EARLY INTO THE FRAY
Bruce Simpson has had enough and he is announcing that he will run for Mayor in the 2015 Mayoral race. Simpson has been mulling the decision for a while. Any person taking on the entrenched political interests of the city of Wilkes Barre is going to have an uphill battle. The wisdom of starting so early can be debated. The positive is that Simpson, a retired Federal employee could build more name recognition and tout his qualifications. The negative is that the political establishment in Wilkes Barre, so long dominant will have time to find a suitable alternative (at least in their minds) to a person with governmental, law enforcement and practical life experience in and out of the political arena.
See for people like Simpson, this is all about good government. For almost all of the elected officials in the city of Wilkes Barre, it is all about the “family business”. What’s in it for me….not how can I help.
Simpson definitely can help. And he’s no lightweight either. He garnered an impressive amount of votes when he ran for County Council in 2011 carrying the city of Wilkes Barre.
Simpson needs to build upon his constituency of supporters by pointing out that the people who pay the freight in Wilkes Barre are getting screwed. Neighborhoods are being ruined by marauding college students in the North and South end of town. (Corbett talked to a woman who is on her last nerve this afternoon).
Cronies of the political establishment get their relatives jobs without shame. City officials who ridiculed people for bringing out public safety issues a few years back now won’t come to Council meetings unless of course there’s photo op and a chance to get the new hairdo in the paper.
If Simpson could register at least half of the people fed up, he’d have a puncher’s chance. But the task will be overwhelming because sometimes “What’s In It For Me” trumps “What’s good for the city”.
Here’s his press release:
Bruce J. Simpson of Wilkes Barre City, has just announced that he is Democrat candidate for Mayor of Wilkes Barre. The former candidate for the County Council received more votes in Wilkes Barre City, than any other candidate in the Democrat primary.
"It's time to make sure that the current Mayor of the city is replaced as under his leadership, Wilkes Barre City has become "Dodge City." This is no longer acceptable when even little girls are being hit by gun fire. New Leadership is required if we are to reverse the current violent trend, and restore the streets to the people who have paid for them. The Wilkes Barre Police Department has done its best under the circumstances, but we need a police chief with full powers and not those which have been truncated by the Mayor. A total reorganization of the department is also called for, with an eye of using available resources in a better, more efficient manner that willincrease their effectiveness. The policy of "cooking the books," on crime stats must end. Actual crime stats must be reported to the FBI and not ones that make the city look like, "Crime is down." It's not down, it's up regardless of what City Hall is putting out.
The latest abuse of the system was the hiring of the Mayor's brother by the School Board even though he wasn't qualified for the position and was not recommended! How blatant can this situation get? What happened to the gas? The questions go on andone, but the answer is plain: Leighton has to go, and quite possibly will go before the end of his current term.
Anyone interested in bringing back honest government in Wilkes Barre is encouraged to join me in the march to victory by writing to the campaign at: Simpsonformayor@gmail.com.