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HOME RULE

May 20, 2009

Home Rule: Voters approve ballot question

Commission to investigate whether there’s a better form of government for the county.

By Andrew M. Seder aseder@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
Andrew M. Seder on Facebook   |   @TLAndrewSeder on Twitter

Six years after county voters soundly said thanks but no thanks to changing county government, they’ve given the idea a second chance.

In unofficial results with all 189 precincts reporting, Luzerne County voters cast 48,405 ballots, or 77.46 percent, in favor of creating a home rule study commission to investigate whether there’s a better form of government for the county. There were 14,083 people, or 22.54 percent of those casting votes, who said no to the formation of the commission.

“This is an irrefutable public mandate for change,” said P.J. Best, head of a grassroots organization that campaigned for the study. “People of Luzerne County are looking for credibility, accountability and transparency.”

Since it was approved, the top 11 vote-getters of the 20 running to serve on the volunteer board have earned seats on the study commission. They will have nine months to decide whether a home rule charter is the right option for the county. If they answer yes, they’ll have up to another nine months to create a proposed charter to present to the public for a vote.

Frank E.P. Conyngham, who was among the top 11 vote-getters, said the message he’s taking from the vote is that “there’s no better time to take a look at all the options and hit the refresh button on county government.” He said the “general malaise” in the county helped him decide to run.

Though voters overwhelmingly chose to have the commission study the idea, it’s no guarantee they’ll vote to approve any charter put forth by the commission.

“To say we’ll be a home rule county in two years is premature, but the vote sends the message we’re ready for change,” Best said.

The home rule charter was posed to voters previously. In 2001, voters approved a study commission by a 2-to-1 margin. But two years later, after reviewing the proposal that the commission created with the help of a consultant, voters rejected the charter by a 54 to 46 percent margin.

After scandals involving two county judges, debit card spending and several other incidents of impropriety at the courthouse, the issue seemed to gain traction and Tuesday’s primary results proved voters want to at least reconsider reform.

A charter can vary greatly in the ways it seeks to change county government. Tuesday’s vote allows the commission to explore those options.

A group of home rule study supporters gathered at Rodano’s on Public Square on Tuesday night to watch election returns roll in on a laptop computer and a television. Among them were study commission candidates, their families and members of luzernehomerule.org. Among the candidates in attendance, two, Edward Transue and Ray Gustave, did not get elected to the study commission. Christopher Kersey, Walter Griffith, Conyngham and Veronica Ciaruffoli were among those at Rodano’s who the voters charged with researching the home rule charter’s benefits and need.

Some of those watching results on their laptop screen said those scandals certainly helped the voters who went for for the commission this time around.

Mike Szustak, who along with Best drove the Web site effort touting the initiative, said that without the scandals and the headlines, he doubts there would have been enough support for a second go at the charter. Neither Best nor Szustak ran for the commission.

“If things were all hunky-dory at the courthouse, I don’t think we would even have had the question on the ballot,” Szustak said.

Szustak said if a charter is put up for a vote once again and fails to gain public endorsement, he doubts it will resurface anytime soon.

“Not this generation,” he said.

Government Study Commission

(top 11 earn seats)

Jim Haggerty -- 23,977*

Walter L. Griffith Jr. -- 23,010*

John Adonizio – 16,193*

Veronica Ciaruffoli --15,456*

Frank E.P. Conyngham --15,385*

Jack Schumacher --15,206*

Rick Morelli --15,200*

Richard “Kick” Heffron --15,167*

Robert “Whammer” Wanyo --13,916*

Christopher C.J. Kersey --13,887*

Charmaine H. Maynard --13,640*

Jeffrey John Niemiec --13,546

Darlene Duggins --13,472

James Thomas Gaughan --13,411

Ray Gustave --13,226

Phillip Struzzeri --12,797

Joe Wizda --11,995

Frank Sindaco --11,783

Paul P. Krombel --11,286

Edward Transue --10,582

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