My vision in 2013 is to continue to restore confidence in Luzerne County government. See my notes below to last year's campaign goals: Restore Fiscal Responsibility -Pay down Luzerne County debt: stop wasteful spending. (Met goal 12/15/2012: I voted to pay down the debt for the 2013 budget and 2/12/2013 on the in-house collection of taxes) -Adopt an annual review of county programs and departments which will be graded: "continue, reorganize, or abolish" so we can keep what works, adjust that which needs correction, and abolish wasteful practices. (Met goal 2012 and ongoing: Manager Lawton has held several quarterly budget updates for council) -Vote only for balanced budgets. (Met goal for 2012 and 2013 BALANCED AND REALISTIC budgets) Enable Accountable Leadership -Hire the most qualified, experienced, and trustworthy county executive who will hold true to the vision. (Met goal: 2/28/2012) -Keep current managers who are already hard-working and effective. -Consolidate departments that overlap services. (Moved toward goal 1/28/2013: review of applications for consolidated division heads began) Sustain our Foundation -Keep our young people in the area by making government fair and efficient; end nepotism and adopt an ethics code. (Met goal February 2012: creation of charter-required ethics board) -Hold the line against increases in property taxes. (Note on 2/1/2012: I supported a $10 increase on $100,000 of assessed property value because we were left with significant shortfall by the last administration. My goal is to promote significant change in our county government this year in order to continue to pay down the $400 million debt in 2013) -Develop and adhere to 5 and 10 and 20-year infrastructure plans for the sake of the next generation. (I'm looking forward to seeing this goal realized in 2013) |
 AboutHarry is a Social Studies Teacher in the Dallas School District, married to his wife Kristin and father to a one year old baby girl. He resides in Kingston.Experience Public school teacher in Washington, D.C., and Fairfax County, Va., public schools for four years; currently a history teacher at Dallas Middle School and instructor of a citizenship class at the Luzerne County Community College in Hazleton. Education He has a Bachelor’s degree in history, with a minor concentration in Spanish, and a master’s degree in education – both from The George Washington University. |
