Ex-chief George joins mix

WILKES-BARRE – During a war of words in 2003 between Tony George and city councilmen Tony Thomas Jr. and Jim McCarthy, Thomas said if George thought he could do a better job as councilman, he should run for office.

Four years later, the former Wilkes-Barre City Police Chief George is finally heeding that advice.

George has filed as an Independent candidate for council in District B, which includes parts of South Wilkes-Barre, Rolling Mill Hill and the Iron Triangle section.

George, 55, will challenge Democrat incumbent Thomas Jr., and Republican candidate Vincent Guarneri, in the November general election. Thomas and Guarneri are both 48 years old.

George changed his party affiliation from Democrat to no affiliation (or Independent) back on April 9, one week prior to the deadline, said Leonard Piazza, director of elections for Luzerne County. He filed for council on Thursday, Piazza said.

“I’m tired of the rubber-stamp approach to city government,” George said Friday. “All council does is approve everything Mayor (Tom) Leighton requests.”

George said the city is too focused on the downtown, saying he feels the neighborhoods are being neglected.

“The neighborhoods need a voice,” George said. “Roads are bad, sidewalks are deteriorating, the neighborhoods are in bad shape. I want to help bring them back.”

George is a school resource officer at Wilkes-Barre Area Vocational-Technical School on Jumper Road – a job he could keep even if elected to council. George had considered running for mayor, but decided not to when he learned he would have to quit his job.

Thomas, who was the highest vote getter in the May primary among incumbent council members, said George’s candidacy is “sour grapes” on George’s part.

“It’s a real slap in the face to the Democratic party which backed him when he was chief of police,” Thomas said. “I have no clue why he decided to get in the race now.”

A check of the archives at The Times Leader showed a rift that developed between George and Thomas in 2003. In a story printed April 26, 2003, George called Thomas a “hot dog vendor” and council member Jim McCarthy “a bartender” after the two complained about rising crime in the city.

At the time, George said of McCarthy, “He’s a bartender. He’s not an expert on drugs and prostitution. He wants to shoot his mouth off, but when the time comes, he shuts right up.”

George said he was referring to an incident when McCarthy complained of drug trafficking at his bar – McCarthy’s Tavern on the Hill – but he wouldn’t testify against suspects. McCarthy’s response was, “I don’t know what he’s (George) smoking, but he better change brands.”

Thomas had asked George to attend council meetings, but George countered by saying that Thomas could contact him anytime, but never has.

“As far as I know, Tony Thomas is only a hot dog vendor,” George said in The Times Leader story. “He gets $12,000 to go to two meetings a month. And he’s telling me I don’t do my job?”