Battaglia Announces Re-Election Campaign; Fink Not Running
Armstrong County Commissioner Chair David Battaglia (as seen during a December 2014 public meeting) has announced he will run for a second term in office.
By Jonathan Weaver
Armstrong County Commissioner Chair David Battaglia has officially announced he will run for a second term in office beginning with the spring Primary.
Battaglia, 55, said he made his final decision two weeks ago. He has lived most of his life in Rayburn Township and moved back to the municipality after marrying his wife, Angela.
In his campaign announcement, Battaglia touted ‘tremendous’ strides during his term – including reducing unemployment, streamlining government and bring spending under control.
“Coming in, you know what you want to do and have some good ideas, but it’s just a learning curve,” Battaglia said. “You’re leading and learning at the same time, and there’s just so much to absorb.”
“I still believe we have quality workers, that we can keep our taxes low and still can grow our businesses.”
He equated government to running a business, said he has grown during the past three years in office and pledged to continue his conservative principles if re-elected.
“I believe the next three years can be crucial for Armstrong County – if we make the right decisions, we’ll thrive, and if we don’t, we’ll go backward,” Battaglia said. “With strong leadership and tough decisions being made, Armstrong County’s best days are ahead of it, not behind it.”
While Commissioner Bob Bower – who was also elected into office four years ago – has not announced if he will run for a second term, Commissioner Rich Fink, of Madison Township, is said to be retiring after serving three terms of office.
Local News | jweaver January 8, 2015
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By jerry6, January 8, 2015 @ 8:56 AM
What jobs have been created? This is news to me. I don’t think Kittanning needs three commissioners. We could save over 65,000 a year by only having one. I think we need to cut a lot of jobs in our local government. We don’t need all of these reps we have in Pa. I just read where the republicans want to cut the benefits to the disabled and then start with the seniors and social security. I want to know when these politicians are going to cut some of there benefits. They don’t even work that many days out of a year. Disgusting…..
By jorn jensen, January 8, 2015 @ 9:57 AM
Sorry, Dave, but granting across-the-board $800 raises and not using a merit-based system is NOT a definition of using conservative principles.
Just like president of the United States, being elected county commissioner is no place for on-the-job training. Need to arrive there with credentials.
By jerry6, January 8, 2015 @ 6:37 PM
I got a letter today that Pat Fabian is running for commissioner. I don’t really know him but he listed good credentials.
Jorn:When Obama took office, this country was in a big mess from Bush. All the jobs lost have been brought back, 400,000. The car industry is booming and 500,000 jobs have been created. If Romney was in there, he said “let them go bankrupt.” The Keystone pipeline that the republicans want to pass will create jobs in the beginning but in the end will only have 35-45 permanent jobs and it will pollute the environment. It is dirty oil. Why didn’t the republicans pass the jobs bill back then and now they want to say building the pipeline will create permanent jobs. The republicans are fighting among themselves over the tea-party repubs that didn’t vote for Boehner for leader. I guess Boehner is getting even with them. It will be fun to watch them fight over who is going to run for President in 2016.
By jorn jensen, January 8, 2015 @ 7:14 PM
Atta boy jerry6 - you’re sounding like a conservative!
By forward, January 8, 2015 @ 11:48 PM
Well this opens up the door for Dave Wolfe, who will probably win, but what about any other contenders ?? It’ll be interesting to see who else enters the race
By Salty, January 9, 2015 @ 8:59 AM
One of the areas in the courthouse that needs addressed is the register & recorders office. Why are we taxpayers, not able to view the recorded deeds, ROW agreements and etc. free of cost on our home computers like the citizenry of Butler County and several other counties in PA are able to do.
Not only can they view the document but they can also print a copy on their own printer. In Armstrong Co. we have to pay a fee to Landex, the company used by the register & recorders office, in order to access the documents and to receive a copy if we desire. When the Internet was in its infancy the state government of PA made the statement that all such records at the state, county and local leval would be available to the public online without any fees. It seems that Armstrong Co. didn’t get the memo. It has taken a few years but the State Archives has slowly been adding historical & other records on the state websites where we can access them at no cost.
By Flamingo1, January 9, 2015 @ 11:56 AM
The problem with Battaglia is he ran on dubious campaign finances. He gava a job to a donor that was clear cronyism. The cloud of finance failure was never really resolved. And his record of jobs and trimming costs is not substantiated.
But as he told us in the first campaign he is pro life and pro gun. That has nothing to do with county government. Go ahead and reelect a man of little substance.
By goober, January 10, 2015 @ 3:30 PM
it is an old story but he did create 1 job right off the bat they say for a friends daughter. meanwhile i think bower was double dipping jobs to up his pension.
By forward, January 11, 2015 @ 6:48 PM
Well well, the LT reports that Dave Croyle is going to run, which is exactly what I was alluding to in my above comment. I had a feeling he would. Well, he does have a few qualities that most politicians have…..
