Lombardo
Luzerne County Council Chairman John Lombardo formally announced he is seeking a second term.
His statement:
Four years ago, I decided to run for Luzerne County Council, and it has been the absolute honor of my life to be entrusted with your votes and confidence as I have governed. The amount of good that we have accomplished is hard to match anywhere in the short history of our Home Rule Government. I am announcing my re-election campaign because the foundation has been laid for a renaissance in Luzerne County, and we need strong, experienced leaders who will take us across the finish line.
I have spent my entire adult life serving the community as a first responder in Greater Pittston. I take those skills with me every day as I serve you in elected office. Just like on the fire ground or scene of an emergency call, I have emphasized the importance of communication and collaboration to reach the common goal of improving the lives of those who we serve…all while doing so in a measured, purposeful way. Because of this mindset, I was most recently selected by my colleagues to serve in a pivotal role as chair of council. Together, we have broken down barriers between council, the administration, and the public along the way.
Our most important achievements have come from the demand to remain fiscally conservative in everything we do. While other counties are raising taxes by 33%, Luzerne County has passed multiple budgets with ZERO property tax increase, while simultaneously improving services and paying down the debt obligations left to us by the commissioners. Our credit rating has improved three times since I was elected, and our debt will be paid off by the end of my second term. This goes to show our continued commitment to financial stability.
Additionally, we have made a renewed commitment to improving infrastructure all throughout the county by investing a record of over $100 million in combined federal, state and county funds into improving our roads and bridges. This could not be done without help from our governing partners in U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, Sen. Lisa Baker and state Reps. Dane Watro and Alec Ryncavage.
The most arduous task of my time on council was the allocation and management of $112 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, but together we formulated a multi-pronged approach that gave millions of dollars to fire/police/EMS agencies, grants to small businesses recovering from the pandemic shutdown, funds to municipalities who desperately needed infrastructure upgrades, millions to low-income citizens still reeling from the high cost of utilities, and allocations to many county projects that have been neglected for lack of funding, and would have fallen directly on the backs of taxpayers.
I would also like to note several other projects I am very proud of. Through the use of ARPA funds, council donated tens of thousands of meals to food-insecure children and families throughout Luzerne County. We also funded a number of revitalization, restoration and reconstruction projects for local landmarks and green spaces which will now be preserved and used for economic development. Finally, we allocated over one million dollars to combat blighted properties in both the north and south ends of the county.
The challenges we continue to face are no secret, but we have laid the groundwork to solve them. Council has made strides to stabilize our government by hiring a permanent manager who is dedicated to Luzerne County, maintaining competitive salaries for our employees without overburdening the taxpayers, and forming a historic Government Study Commission to finally improve upon the flaws we have experienced in our Home Rule Charter. We also formed a bi-partisan task force with both employees, council members and voters to improve our elections process. Finally, we formed a commission to address the opioid epidemic, and mitigate the terror it causes on our citizens. I am honored to sit on both the Elections Task Force and Opioid Commission.
Together, we have brought forth a vision for Luzerne County that “focuses on the future” instead of dwelling on the past. I have brought concrete solutions to the table, and worked together with all stakeholders to accomplish them. While my career as a first responder tends to see results immediately, I have learned that governing takes time and patience. I still love to help the people I serve every day, and if I am lucky enough to have your support, I will do so for another four years, so that we can continue making Luzerne County a great place to live, work and raise a family.
