Paul Cwalina for Luzerne County Council

Luzerne County suffers from a lack of leadership.

Two prime examples:

Luzerne county received $112 million from the federal government as part of its COVID recovery efforts. Council continues to sit on the money and wait for guidance from the federal government.

This money belongs to the people of Luzerne County. No government -- local, state, or federal -- owns any amount of money. The federal government could not give this money to Luzerne County without first taking it from the residents of Luzerne County through taxes. That money should be returned to every resident of Luzerne County, especially in light of the brutal economic hardship they've endured over the past 18 months. It is unconscionable that eleven politicians are trying to figure out ways to spend your money as if it was theirs.

Council members refuse to take a stand for the people of Luzerne County.

These same politicians also refuse to defend County employees from unconstitutional COVID shot mandates. It doesn't matter where you stand on the shots. It is reprehensible to force anyone to inject anything into their body against their will.

Council refuses to stand up for its own employees .

But creating a policy that prohibits the threat of losing a job because of a private medical decision is only the start. Council should cut all ties with any business with which the County currently conducts business that forces its employees to take a COVID shot under threat of losing one's job. No business that conducts business and treats its employees in such a manner should benefit from taxpayer dollars.

Council should demonstrate bold leadership on these matters. Instead, in cowers from responsibility and passes the buck.

I would appreciate your WRITE-IN vote tomorrow.

THANK YOU

Luzerne County Council just abdicated their responsibility to protect residents' constitutional rights from federal government overreach by tabling the proposal from councilman Haas to prevent the Luzerne County manager from instituting a mandate requiring all employees of Luzerne County to get a Covid shot in order to stay employed by the county.

More on this tomorrow.

Point of clarification: the county manager has no plans to require the Covid shot. However, it is council's responsibility to make sure it can never happen.

It is now a write-in campaign.

Even though we secured more signatures than required for Democrat and Republican candidates to get on the ballot, Libertarian candidates will be kept off the ballot.

Democrats and Republicans were only required to get 250 signatures to appear on the ballot. Libertarians were required to get 571 signatures.

Who makes up those rules? Democrats and Republicans. It's how they keep the public polarized and enshrine a permanent share of power for themselves into the system, as well as silencing other voices, viewpoints, and governing philosophies.

I thank all of you who took the time to sign our petition. I remain undeterred in my seeking a seat on Luzerne County Council and I hope you will consider taking the extra time on election day to write me in.

THANK YOU.

Welcome to Act II, Scene I of Mask Theater.

Masks to be required at Luzerne County buildings starting Tuesday Face coverings will be required to enter all Luzerne County buildings, including the county courthouse, starting Tuesday, county Acting Manager Romilda Crocamo announced.

Luzerne County is set to receive $112 million from the federal government as part of its COVID Relief initiative.

At last week's meeting of Luzerne County Council, councilman Harry Haas proposed using $46 million of that money to reinstate the $300 homestead exemption for the years 2020 and 2021, which would put money back into the hands of Luzerne County residents.

Michelle Merino for Liberty and I support this motion but it doesn't go far enough. We believe the full $112 million should be returned to the residents of Luzerne County.

Too many believe that this $112 million is a gift from the federal government. It is no such thing, nor is any money spent by any government. It is a partial redistribution of money taken from the citizens to whom the 'gift' is being given. If someone had taken $10,000 from you then gave back to you 50 cents, would you be grateful? Would you view it as a gift?

Unfortunately, elected officials view it as such and always as their money to spend. In expressing his opposition to councilman Haas' proposal, councilman Tim McGinley said that the money would be 'gone.' With all due respect, councilman McGinley, the money isn't 'gone.' It is being returned to its rightful owners. Only a politician would view that money as 'theirs' and 'gone.'

We are often asked what Libertarianism is and how Libertarians would govern differently. This is a prime example. We never view the citizens' money, the fruits of their labor, as property of the government.

The people of Luzerne County, and indeed of Pennsylvania and all of the United States were brutalized by government lockdowns last year. Businesses were permanently closed, jobs were lost, careers were ended. The loss of wealth and the impact of the financial hardship experienced by the people as a result of government's actions is incalculable. For any elected official to keep any of this money from the people is unconscionable.

There is an email for citizens to use to express their views on this matter to council members. Michelle and I encourage you to use it. But don't email council members to ask or beg for your own money to be returned to you. Demand it.

Declare your independence from the same two political parties that have taken more of your freedom and left you with less of your money by signing our petition!

