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Petrilla leads the way to county’s gain - RICHARD L. CONNOR OPINION

Monday December 01, 2008 | 10:38 AM

Richard L. Connor rconnor@timesleader.com

MARYANNE PETRILLA is no Barack Obama, but on a comparative level she has faced more than her share of challenges since being elected as a Luzerne County Commissioner last year.

President-elect Obama has consensus that he is taking over the country at a time of incredible turmoil at home and abroad. The economy is staggering and in some cases falling into tumult — as difficulty spreads across industries and throughout the country. Businesses and individuals teeter on bankruptcy. Some are falling into the financial abyss.

We are at war in at least two countries and public sentiment against war is high, the people restless for peace.

Many of the obstacles faced by Obama as president are unprecedented in modern times.

Petrilla might not be president of the United States but, all things being relative, she has overcome substantial political and governmental adversity. First, she won a bruising battle to replace fellow commissioner and fellow Democrat Greg Skrepenak as chairman of the board. Along the way she created the beginning of a coalition with Republican Stephen A. Urban, who had consistently voted against Skrepenak and his partner at the time, former Commissioner Todd Vonderheid.

She inherited a county government that for decades has been plagued by nepotism, cronyism and favoritism. She discovered that a number of county contracts had been given without competitive bid and that financial oversight in most areas was non-existent. Friends of the county commissioners were being financially rewarded, some handsomely, at the expense of taxpayers.

Next she came under assault from homeowners faced with spiraling property taxes after completion of the first county-wide assessment in 40 years. The company hired for the assessment work appears to have done a less than stellar job but she didn’t hire it. The previous majority on the board did.

And, oh … one other small problem.

She came face to face with another uncomfortable reality: The county is broke.

Luzerne County stays in business each year by borrowing money which puts it in the same sinking boat as many businesses and individuals in this country.

Through it all, Petrilla has not backed down, not stepped out of the fight. She has forged ahead to make government better in Luzerne County. It is no small task given the abuses that have gone on here for probably a century. She is creating a new momentum that will ultimately change the course of county spending and finances if we can just stay the course.

Last week she led the way again with the help of Urban. They voted to pass a budget for 2009 that cuts spending by 11.5 percent versus 2008. The proposed budget calls for $130 million in spending compared to $147 million in 2008.

Let’s say it again: They cut spending.

This budget, by the way, can be viewed in its entirety online at www. timesleader.com.

Times Leader reporter Jennifer Learn-Andes reported last Thursday the new budget eliminates “the equivalent of about 100 positions, institutes a fee for property owners protected by the Wyoming Valley Levee and refinances debt to save about $7 million.

“But these moves weren’t enough to fill the remaining $26 million hole, so their budget proposal also calls for the borrowing of another $18.8 million to plug the deficit and raising taxes to generate an allowable 10 percent post-reassessment revenue increase.”

The cutting of 100 positions will be done by officials with day-to-day responsibility for running their offices. Some cuts will be in the form of layoffs; some will come from not filling vacant positions.

We can expect Petrilla and Urban will be criticized for raising taxes and for continuing to borrow money, but let’s be realistic. This is a start. It’s not the end. Both commissioners, with Petrilla leading the way, are making an effort to change the direction and philosophy of running county government here.

These changes take time. They evolve. Passing a budget that calls for spending less money than a year ago is not only what is needed but it is also in sync with the times and the mood of the nation. It shows leadership that is not apparent elsewhere, such as at the big three automakers who this week go back to Congress seeking a government bailout. They are allegedly bringing a new financial plan this time, a small detail they forgot two weeks ago.

Petrilla has a plan and adopted it last week with Urban. She continues to show grace under pressure and provide firm leadership to change a county government that has been bereft of courageous leadership for so long.