By forward, January 11, 2015 @ 6:50 PM
goober and flamingo… you are correct with your comments above.
By jerry6, January 11, 2015 @ 8:17 PM
Jensen; wHY DO I SOUND LIKE A CONSEVATIVE?
By localtaxpayer, January 12, 2015 @ 8:01 AM
@ Jerry 6: Are you blind or just so into your party and Liberalism so much to see what is really happening in this county. Obama has been the destruction of this county… Which was started by Clinton who was just as bad. We are giving health care to people who don’t work that we already give free food and paycheck from our hard earned money. Everyone and I MEAN EVERYONE I know has had their health care go up by at least double!!!!! So we can pay for those who do not want to work. I understand there is some (the one number I seen was 18%) who get all the free stuff that can not actually work but what about all the rest. What about all the gang bangers in Chicago, seen a report that they collect food stamps and health care??? WHAT??? AND now we are going to let the illegals in and put an even larger burden on the taxpayers because the majority of them are just going to get more free stuff paid for by us. And Finally, You serious about the Keystone Pipe line? It is going to help lower gas prices and bring in new jobs. When will people see that liberalism is just a way to get votes? Think about it… These are the people who want abortion to be legal, raise your taxes to pay for their voters food stamps and health care, let the illegals in for votes, let the EPA ran wild and soon no one will own their property and emission taxes will be so high that the energy produces will charge you the remaining piece of your pay check that you did not already give to people who don’t want to work. TIME TO TAKE BACK OUR COUNTY.
By jorn jensen, January 12, 2015 @ 8:06 AM
Flamingo, agree totally. He also touted, in his primary literature, independent conservative, will cut taxes. Then, in the regular race, the “will cut taxes” part of the campaign was gone. We got snookered.
jerry6 - Geez, read your own post at the very top - that appears written by a conservative. What part don’t you get.
Your next post rambles on - let’s just look at the Keystone XL - you state, “it will pollute the environment.” What lefty site did you get that from? The oil will be inside a welded pipeline. The welds are tested and made by certified welders. Lenape VoTech offers welding classes. See where this is going?
By Elderton Parent, January 12, 2015 @ 10:29 AM
goober: you are correct. The job was for the daughter of the want-to-be US Senator. If I had to guess, that is where a lot of his campaign money came from.
I agree with jerry6, we do not need 3 county commissioners. We could also do without a particular state senator and a state rep too.
By blutoblutarsky, January 12, 2015 @ 11:24 AM
salty- it would be good to see the cost comparison between hiring someone to scan the data in and have a website for AC versus what the cost of Landex is for this service.
I agree it would be a nice feature to have.
There goes Jorn again. The article is about a local county commissioner. What does he bring up? Obama, obama, obama… I think he has a man crush!
By blutoblutarsky, January 13, 2015 @ 7:52 AM
localtaxpayer- please tell me your post was a joke and you’re not really that simple?
1. Health care costs rise yearly. Unfortunately if you use insurance, the price goes up. Remember, they have stock holders to answer to. My insurance hasn’t gone up in 2 years, so now you know someone who’s hasn’t doubled.
2. The same people on welfare who are getting free healthcare now were getting it for free before the Affordable Care Act ever happened. The people who were working jobs that didn’t offer insurance or couldn’t get insurance before are the individuals who are most benefitting from it.
By mad-2010, January 14, 2015 @ 4:30 AM
Watch out Jerry6.. Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My! Obama did it, Obama did it, Oh, that’s right this article is about something else, My Bad.. LOL
Bluto.. Thanks for clearing some issues up for the Fox News junkies!
By mad-2010, January 14, 2015 @ 4:53 AM
Bluto… Gangbangers in Chi-Town, so what’s new, there has been some type of organized crime (the mob, motorcycle gangs with meth, and so-on) in large cities for decades, so what’s that have do with food stamps and the like, or Obama for that matter! Some things people are stuck on goes beyond simple!
By blutoblutarsky, January 16, 2015 @ 10:59 AM
Well mad- just think of the caliber of some of the posters here. My favorite quote of the past week was-
jorn jensen- “There’s more to life than the internet.”
Yet Jorn posts on the KP website EVERY DAY lol
By mad-2010, January 17, 2015 @ 1:27 PM
51% of the school children is the U.S. live in poverty. In 2006 it was around 32% of school children, after 2008 (The Great Recession) it was around 42% of school kids in the U.S. Yet, the GOP is about to give Wall Street some Perks!
Time To Take Back Our Country, Really!
By mad-2010, January 19, 2015 @ 2:18 AM
Bluto.. I hear you, man.. Still it’s good to get the truth out there, some need to hear the truth!
By worthingtonman, January 19, 2015 @ 5:15 PM
@mad
Was recently in the Dominican Republic. I saw real poverty there. Not this manufactured level of poverty that has been manufactured here in the US.what is the poverty level up to now?
