Mayor Holds Line On Taxes, Raises His Own Salary In Proposed Budget

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Luzerne County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WILKES-BARRE, PA – Mayor Tom Leighton proposed a $42.7 million 2014 budget Friday without any tax or fee hikes, a raise for himself and funding to hire additional police officers.

“My goal is to hire at least 10 new officers in 2014, but we will closely monitor the strength of city finances to hire as many officers as the general fund can afford,” Leighton said during his budget presentation at city hall.

Unionized city employees will receive a 3 percent raise. Leighton’s salary also will increase 3 percent for 2014 to $82,309.

Leighton, who is serving in his third term as mayor, said he has not taken a raise for the last seven years amid financial woes

Read more: http://citizensvoice.com/news/mayor-holds-line-on-taxes-raises-his-own-salary-in-proposed-budget-1.1567278

Wilkes-Barre Council OKs ‘One-Strike’ Rental Ordinance

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WILKES-BARRE — One strike.  Two readings.  Three speakers.

Mayor Tom Leighton’s plan to crack down on problem rental properties in Wilkes-Barre passed a second and final reading during a special council session Thursday night attended by a handful of residents, of whom only three spoke about the “one-strike” amendment to the city’s rental ordinance.

The ordinance will allow officials to shut down a property for six months if landlords and tenants know of criminal activity on the premises and fail to alert authorities.  It will take effect Sept. 1.

“The intent is not to penalize landlords, but to increase dialogue,” said assistant city solicitor William E. Vinsko Jr., who drafted the legislation, which he called “another tool to curb drug activity and violence.”

Read more: http://www.timesleader.com/article/20130823/NEWS/130829985

Meeting Crowd Fumes Over Hiring Brother Of Wilkes-Barre Mayor

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WILKES-BARRE, PA – The Wilkes-Barre Area School Board grappled with an angry standing-room-only crowd as they dealt with the fallout from hiring the mayor’s brother over a more qualified candidate at a tense meeting Monday.

Ten days earlier, the board voted 5-4 to hire Brian Leighton, brother of Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton, as a truant officer. After that meeting, school board directors Christine Katsock and James Susek, who voted against the hiring, said Leighton was not the candidate recommended by the district interview committee.

Four residents, including an unsuccessful candidate for the job, stood before the board Monday and berated it for the hiring.  Robert Kadluboski, a Wilkes-Barre tow-truck driver and frequent critic of the city government and the school board, called the hiring “a slap in the face of the taxpayer.”

Board President John Quinn, Vice President Louis Elmy, Dino Galella, Phil Latinski and Maryanne Toole voted to hire Leighton at a special meeting Aug. 2.  Lynn Evans and Rev. Shawn Walker joined Katsock and Susek in the failed opposition effort.

Read more: http://citizensvoice.com/news/meeting-crowd-fumes-over-leighton-hiring-1.1535302

Wilkes-Barre Council Urged To Counter Crime

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WILKES-BARRE — While Mayor Tom Leighton told residents at a city council meeting Thursday night crime was down in the city, police found a car on Carey Avenue reportedly connected to a strong-armed robbery.

His comment drew a response of “Oh please,” and pleas from residents for help in removing drug dealers from their neighborhoods.

After quickly voting to put $185,600 in Liquid Fuels Tax funds toward construction of a new $3.7 million bridge on Sidney Street and remount an ambulance on new chassis for $114,688, city council spent the next 90 minutes hearing from the public on issues of crime, pit bulls and prayer.

Councilman George Brown asked for cooperation from the administration to address a resident’s concerns about prostitution and people openly dealing drugs on the street near his house.

Read more: http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/598570/W-B-council-urged-to-counter-crime

Wilkes-Barre Gets Final Funding Needed To Raze Dilapidated Hotel Sterling By Early Summer

English: Hotel Sterling, Wilkes-Barre (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WILKES-BARRE, PA — Demolition of the historic Hotel Sterling, once a grand city landmark that has fallen into disrepair and become a dangerous eyesore, should begin by late June to mid-July, the city has announced.

The city on Monday received an official release of about $400,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that is the final piece of funding needed to cover demolition.  The city will advertise for demolition bids this week, city Municipal Affairs Manager Drew McLaughlin said.

The funding is a portion of the city’s annual Community Development Block Grant allocation from HUD for removal of blighted properties.

“We are nearing the final stages of this demolition,” Mayor Tom Leighton said in a prepared statement.  “This has been a top priority since the flooding of 2011.  We all look forward to the day when the public safety threat has been addressed and the detour in downtown Wilkes-Barre is lifted.”

Read more: http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/511398/Sterling-demo-date-edges-closer

Wilkes-Barre Mayor Announces Changes In City Hall Aimed At Doing More With Less

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Editor’s note:  A foreign concept in Pottstown!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WILKES-BARRE — Mayor Tom Leighton unveiled Tuesday “several significant personnel and administrative changes” that he feels will improve government efficiency and service to city taxpayers.

Leighton said he and his administrative staff have been working on the plan since September and he mentioned the consolidation and restructuring in his budget address in October.

“Basically, we have less people and we are asking them to do more,” he said, noting there are a third fewer employees at City Hall than when he took office in 2004.  Overall, then there were 300 employees in the city and now there are 265, he said.

“We’re assigning more responsibilities to less people,” he said.

Read more:  http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/457404/Mayor-announces-changes-in-City-Hall-aimed-at-doing-more-with-less

Bad Behavior At Council Meetings Is Not Limited To Pottstown – Wilkes-Barre Has Problems Too!

This is just scary.  Name calling, door slamming, being escorted out of meetings… sound familiar?

Evidently Wilkes-Barre City Council meetings get “buck wild” too.  Mayor Thomas Leighton of Wilkes-Barre allegedly called City Wide Towing & Repair’s owner “cupcake” during a city council meeting.  Bob Kudluboski (City Wide’s owner) erupted calling the mayor a “punk” and was escorted out of the building by city police.

When questioned after being ejected, one of Bob’s comments was “Why was he (the mayor) standing back there anyway?  Is he trying to make me punch him in the face?”

To read the rest of this inspiring story from the Times Leader:

http://www.timesleader.com/news/Mayor_rsquo_s_remark_enrages_tow_truck_operator_06-16-2011.html