board - please vote for them :
Moe Howard
Curly Howard
Larry Fine
Shemp Howard
They are superior to the imbeciles listed on the ballot.
I don't know if I called the candidates imbeciles, but this voter isn't happy with the performance of the two incumbents.
Remely, talks about cutting the budget, doing this and managing that, but when it comes to a vote he does nothing of the kind.
Birks unfortunately doesn't even go that far. She approves spending like she's talking about water, and blames cash-strapped Harrisburg for not giving her more.
Llike Harrisburg doesn't get its money from us, the taxpayers.
The other two, don't know anything about them except they had a teammate that sounded like he had a good head on his shoulder and they sided with Birks. That scares me!
Elaine:
I'd like to hear from your Blog readers as to their take on the voter turnout this Tuesday. The National Weather Service is predicting a high of 55 under mostly sunny skies, and if that prediction holds the weather should not be a factor. But given that the election for School Directors is the only municipal-wide race, and there are no choices other than to affirm what is offered, I predict a lower than average turnout. For some perspective, here are the numbers over the last few "off-year" elections in Mt. Lebanon:
2007:
Registered Voters - 25,933
Ballots cast - 8,368
Turnout - 32.37%
2009:
Registered Voters - 25,887
Ballots cast - 7,560
Turnout - 29.20%
2011:
Registered Voters - 25,687
Ballots cast - 9,378
Turnout - 36.51%
In the Primary election this year - which featured an election for State Representative and thus had more "glamor" - there were 25,493 registered voters "under the dome," and only 21.62% of them voted! Therefore, my prediction for this Tuesday is a turnout of 22%, +/- two points.
Mme. Moderator: It occurs to me, thinking about Mr. Gideon's posting, that any election for school directors is not an "off year" for the taxpayers of this district. I hope that the mild weather will encourage those who are being taxed out of their homes to turn out. Perhaps it would help to organize a "drive to the polls" for elderly voters who just need a ride, or who would be encouraged by the support of willing volunteers.
We have now crossed the $2million mark on cost overruns for the high school project, which should be a warning sign to us all as to the foresight, financial ability, and underlying politics of our incumbent school directors. Our graying population in Mt. Lebanon should protect itself from the graspy and misanthropic tendencies of our clueless incumbents.
The prevailing sentiment among our elected officeholders is "let them eat cake" or, as one school director put it, "the additional cost is only the equivalent of one latte a day." As one municipal commissioner sympathetic to the incumbent school directors was heard to say: "I don't care if people can't afford the taxes because they should not live here anyway." Nice sentiments towards those who have lived here and helped build our community, and paid taxes here for decades, but unfortunately typical of the "leadership" with which we are burdened.
It is very important that the school board (and the commission, too, for that matter) get the signal that voting for incumbents who have abused our trust is not a habit of the independent-minded Mt. Lebanon electorate. As Abraham Lincoln put it: "You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time." Time has a way of exposing the truth.
Perhaps someone should put a referendum on the ballot that the school district pay tuition for the private or parochial school of each student's choice as the tax burden reaches the point where it would require no increase in revenues to do so in light of the savings in salaries, benefits, and retirements for hundreds of no longer needed white collar employees, and the endowment to be created from the sale of surplus real estate. We could call such a program the "Mt. Lebanon Promise." The educational results would undoubtedly be very satisfactory.
Let's find a way to get the maximum bang for the tax buck, rather than simply abusing our seniors and young families by taking away as much of their financial security as possible. Living in a home does not create spendable income (quite the contrary). We should end this notion that the regressive ad valorem property tax represents any measure of "the ability to pay."
Just some reflections on an election of consequence.
Respectfully, The Swamp Fox.
Mme. Moderator: A necessary note of deep appreciation and thanks to the retiring Commissioner Matt Kluck for his sacrifice, insight, and commitment to the entire Mt. Lebanon community. The Honorable Mr. Kluck's service is exemplary of the thoughtful, respectful, and creative leadership this community needs and deserves.
Respectfully, The Swamp Fox
RG...the additional open municipal wide race could be that for Municipal Treasurer. John Ferguson, who died last month, was running unopposed but passed after the deadline for removing names from the ballot. Although the Commission appointed Joe Senko as his replacement for the balance of this year only, the position for 2014, etc., will actually be determined by the general election next week.
How does that works you might ask ?
Well, registered voters have two choices under these circumstances :
1) for those unaware of John's passing or who believe that this is the only choice, can cast a vote for John if they choose to do so. If John wins the popular vote in the election, the Commission will appoint his successor in January, likely to be Joe Senko again; or,
2) voters can cast a write-in vote for Treasurer. I believe there are three local residents seeking write-in votes : Jack Goldschmidt, David Egler and Bill Hoon. A write-in may in fact win the election.
The general public is probably not aware that the Mt. Lebanon Home Rule Charter Study Committee will likely recommend that the elected position of Treasurer be abolished. If they formally recommend this and the Commission concur's, we will likely vote on this in either the primary or general election next year along with other proposed Charter revisions. If passed, the Commission can eliminate the elected position and reestablish it as an appointed position. As such, the elected position may have a limited life.
Bill Lewis
"Superintendent" is misspelled on the planning document....pretty scary for a school district.
Bill:
Thanks for bringing the Treasurer's situation to light. Frankly, I had forgotten about it.
John Ferguson will be a hard act to follow, no matter who assumes the position.
RG
Interesting. Gideon's numbers show a decrease in the number of registered voters since 2007, even though Mt. Lebanon has seen a small increase in population during that time.
I'll guess a 15% turnout, although I don't really care. For the first time I'm sitting out a local election.
