Category Archives: District 7

More Endorsements

The P-G editorial board gives incumbent Darlene Harris the nod in District One, over challengers Valerie Coleman and Robin Rosemary Miller. They cited her “decades of volunteer work” and “overarching depth of knowledge about the community and its problems.”

Editorial Comment: Fair enough.

The TRIB editorial board endorses challenger Patrick Dowd for District 7, because his opponent Len Bodack “is the epitome of the ward healer.”

Comment: What?

The TRIB also endorses Randall Taylor in the race for Council District 9 because he would be “a good point-of-order councilman who would be engaged with his constituents.”

Comment: Taylor has been frequently described in recent press accounts as “not campaigning.”

Bodack Infers. Dowd Implies.

According to P-G Early Returns, “Mr. Bodack has now fired back with his own letter, promising full documentation of his use of city resources, and taking umbrage at Mr. Dowd’s inferences.”

My advice to you, Mr. Dowd, is that you’d better stick to attacking me. Mary Kay and the rest of my staff are way out of your league.

The Dowd campaign has retaliated with a spreadsheet that purports to illustrate payments made from Council to consultants of Mr. Bodack, including this Mary Kay Abdulovic, suggesting what the Comet can only describe as a Carlislian Scheme.

The Power of the Commonwealth Compels You!

Last Monday, in a remarkably bloggy-style post entitled “Just Askin‘…”, the gang at the P-G Early Returns reported on an official information request that Patrick Dowd filed against Len Bodack, mostly dealing with campaign expenditures.

“Because of your hesitance to appear publicly, and because the taxpayers have a right to learn the answers, I file the request for the following information in accordance with Pennsylvania’s Right to Know Law, which compels you to reply within 5 business days.”

We were asked nicely to “Stay tuned for Mr. Bodack’s response.” How’s that coming along?

Stonewall Democrat Endorsements

District 3: Kraus
District 7: Dowd
Controller: Lamb
County Exec: Swartz

This may not be an exhaustive slate. For example, Ricky Burgess appeared as of last night to have narrowly won the endorsement for District 9. This would have been a bit of a shock, as the Reverend is first and foremost a Reverend, and was reportedly frank and honest with the GLBT group. However, there has since been some confusion; there will soon be a re-vote for District 9.

The selection of Rick Swartz will shock no one, as Dan Onorato not only declined to answer four of their questions, but somehow deleted them from the questionnaire. The questions were about gay marriage, sex education, and abortion. In light of a widely speculated gubernatorial run by Onorato in 2010, the Comet must classify this as An Issue.

Luke Ravenstahl did not return the questionnaire at all, although this did not result in an endorsement for the Pirogi.

Never Fear, the Comet’s Here!

The P-G’s Rich Lord asks the question “Do influential connections raise your chances at repaved roads?” In so asking, he calls out Public Works Director Guy Costa, Councilman Dan Deasy, Councilman Len Bodack, Councilwoman Darlene Harris, ACDC member Leah Kirkland, and ACDC member John Shields.

Councilman “William” Peduto suggests bringing back the computerized Pavement Management System that we ditched in 1999.

The TRIB’s Jim Ritchie informs us of 267 layoffs at the Port Authority, which may be the first of many more, unless Harrisburg kicks it into gear:

“The Port Authority’s action is unfortunate and underscores the need for immediate legislative action on a long-term solution to our transit funding crisis,” said Rendell spokesman Charles Ardo.

Switching gears, TRIB science writer Allison M. Heinrichs tells us that the catfish of our three rivers are increasingly bereft of genitalia, likely due to birth-control and hormone-replacement drug pollution.

The P-G Editorial Board endorses incumbent County Councilwoman Brenda Frazer for her “quiet competence and dignified manner,” eschewing Matt Arena as a worrisome “old-style” Democrat. Libertarian candidate Mark Rauterkus will not be pleased to hear this primary election described as “decisive.”

And who can forget yesterday’s whopping endorsement of challenger Patrick Dowd in the city’s 7th Council District? The P-G describes its rejection of incumbent Len Bodack as a “no-brainer,” no doubt before adjourning for an evening of tofu, the opera, and rooting for the Ottowa Senators.

District 7: Dowd vs. Bodack

The District 7 race is turning into the Battle of Helms Deep. There will be orcs and elves, trolls and humans, wyverns and mastodons with barbed wire on their tusks.

We arrived at this city council race a little late and a little clueless, like most of the blurghosphere. Then a quick skim of Patrick Dowd’s website revealed this blurb

MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SAFER. Enforcement is the beginning, but we have got to do more. I am committed to using incident data more effectively…

and right away, our hearts went all a’ SWOON!

The Comet itself will not be providing much coverage of the District 7 race, so as to retain journalistic credibility. We refer you to the rest of the mainstream burghosphere.