Michelle Merino for Luzerne County Council and I need 700 signatures to have the right to be on the ballot in November (while the other two parties have automatic access). And we need them by the end of this month.

If you are a registered voter living in Luzerne County, would you please consider signing our petition? Let us know in the comments or via Private Messenger and we will come to you for your signature.

Thank you and enjoy Independence Day!

The words 'Thank You' are wholly inadequate for what they endured and sacrificed. Their blood cries from the ground, 'Cherish freedom. Defend it. Exercise it.'

There is more we can do than say 'thank you.'

1. End the wars. Now.
2. End the thirst for getting into war.
3. Tell the wealthy nations of Europe and the rest of the world that the blood of America's sons and daughters is theirs no more.
4. Close a significant number of the 800 US military bases and installations around the world and focus on defending American soil.
5. Live free, truly free. Note and appreciate the sacrifice made and then live free.

Be safe out there.

IMPORTANT: While Michelle Merino for Luzerne County Council and I support this declaration by County Council, we encourage you to remain vigilant. This declaration will be in danger of being reversed.

I will go live tonight around 7pm to discuss.

Luzerne County Council just voted to make Luzerne County a 2nd Amendment sanctuary county.

Let us be unequivocal in our response. Michelle Merino for Luzerne County Council and I wholeheartedly support this action.

While I don't believe anything nefarious happened last Tuesday, the incident begs the question: were the machines not tested before being deployed to the polling sites? Was there no trial run?

In light of the growing concern over election integrity, the county needs to ensure that voting machines and processes are functioning properly.

https://www.westernjournal.com/coding-error-blamed-democratic-ballots-appear-front-voters-dominion-machines/

'Coding Error' Blamed After Only Democratic Ballots Appear on Voting Machines Republican voters in Luzerne county were not happy to be presented with a 'typo' labeling their ballots 'Official Democratic Ballot.'

Grateful to Eric for contacting us.

https://www.citizensvoice.com/news/election/two-libertarians-running-for-luzerne-county-council/article_8d894628-4b86-56b1-8ba6-39f13dcc99d2.html =blox&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social

Two Libertarians running for Luzerne County Council Voters will have choices other than Republicans or Democrats for Luzerne County Council this year.

Those who live in the Back Mountain and surrounding area, fill out the following form to schedule a pick-up date and time. We will come to pick up your non-perishable food items.

https://forms.gle/uB7tsLsC26nSR18p8

If the dates on this form are not convenient for you, keep checking back. We will add more dates throughout April.

Back Mountain Pantry informed us that post-holidays is a time of year where supplies are especially needed to restock.

Let's give back to our beautiful community!

By way of this post, I am letting my friends and all of the citizens of Luzerne County know that I will be a candidate for Luzerne County Council in this November's general election. An official press release will be made available in the near future.

While the change to Home Rule and an eleven-member governing body offered the possibility of more diversity than the previous three-commissioner format, Luzerne County government still suffers from the stagnant struggle between the same two political parties.

The best news about this campaign, however, is that I will not be running alone. I will be joined by fellow Libertarian, Michelle Merino, and we will be running as a team for two seats on Council.

I am excited to team with Michelle for this campaign. As Chair of the Libertarian Party of Luzerne County, she is a dynamic leader and represents the next generation of Libertarians.

Our individual life/work experiences and skills are perfectly complementary. While I have more than thirty years of experience in business and investment management, as well as having served as a member of the Wyoming Valley West School Board, Michelle has dedicated her career to social services and was instrumental in organizing the Libertarian party of Luzerne County and currently serves as its first Chairwoman.

Michelle and I pledge to put people over party while offering the citizens of Luzerne County a fresh perspective and fresh approach to county government.

We would very much appreciate your support for our campaign. Please like and SHARE this page as well as Michelle's (link in comments).

THANK YOU.

A lifelong resident of Luzerne County, Paul Cwalina is a graduate of Wyoming Valley West High School and King's College. Following a thirty-plus year career in marketing and investment management he now owns Salt & Light Transport, LLC, a snack food distributorship.

Cwalina is also an author, having penned four novels and publishes the blog Thoughts That Escape Me.

He was elected to the Wyoming Valley West school board in 1993, serving one term before deciding not to run for reelection, instead turning his full attention to his young, growing family and his full-time career.

He is a past president of the Rotary Club of Mountain Top and served six years as chief administrator of Grace Fellowship Church's monthly food distribution to the hurting.

Cwalina is married and is the father of four. He and his wife reside in Drums.

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