While it makes everyone feel good to give the school board incumbents the electoral middle finger, I think it's a mistake to vote for the three Stooges. There is an opportunity to push a name through use of this blog.
OK, whose name? I have been asking over and over, but nobody wants to step forward.
Elaine
Yes, but whom?
There might be a good reason that there is such a dearth of candidates this cycle.
As a new board member, you'll have been handed a rediculously mismanaged high school project, along with administation and staff salary obligations, rising healthcare expenses, underfunded pensions and of course, "our primary concern is educating the kids" teachers grievance.
Add on top of all that, there is no plan for tennis courts and rifle range and its no wonder the incumbents are unopposed.
They deserve to sit and pay the piper for their shortsightedness.
On the other a vote for the stooges will give them that figurative slap to the forehead they deserve.
http://triblive.com/mobile/4961700-96/voters-county-percent
"“Voters don't feel like going to the polls and wasting their time when they feel like many of the races have already been decided,” DiSarro said.
That's bad for government, DiSarro said.
“There's a role for loyal opposition. Even if you don't win, you present another side, a full airing of the issues. By and large, people aren't getting that. The loss here is to the voter,” DiSarro said."
DiSarro is right, some people don't get it that their opposition vote counts.
Who cares what names voters write in? It'll be worth the effort if it sends the incumbents a message. How about Charlotte Stephenson? Bill Matthews? James Cannon? What about you, Elaine? But there should be one name, only one. Get that person a few hundred votes and maybe it will change a small bit of the school board complexion.
There was a letter from Temp Smith suggesting a responsible candidate for Treasurer but I see no mention of that on this blog - too bad.
Please email me the letter or submit it as a comment. Thanks.
Elaine
5:58 While I am certainly flattered, I have committed to other forms of public service at this time. Besides, I believe the decisions that have already been made on the part of the school board have created other problems/constraints. While those constraints may have optimum solutions from a quantitative standpoint, I don't believe they are what I would feel good about as a director.
In any case 8:48, please write in Jack Goldschmidt for Mt. Lebanon Treasurer. He is a 31 year resident and Naval Academy graduate holding an MBA. Jack has worked as VP Mellon Bank's Capital Markets Development and also as Treasurer, Partusan Trading. Jack is experienced, smart and has a down-to-earth engaging personality.
-Charlotte Stephenson
I am voting for real write in candidates who I think might be able to make a difference on the school board. They are Bill Matthews, Durwood Hill and you Elaine. I cannot in good conscious vote for the candidates on the ballot. Those currently on the board are responsible for the difficulties we face and the other two are not sufficiently do not have an understanding of finances or education necessary to lead this school district. I encourage everyone reading this blog to do the same.
I will also vote for a write in candidate, and only ONE... Durwood Hill. By voting for a potential candidate it sends a message with a more serious tone and also shows displeasure with the other choices. He is the only candidate that scheduled and offered community sessions with the candidates last Fall. The other candidates joined the info sessions that Durwood initiated. Thank you Durwood.
At 11:45 AM, I was number 36. Not one sign with any school board members. No one working the polls. No one voting. Very sad.
Elaine
There are two types of write-in candidates: Those who want the job and those who do not.
In Mt. Lebanon, those who want the job are the men seeing the the position of Municipal Treasurer that became open due to the unfortunate passing of John Ferguson. I suspect those who do not are the people being adduced for Directors on the Mt. Lebanon School Board: such as Bill Matthews, Elaine Gillen, Durwood Hill, Charlotte Stephenson, etc.
In both cases it's a matter of "too little, too late," although in the case of the write-ins for Treasurer that's understandable: Mr. Ferguson passed away just one month ago. In today's mail I received a form letter from Templeton Smith Jr., asking me to write-in Jack Goldschmidt - just as Charlotte did on this Blog. Unfortunately, for people without Internet access or who do not follow this or other Blogs the letter may have come after a voter has cast his or her ballot.
Write-in candidates CAN win; in happened in Alaska a few years ago in the race for Senator. But it takes both willing candidates - and time.
I forgot about Mr. Hill, so yes I will write his name in as well.
If he gets enough votes, maybe he'll consider running in the next cycle.
I voted around 7:45pm and they said maybe... a 20% turnout. Talked a bunch while voting... Caught up with everyone and that was nice.
Here are partial results for school board:
School Director MT LEBANON
(Vote for 4
(WITH 31 OF 38 PRECINCTS COUNTED 81.58%)
Dan Remely (REP) . . . . . . . . 2,354 20.72
William J. Moorhead (REP/DEM). . . . 2,928 25.78
Mary D. Birks (REP/DEM). . . . . . 3,055 26.89
Michael Jon Riemer (REP/DEM) . . . . 2,867 25.24
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 155 1.36
Commissioner:
Jack Doyle (REP) . . . . . . . . 791 44.21
Steve Silverman (DEM) . . . . . . 994 55.56
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 4 .22
http://www.alleghenycounty.us/elect/201311gen/el45.htm
Elaine
David Brumfield (DEM) . . . . . . 684 97.71
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 16 2.29
(WITH 37 OF 38 PRECINCTS COUNTED 97.37%)
John C. Ferguson, Jr. (REP/DEM) . . . 2,168 49.82
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 2,184 50.18
Elaine
Dan Remely (REP) . . . . . . . . 2,875 20.65
William J. Moorhead (REP/DEM). . . . 3,596 25.83
Mary D. Birks (REP/DEM). . . . . . 3,744 26.89
Michael Jon Riemer (REP/DEM) . . . . 3,516 25.25
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 192 1.38
Elaine
Here's a question... What happens when an elected official gets caught with HIS hand in the "cookie jar"? Is there a policy to replace them or is there a special election? Any thing like a Recall here?
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