Dirty deeds done dirt cheap in Montco

Well, well, well. What a fine mess the richest county in the state has gotten itself into. Being $40 million off the mark is one thing, but how they're planning on making it up is quite another.
So, here's the Scoop.
Commissioners elect Josh Shapiro and Leslie Richards have pledged no new taxes. Hell of a thing for a team of Democrats to pledge, but they did. So, with a county that is coming up more than $40 million shy, what are they supposed to do? That's an awful lot of social services no self respecting Democrat would dare touch. We hear they're making a deal with Republican turned Democrat turned turncoat Jim "I've been a lame duck for three years" Matthews. Matthews will raise taxes for them now in exchange for Richards and Shapiro keeping all of Matthews cronies in their high paying positions.
There is one fly in the ointment, though. What if Joe "I never met a tax hike I didn't like" Hoeffel won't go for it?

Election PostMortem

Now that it's finally here, and finally leaving as the rest of this night wears on, The Scoop would like to make a few predictions. First, the Montgomery County District Attorney, Risa Ferman, running against no one, will finally have to step up and file charges against outgoing county commissioner James Matthews. There's enough for an indictment, and if one isn't forthcoming, Ferman doesn't make it to another election. The second is that Norristown does absolutely nothing to those responsible for the unbelievable shame and sham that was perpetrated on the residents of the condominium complex on Sandy St. That's just a couple for you. We'll be back in the next couple of weeks to keep the ball bouncing.

Friday night lights in Methacton

How is it that an affluent school district like Methacton is still in the dark ages when it comes to athletic fields? The district has the money to upgrade a couple of fields to turf, and they've (the parents, coaches and players) have been trying to get lights at the football field for years, and yet it never seems to happen. The Scoop thinks it would be a good idea to find out who lives closest to the high school where said lights might interfere with someone's Friday night soirees.

Montgomery County going broke?

Once one of the richest counties in the state, Montgomery County is now flirting with disaster. They owe millions. How did this happen? If you ask The Scoop the answer might be that they never should have spent $150 million, and then another $60 million on open space before they finally pulled the plug on the program. There's also the giant money pit otherwise known as One Montgomery Plaza. November is just around the corner and while everyone is looking at the top of the food chain for changes, people should also be looking at the other elected positions, where large employee payrolls thrive.

Rafferty for AG?

We said we had The Scoop on Montco DA Risa Ferman throwing her hat in the ring for the state Attorney General's seat, and we still haven't heard a difinitive no, but, now state Sen. John Rafferty is definitely throwing is figurative hat (The Scoop has never seen John in a hat) in the ring. So, is the county DA deferring to the state senator?

The One Montgomery County Money Pit

OK, so we've written about this before, but, seriously, who inspected One Montgomery Plaza in Norristown before the county plopped down your hard earned tax dollars to buy it?

The Scoop has it on good authority that the county's own property management director didn't even look at the building before it was purchased. Really?

Now, where does that lawsuit stand? You know, the one where the company working on the garage that was falling apart when the building was purchased is suing because the county apparently didn't pay them.

What a money pit.

Would a little due diligence have been too much to ask?

Montco DA for AG?

The Scoop has it on good authority that Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Ferman will throw her hat in the ring for state Attorney General, ala the former district attorney Bruce Castor. Does Risa have the muscle?

A Gang Mentality

While the local police chief and county district attorney don't want to admit it, there is a gang problem in Norristown. And now it has escalated to murder. As you're driving through Norristown check out the graffiti. It's not your average kids play, even though they want to play it off as 'wannabes.' If a half dozen thugs get together and they 'wannabe' in a gang, guess what? They are. So, The Scoop wants to know....what are you going to do about it Norristown?

Where will the chips fall?

Here's the question: Does current Montgomery County Commissioner Bruce Castor have the muscle to pull running mate Jenny Brown through in November?

Here's the answer: No

Here's another question: Does Castor have enough muscle to be the top vote-getter come November?

Here's the answer: No

The chips are going to fall, and The Scoop believes Castor is thinking they're all going to fall in his lap.

The answer: No

Garage deal coming back to bite county

Who's idea was it to by One Montgomery Plaza?
Sounded pretty good at the time, didn't it?
The county would buy it because they needed more office space, and they would continue to pay the school district the property taxes.
Well, they're trying to get out of that little agreement, but that's not the worst of it.
Did they actually send someone over to inspect the building before they decided to throw our tax dollars at the money pit?
The Scoop has it on good authority that the county was actually told to not buy the building, that it needed to many repairs.
Have you ever seen more scaffolding around a building longer?
And to add insult to injury, the county is now being sued by the contractors working on the building because they're not getting paid.

Who really wants Route 422 tolled?

