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NEWS RELEASE SEPTEMBER 11, 2007
Glaring Weaknesses Exposed in Ward-Dunbar
Campaign
Recent efforts by the political team of Kim Ward
and George Dunbar to jumpstart their campaigns for county
commissioner have exposed glaring weaknesses in their knowledge
of county government, their qualifications to govern, and
temperament to hold public office.
Commissioners Tom Balya and Tom Ceraso today
cautioned county residents to be wary of Ward-Dunbar campaign
promises and look beyond the Republicans' political
pronouncements.
"The more that comes from the mouths of Kim Ward
and George Dunbar, the more they reveal their lack of knowledge
of county government," Tom Balya said. "George Dunbar's recent
efforts to talk about the county's finances were a fiasco. His
proposals, if they can even be called that, were nothing more
than fluff, with no substance. Some of his so-called proposals
were ideas that we implemented in Westmoreland County some time
ago. From a financial standpoint, he was flat wrong on a number
of counts. These types of uninformed attacks are not suitable for
the good people of this county.
"The fact that Kim Ward, while not standing with
her running mate at the time he misrepresented the county's
finances, defended Mr. Dunbar even after the facts were revealed
clearly demonstrates her lack of leadership skills. She had the
opportunity to correct him, but instead took the easy way out
and resorted to political posturing. But her reaction should
come as no surprise. She has made a career of being a political
operative and opportunist," Balya said.
"Kim Ward and George Dunbar's recent actions
call into serious question their knowledge and their ability to
lead," Tom Ceraso said. "Managing county government effectively
is not about politics and not about distorting numbers to fit
your personal objectives. And it is not a part-time job, as Kim
Ward and George Dunbar are trying to fool people into believing.
"Westmoreland County residents have been
questioning Ms. Ward's and Mr. Dunbar's qualifications to be
commissioners, and their latest actions validate those beliefs.
They are distorting facts -- and amazingly, refusing to back
down from their statements -- then turning to political
gamesmanship when confronted with the truth," Ceraso said.
"Kim Ward has never led. George Dunbar has never
led. Kim Ward has spent her life in politics, campaigning for a
living, most recently for Bush-Cheney, and only working
part-time as a supervisor. George Dunbar was in charge of
finances at a company that filed for bankruptcy shortly after he
left. These are not qualifications suitable for the serious
business of county commissioner," Ceraso said.
"The next two months will be a trying time for
voters trying to sort through the half-truths and spin of the
Ward-Dunbar machine," Balya concluded. "But ultimately the truth
comes out, and voters see Ms. Ward and Mr. Dunbar for what they
truly are." |
