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Sunday, March 09, 2003 Page: 2B
OPINION
TUESDAY IS THE DEADLINE FOR CANDIDATES TO FILE PETITIONS IF THEY ARE TO TAKE
PART IN THE MAY PRIMARY ELECTION. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, FOR THE WELL BEING OF
THE CITY OF WILKES-BARRE, WE SUGGEST MAYOR TOM MCGROARTY BE TRUE TO FORM AND
MISS THAT DEADLINE. SOMEWHERE BENEATH THAT FRENETIC ENERGY WE DON’T DOUBT
THERE MIGHT BE SOME GOOD INTENT ON THE PART OF THE MAYOR. BUT TAKE A LOOK
AROUND: GOOD INTENT DOESN’T FIGHT CRIME, PROMOTE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT,
MAINTAIN OR BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE, KEEP THE STREETS CLEAN, LIGHTED OR SAFE,
CREATE A SOUND BUDGET OR RESPONSIBLE SPENDING PLAN, WORK IN HARMONY WITH
COUNCIL, IMPRESS VISITORS OR SATISFY RESIDENTS. THE LIST OF SHORTCOMINGS IS AS
WIDE AND DEEP AS THE CITY HE CLAIMS TO SERVE. THE REALITY IS FAILURE. FROM BIG
DEALS A FEDERAL GRANT OF NEARLY $1 MILLION THAT MIGHT BE LOST AND THE BUNGLED
CALL CENTER LEASE AND MOVIE THEATER PLAN TO THE SEEMINGLY SMALL NEGLECTED
STREET BANNERS SPONSORED BY AREA CLUBS THE MAYOR HAS MICROMANAGED AND BUNGLED
THE CITY INTO CHAOS. THE RESULT IS THAT THE REPUTATION OF WILKES-BARRE HAS
SUFFERED. YOUR OPPONENTS AND CRITICS OUTNUMBER YOUR ADVOCATES. MAYBE YOU SEE
THAT AS A CHALLENGE. MAYBE YOU CAN’T SEE THE DAMAGE THAT’S BEEN DONE TO THE
CITY. HEAVEN FORBID YOU’VE FILED BY NOW. HEAVEN FORBID YOU FILE AT ALL. THE
CITY NEEDS TO STABILIZE AND MOVE FORWARD. RATHER THAN A SWASHBUCKLER,
WILKES-BARRE NEEDS A PRUDENT LEADER TO MOVE FORWARD, TO INSPIRE SOME
CONFIDENCE IN CITIZENS AND MERCHANTS, TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO LIVE IN THE CITY,
TO INVEST IN BUSINESS HERE TO SHOP HERE. WILKES-BARRE NEEDS A MAYOR WITH
ENOUGH SELF-CONFIDENCE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO DO THE WORK THEY WERE HIRED TO DO.
IF TOM MCGROARTY TRULY CARES FOR WILKES-BARRE, HE WILL SPARE VOTERS THE PAIN
OF NAME RECOGNITION. GIVE A FRESH SLATE TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE, WORK AND HAVE
AN INTEREST IN THE CITY. STEP ASIDE.