What's the real Scoop here? No one wants Route 422 tolled, except of course for a couple of politicians. Certainly the people who put them into office don't want to see it tolled. We the taxpayers already pay enough taxes to keep our roads in great shape, and expanded when needed. The problem is, the money is diverted to other pet projects. So why is this being pushed through? According to state Sen. John Rafferty there isn't a bill in either the House or the Senate to do so, and he should know since he chairs the Senate Transportation Committee.

On the outs

The Scoop has been out of commission, but you know what, things have been rather boring lately anyway.
So let's play catch up.
What happened to the Montgomery County commissioners, Jim Matthews and Joe Hoeffel, who were caught up in Breakfastgate?
We know it's a slap on the wrist for violating the Sunshine Act, but shouldn't there at least be a slap on the wrist?
And how about Matthews and CBIZ?
The Scoop has heard it is in the hands of the feds, but they sure seem to be dragging their feet on this one. Seriously, how do you declare your campaign funds are your money and you'll spend them anyway you please and not get taken down for not paying taxes on the money?

Sheriff roulette

What favor did newly elected Gov. Tom Corbett owe, and to whom, to nominate former Whitemarsh police Chief Eileen Behr to the vacant Montgomery County Sheriff's post? Seriously, this post has been vacant since former Montgomery County Sheriff John Durante passed away more than a year ago. And if it's a Republican thing then why not the other Republican candidate? Something doesn't smell right, but The Scoop is on it. Rumor has it Corbett owed a favor to someone out west who had a friend in the east. Ain't politics grand?

As the Montco Court House turns

So, if you're a department head, at least if you're a department head and also a friend of commissioners' chairman Jim Matthews (how is he still in office?) apparently you don't really have to come to work. The Scoop has learned that Public Properties Department Director Fred Shaughnessy is not at all happy about being questioned on his whereabouts, especially from a subordinate. Shaughnessy has been missing in action lately and has told his office his whereabouts are his own business. So, what are we paying this guy for?

Who will be the new sheriff in town?

The Scoop told you a while back that Eileen Behr, now former Whitemarsh Township police chief would be throwing her hat into the ring for Montgomery County sheriff, and that certainly came to fruition.
Now, Robert Durante, no relation to former Montco Sheriff John Durante, has decided he's not ready to ride off into the sunset just because he didn't get the Republican endorsement. The Dems are putting up Bill Holt.
So, who takes over Montgomery County next year?
Eileen Behr.
Remember, you heard it here first.

In this corner, Josh 'The Bank' Shaprio

We're guessing Montco Dems didn't put up a candidate for District Attorney because they don't want to have to take their eyes off the commissioners' race. Of course, they do have Josh 'The Bank' Shapiro walking around with a nearly $2 million war chest.
So what do you think? Does money do the talking this year?
Or, can Bruce 'Walking Tall' Castor use that big stick he's been wielding for the past three years to carry him and running mate Jenny Brown to the finish line in first place?
Or, does Shapiro have enough bank to turn that stick into a toothpick and make it a cake walk for him and Leslie Richards?
The Scoop traditionally likes to go out on a limb, but let's just wait until after the primary to find out how the voters are feeling before we call the November Election.

Try to scoop The Scoop!

Let's see, Joe Hoeffel's out, Jim Matthews is out, and now Jill Govberg is out.
The race for Montgomery County commissioner is looking more like a race that no one wants to run.
We know the Dems are banking on Josh Shapiro and Leslie Richards, but we're still up in the air on the Republican side.
Bruce Castor wants Marie Cavanaugh as his running mate, but Republican Party Chair Bob Kerns wants Jenny Brown to run on the ticket. Kate Harper still hasn't withdrawn and the convention is next week.
The Scoop has a feeling Kerns is going to get his way and it will be a Castor/Brown ticket.
Anyone care to try to scoop The Scoop?

Chips are falling

Montgomery County is going to have one heck of a primary this year.
Whitemarsh police Chief Eileen Behr, who was supposed to be appointed Sheriff, is going to run for the office since she was looked over as a successor to former Sheriff John Durante.
The Scoop is under the distinct impression that all three county commissioner are bi-polar. Jim Matthews is going to run. Wait, he had an epiphany and he's not going to run. Wait, he's going to run, but if he doesn't get the GOP endorsement he won't run. Bruce Castor is the GOP front runner and yet he thought it was important to tell The Times Herald he won't run without his party's endorsement. Joe Hoeffel, well, he's going to run without DEM Chair Marcel Groen's blessing. Wait, no he's not.
Seriously, gentlemen, if you think you're the right man for the job, just run.
The Dems are looking hard a Josh Shapiro and would like him to be the front runner.
And what in the world is Kate Harper thinking? She ran in '07 and she's running again.
The Scoop doesn't think for a moment she has a snowball's chance and that she's going to just take votes away from the GOP's endorsed candidate.