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Voters Face Decision To Change County Government

SCRANTON — Voters in Lackawanna County have a choice between keeping the form of government the county has had for nearly a century and a half or making a...

SCRANTON -- Voters in Lackawanna County have a choice between keeping the form of government the county has had for nearly a century and a half or making a change.

There is one word going through Janet Jayson's mind. We caught up with Jayson as she cast her ballot Tuesday morning, at the Kennedy School on Prospect Avenue in Scranton.

Jayson's word of the day is "change."

"To see changes, changes that are needed."

Jayson says that change is needed on the local and state level.

Chuck Volpe is another who favors change. He was chairman of the government study commission that came up with the plan to replace the three commissioners with seven elected council members, and an elected manager.

"If you think you can do better, we need to chart our course for the future, and move this county forward, then you should vote yes, and that's the basis of what this whole campaign has been," Volpe said.

Volpe acknowledged spending thousands of dollars of his money on the Fix Lackawanna campaign, saying it's worth it to make sure the old, inefficient, and potentially corrupt government system is done away with.

Current Lackawanna County Commissioner Corey O'Brien disagrees with that. He'd like voters to say no to the Volpe plan.

"A vote yes means that you eliminate your ability to change your government every four years. I think that's a bad idea, more politicians, more expense, higher taxes," Commissioner O'Brien said.

Commissioner O'Brien thinks the plan to have seven council members plus a county executive makes county government too big and too expensive.   The current, 136-year-old system works just fine.

Volpe counters that the new way will actually cost less, and it gives county residents a bigger say in their government.

Poll worker said turnout was steady all day.

Lackawanna County districts ed

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