Fiorucci Cites Qualifications for Luzerne County Council Seat

After the most publicized corruption scandal in Luzerne County history, the Democratic Party has to embrace a cleansing process by supporting the election of proven political reformers or squeaky-clean citizens. It is no longer enough to endorse candidates who might be popular with the people, or the party, for a fleeting moment.

I am confident that I can lead the new form of government that Luzerne County will have in 2012. I have studied business, history, law and government at Luzerne County Community College, College Misericordia and Georgetown University. For the past 12 years, I have been effective in developing many issues for our area and having them published in local newspapers. I also have added significantly to the debate on other issues brought forth by the body politic.

I support transparency. As a member of Sugar Notch Borough Council, I thought it only ethical to alert the news media that the president of the council tried to call a meeting to raise taxes with only one day’s notice and without advertising.

I also am supportive of the dedicated social workers and various agencies in Luzerne County. Still, churches and even individuals have to help one another when government alone cannot do everything. I have taken in several homeless people over the years to give them some stability. Some I have known, some I just met the day I gave them shelter.

Because I knew these people needed a hand up, not just a handout, I was compelled to stand up to the Sugar Notch zoning officer and the rest of council last year when notice was given to the Holy Family Church that it would be fined $500 a day if it allowed V.I.S.I.O.N. to house several homeless people there for a week in January.

And to the Democratic Party, voters and residents of Luzerne County, I will not accept any endorsement, other than one from my party. I do not want to be held to any group’s agenda, because as a member of council, I must objectively view each issue in the light of its effect on the whole of Luzerne County.

As for contributions, I will not accept any during the primary period. Afterward, if I am selected to run in the general election, I would accept only $50 or less from individuals. I will not accept money from any type of special interest group.

WILK Radio Interview, Mario Fiorucci, Candidate for Luzerne County Council

Fiorucci Promises to Inform Public

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Posted: April 24
Updated: Today at 2:40 AM

Fiorucci promises to inform public

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Reporter

Luzerne County Council candidate Mario J. Fiorucci said he’s proven that he will let the public know what’s happening in county government if he’s elected.

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Mario J. Fiorucci

Age: 53
Political party: Democrat
Residence: Sugar Notch
Education: Associate’s degree, Luzerne County Community College; bachelor’s degree in history and law, College Misericordia; master’s degree in political science, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
Work experience: 1982-1989, VMS Realty and Integrated Resources, assistant national marketing manager for public real estate syndications; 1989-1993, Friedberg Mercantile and London Investment Trust, futures desk and floor trader; 1993-2002, Christensen and Associates and CitiStreet/Citibank, investor relations consultant and retirement specialist; 2002-2010, Diversified Information Technologies, medical records processor/specialist; 2010 to present, PA mentor for adults with developmental disorders.
Family: Single

Fiorucci, a Sugar Notch Borough Council member, regularly writes letters to local newspapers, has published free newsletters about local government affairs and isn’t shy about challenging or questioning government officials at public meetings. He also started the “State of the World,” a public affairs event attracting guest speakers, in 2000.
“I’d like to be on that council to make sure I’m a watchdog,” Fiorucci recently told a Times Leader endorsement panel.
Fiorucci said his willingness to speak out has prompted some to try to discredit him or portray him as a radical, but he said he can’t look the other way when elected officials ignore laws governing open meetings and spending.
“For some reason a lot of these towns – the experience I’ve had either going to council meetings as an activist and writing about issues or actually being on council – like to do things their way,” he said.
He doesn’t expect other county council candidates to team up with him.
“I don’t think you’re getting many people to stand with me because I seem to be standing on my own,” he said. “I’m amazed more people aren’t outraged at some of the things that occur in these small towns.”
Fiorucci said he’s been scouring the county budget to come up with ideas to reduce spending, particularly in court branches and the county prison.
He supports a 3-percent spending cut to help fund a voluntary retirement program to reduce personnel costs.
“I think we’d have to tailor this program to court and prison personnel rather than just general county employees like in the past,” Fiorucci said.
Implementing more technology could also reduce manpower in the county, he said.
Fiorucci said he’d rely on the manager to make recommendations on union contracts that come up for negotiation.
“There may have to be across-the-board cuts like in the auto industry. That’s what I think it’s coming down to for these local governments. We can’t afford I don’t think a county workforce our size,” he said.
Fiorucci voted for home rule and said he also helped get the previous home rule charter on the ballot, though it was defeated in 2004.
He supports a countywide search for the new manager or a statewide one if there aren’t enough viable applicants. He doesn’t want to target candidates nationally because he believes some of these applicants would take too long to understand the local government structure and use the county post as a “stepping stone to try to further their careers.”
Experience with technology is a must for the manager, he said.
“I’d be more comfortable with someone from the county because their learning curve will be shorter,” said Fiorucci, who also wants to create a countywide environmental advisory panel.


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County Council Business Must be Transparent

Council members serve the people.  We should not attempt to keep them in the dark on how decisions are being made.  I would rather put everything out there and hear the opinion of the citizens in an open forum.  This is their county, not the council’s.  I successfully got the local press involved to  stop a planned closed door meeting on taxes by the Sugar Notch town council so the public could attend.

On Accepting Political Endorsements

I don’t believe in them, and here is why…   Accepting an endorsement equates to “vote for me and I owe you a favor later.  That leads to poor decision making and corruption.  We can’t have that again.  It is unacceptable.  I would say to the voters…” Be careful in what you read into endorsements, it may be a red flag for deciding why you should not vote for someone.  I will accept donations from individual citizens.  Groups, companies, unions, don’t vote.  People do, individual voters.  Having a group come out and say we endorse this candidate implies that the entire group thinks alike.  I know that isn’t true and actually think it is a bit of an insult to the individual voter.  Look,… voters are smart enough to think for themselves.  They don’t need to be swayed by groups and told what to do.  I will not accept endorsements from groups.  I will not put myself in the position to owe anyone a political favor.