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Two hundred to 300 turn out to hear message of support for workers and families.
Linda McClosky Houck introduces herself during the Candidates for Luzerne County Council event Sunday at the Ramada in Wilkes-Barre.
Niko J. Kallianiotis/For The Times Leader
WILKES-BARRE – The 11 Democrats endorsed by area unions in their run for Luzerne County’s new 11-member council made their public debut Sunday at a “Meet the Candidates” event.
The candidates spoke to common themes of supporting workers, working with business and state representatives to bring family-sustaining work to Luzerne County and fighting corruption in county government.
“Working families and the citizens of Luzerne County have never had a strong advocate,” said candidate and former Pittston Area teacher and football coach Salvatore Licata. “If elected, I and the other members of this ticket will be your advocate and their advocate.”
“Luzerne County needs public servants who are actually interested in serving the public,” said Brian Overman, a candidate and assistant professor at Luzerne County Community College. “We need to support our workers and the retirees who have put in their time and served the county.”
The 11 candidates, running as the “Working Families for Luzerne County” ticket, have been endorsed by a coalition of area unions in their run for county council, the new 11-member legislative body outlined in the Luzerne County Home Rule Charter that voters approved in the last election.
The 11 Democrats on the ticket are: Linda McClosky Houck, 53, of Kingston; John Nadolny, 46, of Nanticoke; Theresa Morcavage, 62, of Plymouth; Jane Waitkus, 61, of Dorrance Township; Salvatore Licata, 60, of Pittston; John Livingston, 42, of Wilkes-Barre; Brian Overman, 48, of Plymouth; Joe Padavan, 58, Bear Creek Township; Frank Sorokach, 62, of Ashley; Michael Collins, 63, of Ashley; and Michael Chrobak, 42, of Dallas.
Working Families for Luzerne County will also endorse two Republican candidates: Rick Morelli, 39, of Sugarloaf Township, and Michael Cabell, 25, of Butler Township.
A lively crowd of 200 to 300 turned out to the event at the Ramada Inn on Public Square. Among the crowd were at least 30 others seeking election this year, including Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton and many candidates for open county judge and district judge seats.
Bill Herbert, of Wilkes-Barre, a member of the United Steel Workers Union 5652, said he supports the union ticket because the economic downturn has led to lost jobs, and he believes the 11 candidates will fight to keep jobs in the county and bring more to the area.
“A lot of people are looking for the cheapest way out on everything,” he said. “I think that everybody that works, no matter if they’re union or not, should get a decent wage, and we need someone on the council that understands that.”
Eric Graff, of Mountain Top, said organized labor and union contracts have been “demonized” and used as a wedge issue recently, but he doesn’t believe it needs to be that way.
“It’s always us versus them,” Graff said, “but you can see by the amount of people here, this isn’t all union people; there are regular people, too.”
“With all this controversy and hysteria going on, like in Wisconsin, it’s important that the working people get a voice, at least in local government,” he continued. “…Regular, non-management people are going to view this as people a lot like them; they’re not lawyers or account executives or bigwigs.”