It does not appear as if the endorsed Republican Candidate, Michael Giangreco, according to the League of Women Voters of Susquehanna County ad appearing in the 10-31-2007 issue of the Susquehanna County Independent, is necessarily in favor taking a proactive stance toward economic development if he is elected. Specifically, the relevant portion of the ad states: “Enhance economic opportunity in Susquehanna County utilizing existing facilities and infrastructure”. Existing? What about expansion? What about new infrastructure? Does that mean Mr. Giangrieco is not in favor of the 3 Lakes sewer project? Does that mean he is not in favor of a new hospital for Endless Mountains Health Care? You really need to know before voting.
Further, in 2003, when the Susquehanna County Railroad COMMITTEE was attempting to form the Susquehanna County Railroad AUTHORITY, Mr. Giangreco penned a letter to the Economic Development Director at the time, Justin Taylor, stating “I have found nothing in the County Code that allows the County to appropriate money for rail facilities or form a municipal authority for a railroad authority. ” The letter in its entirety appears in the link below.
letter-from-michael-giangreco-4-8-2003-stating-no-muni-code-for-rr-authority.PDF
Of course Giangreco was wrong about this matter. A member of the Railroad Committee spent his own funds, employing outside counsel at Stevens and Lee in Harrisburg who set forth in writing exactly why and how a railroad authority could be formed in Susquehanna County. Shortly after that point, commissioners Marcho and Dean voted to create the Susquehanna County Railroad Authority. Commissioner Smith voted against the motion.
Is this the kind of representation Susquehanna County needs? Do the citizens of our county need a practicing attorney who arguably makes multiples of the current commissioner salary, who by his own words appears not to support creating new facilities and infrastructure to further economic development? Remember, as an attorney, Mr. Giangreco carefully chooses every word he utters. There may be a significant difference between what he has stated and what is best for Susquehanna County.
Two more questions need to be asked of Mr. Giangreco. The first is “Why would you want to be a commissioner when you have a successful law practice?” The second is “Knowing there is a potential ethics issue with being a County Commissioner and having a law practice, do you intend to continue your practice?”
Chester County attorney Samuel Stretton, who is regarded as an expert in legal and judicial ethics, mentioned that public perception of a conflict and potential conflicts could be a problem. He wrote about this several months ago in the Ethics Forum of the Pennsylvania Law Weekly. If the law community who already are concerned, both locally and in other parts of the commonwealth, with a practicing attorney sitting as an elected county commissioner, who will be deciding on the budgets of various county agencies including the Sheriff’s office, the District Attorney’s office and others - shouldn’t you?
This brings us back to economic development. If candidate Giangreco is elected, he with the other two commissioners, will control the economic development budget. All the surrounding counties have become very proactive in economic development. Will the candidate support expanded economic development (more jobs for Susquehanna County)? We may never know, unless you ask. We, in all probablility will not know, at least not before the election. And the candidate isn’t speaking.