News

June 25, 2007

McCarthy mulls an Independent council run

By Bill O'Boyle boboyle@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
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WILKES-BARRE -- Saying if he goes out he will go out in a blaze of glory, Wilkes-Barre City Councilman Jim McCarthy on Monday admitted he is considering filing as an Independent for the November general election.

McCarthy did not run in the May primary, saying he “had enough,” and his son, Justin, ran for the Democratic nomination in the city’s District B. Incumbent Kathy Kane easily won that nomination and she is opposed by Republican Peter J. Gagliardi.

But McCarthy says he is “frustrated and angry” and he will be at the Luzerne County Courthouse today to find out what he needs to do to get on the ballot and run as an Independent.

“I’m still debating that decision in my mind,” McCarthy said. “There’s a whole bunch of people asking me to do it, but I have to decide if it’s worth the effort.”

McCarthy said he is tired of being ridiculed and being called “a nut” by some of his fellow council members, but he said there are larger issues to consider.

“I certainly have a lot more gray hairs since I became a councilman,” McCarthy said. “But I am determined to see a sex-offender ordinance passed for the children of this city. I’ve been verbally abused by some of my fellow council members, but my ideas eventually get passed. But never without a struggle.”

McCarthy said he came under fire when he first proposed the city’s rental inspection ordinance and again when he wanted tighter controls on city tattoo parlors.

“It always seems that my proposals are opposed just because I’m the one making the proposal,” McCarthy said. “If any other council member proposed the sex-offender ordinance, it would have passed on first reading.”

McCarthy said the sex-offender ordinance would limit where pedophiles and other offenders could live. He said he isn’t doing it for publicity, rather he feels strongly about the issue and the protection of children.

“This ordinance, if enacted, would not put a heavy burden on our police and it would not be too costly,” McCarthy said. “Besides, how much time, effort and money is a child’s life worth? Yet I keep banging my head against the wall for commonsense issues like this.”

McCarthy said his decision to run won’t be to run “against” anyone. He said he would run on his record, one he is proud of, as the people’s representative on council.

“I know what I’ve done to help this city,” McCarthy said.

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