tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post5498777205885310194..comments2023-10-24T11:05:25.288-04:00Comments on Mark Rauterkus & Running Mates ponder current events: DeSantis on Ballot: The Next Jason Altmire?Mark Rauterkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17157914569686528007noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post-49079235458643658662007-05-31T23:15:00.000-04:002007-05-31T23:15:00.000-04:00Oh yeah, when Mr. DeSantis wants to run an effecti...Oh yeah, when Mr. DeSantis wants to run an effective telephone campaign, he should call me. I know a guy.Thomas Leturgeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07452123582626408864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post-81946794220007694552007-05-31T23:14:00.000-04:002007-05-31T23:14:00.000-04:00The ability to run a campaign and raise money. I w...The ability to run a campaign and raise money. I wrote him in, but when the city party was looking for someone, he sat on the fence.<BR/><BR/>Civic organizations? Can't say I ever heard of him before this Spring.Thomas Leturgeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07452123582626408864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post-25436539479005827352007-05-31T19:31:00.000-04:002007-05-31T19:31:00.000-04:00"No real credentials for the position"???His three..."No real credentials for the position"???<BR/><BR/>His three degrees sounded dead-on relevant to the job. He has worked in government for a president and a senator. He runs his own business, and I believe has been active in lots of civic organizations. What possible credential are you looking for?Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post-85118073771873327872007-05-30T14:48:00.000-04:002007-05-30T14:48:00.000-04:00I can only assume that Ms. Carlisle's step-Sugar D...I can only assume that Ms. Carlisle's step-Sugar Daddy received a 1099 for that ridiculous white paper from a few years ago...and that he paid the proper taxes on that income."Trapper" Tom Leturgeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00061724834969877785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post-16619989847533792222007-05-30T14:19:00.000-04:002007-05-30T14:19:00.000-04:00Anon, You may be right about Luke first with his $...Anon, <BR/><BR/>You may be right about Luke first with his $10,000 limit and then Bill/Doug with their "tighter" limit of only $1000. I do remember Doug's comment of "Once you pay someone $10,000, the horse is already out of the barn." Or something to that effect.<BR/><BR/>I just never understood Luke's problem with going with the lower limit of scrutiny. AND his pronouncement that he would be reviewing all bills himself to make sure there was no funny business.<BR/><BR/>My point about Twanda is that she never did stop. Council's invoice reform bill (Lukes version passed) came about because of her shenanigans. And Luke was Prez at that time, followed after by Shields. So both Luke and Shields "missed" the bogus invoicing.<BR/><BR/>I'm not sure I understand your point about the difference between kickbacks from friends vs family member grants. Both are misappropriaton of public funds. The bad thing regarding family members was not that they weren't salaried employees. The problem there was they were unqualified to do what they did .... if they did anything at all. And sometimes no work was done.<BR/><BR/>Whatever Bill/Doug's motivations were, Luke should have gone with the lower amount whether or not it was his idea. I had to agree with Doug .... Beginning to look at invoicing after we've paid someone $10,000 seems a little late in the game.Charhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06725494226277483936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post-43302581475493910302007-05-30T10:21:00.000-04:002007-05-30T10:21:00.000-04:00Char,Your version of events is just not accurate.R...Char,<BR/>Your version of events is just not accurate.<BR/><BR/>Ravenstahl's bill came first, and Peduto & Shields introduced their versions at the last minute to try and steal the spotlight as the REAL reformers, with Ravenstahl's bill being "reform lite".<BR/><BR/>Ravenstahl was given a lesson in political manuvering by two more experienced political operatives; Ravenstahl was rightly offended that they didn't come to him first to talk about amending the bill, rather than grandstand for the cameras. Lessons learned, I guess. He should have forseen his fellow councilmen for what they all are: self-serving politicians (not that there's anything wrong with that...).<BR/><BR/>And as far as Twanda still "doing her thing" that's not accurate either. If her employees were giving her kickbacks, that's different from giving grants to family members who are not salaried employees. Plus, Ravenstahl wasn't council president after September, 2006 - Shields was. If this mess is to be laid at anyone's door other than Twanda's, it should be Shields.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post-43669259036603614732007-05-30T07:36:00.000-04:002007-05-30T07:36:00.000-04:00Ravenstahl was Council Prez during the tail end of...Ravenstahl was Council Prez during the tail end of Twanda’s shenanigans. In fact, when the brouhaha first came to light, Peduto/Shields put forth legislation to tighten rules on individual council member discretionary spending. They wanted professional service contracts mandatory, stating credentials and deliverables, when a vendor’s payouts exceeded $1000 per year. Luke threw a fit, raised that amount to $10,000 and it was his version that was ultimately passed.<BR/><BR/>Additionally and of note, Luke added that HE would personally review all professional services bills, no matter what the amount, so as to keep an eye out for anything suspicious-looking. His eye must not have been too sharp as we now know Twanda keep right on doing her thing almost up to the moment she was indicted.Charhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06725494226277483936noreply@blogger.com