By mad-2010, January 20, 2015 @ 2:17 AM
Wman.. You tell me what manufactured poverty is and we’ll go from there. If you read my post it says school children’s level of poverty @ 51%.
Since you saw real poverty in the Dominican, are you saying there is no real poverty in the U.S.?
What you’re saying sounds a little off, you know that, Right?
By mad-2010, January 20, 2015 @ 2:42 AM
Wman.. How about You tell 1.6 million Homeless children in America that their poverty is manufactured! How Absurd can you be, Wman!!
By mad-2010, January 20, 2015 @ 7:34 AM
Hey Wman… How about this: Instead of arguing with you about(relative or absolute poverty) I’ll just change my Jan. 17 post here and say: A Very Large Number of public school children in the U.S. live in poverty! Yet, the GOP is about to give Wall Street some Perks! How’s that work for you! LOL
Time To Take Back Our Country, Really!
By mad-2010, January 20, 2015 @ 7:58 AM
Pennsylvania has 472,000 children living in poverty. Fifty-three percent of Pennsylvania’s children living in families with incomes below
the poverty level are White, non-Hispanic, 31% are Black, non-Hispanic, and 14% are Hispanic.
The number of homeless children is above 19,000.
By jorn jensen, January 21, 2015 @ 8:12 AM
Bluto - I think you have a crush on me - you can’t post without mentioning me. I was ‘traveling’ for 3 days and did not post, but you, in your typical lying liberal fashion state, “Yet Jorn posts on the KP Website EVERY DAY lol” At least give your lies and exaggerations some punctuation.
By taxpoor, January 21, 2015 @ 8:51 AM
Ok mad your good with the Government reported statistics now explain to me how and why we have 19000 homeless ? Are you telling me with Welfare, free public housing free health care (before Obama care) and the many many public assistance programs we have 19,000 homeless Kids ?
Are you sure the thousands of illegal’s are not included in that inflated number.
If so the Liberal way of politics is failing. And it is. You cant pay generations of citizens to not work. Why? Because you are training the next generation not to work. What are we on here in Armstrong county 5th 6th generation. You no who they are. We drive past their homes every day while their in bed and we are driving to work. Their trained from birth that the government will provide everything for us so don’t try. And the more baby’s we make the more money we get. It just doesn’t work.
And once again same old story the GOP is going to give the rich perks. Give it a rest. We need industry. We need people with money to create jobs. Sure some Rich family’s benefit from it and do nothing. But some invest in industry also. It’s better than investing our tax money in welfare programs that provide nothing but the next generation of taker’s.
Here’s one your side can be proud of. The Democrats are going to shut down half the jobs in this area and across the nation in the name of Global warming. The biggest man MADE UP story in history. Costing thousands of job’s putting more people on welfare. How do you back that kind of politics up .
I agree it’s time to take this country back. We need less government intrusion in our lives. Get them out of our schools our jobs and our wallets and this country would thrive. But not with bleeding heart liberals printing money and giving it away every chance they get. But I can tell you this. You and the people who think like you are who we will be taking it back from.
By mad-2010, January 21, 2015 @ 10:26 PM
taxpoor.. Here are the statistics from The National Center on FamilyHomelessness.org not the Government! A two-bedroom unit priced at the Fair Market Rent (FMR) falls outside of the financial reach of a full-time worker earning
minimum wage in Pennsylvania.6 One wage earner earning the state’s minimum wage ($7.15/ hour) would need to work 81
hours per week for 52 weeks per year to afford a two-bedroom apartment at FMR.7
• Even with two full-time minimum-wage earners, affordable housing is not attainable in most places in Pennsylvania.A two-bedroom unit priced at the Fair Market Rent (FMR) falls outside of the financial reach of a full-time worker earning
minimum wage in Pennsylvania.6 One wage earner earning the state’s minimum wage ($7.15/ hour) would need to work 81
hours per week for 52 weeks per year to afford a two-bedroom apartment at FMR.7
• Even with two full-time minimum-wage earners, affordable housing is not attainable in most places in Pennsylvania. Ages of Homeless Children1
Under 6 years 18,103
Grades K–8 (enrolled) 19,167
Grades 9–12* (enrolled) 5,833
Total Homeless Children 43,103
*These totals DO NOT include approximately 10,618 homeless unaccompanied youth. So, Taxpoor I would say you need to study-up a little bit, Ok.
If you think giving Wall Street Bankers perks is Ok, then you were Deaf, Dumb and Blind in 2008 when the Great Recession hit. Let us not forget the BS Government shutdown by the GOP Congress Clowns that cost taxpayers Millions, and how about not signing the Jobs Bill! Lastly, with your Clowns in the Congress working on benefit cuts to the Disabled, and Seniors on Social Security, you must be Proud, Taxpoor! It must make you Happy to have your own people Sticking It To You! LOL
By taxpoor, January 22, 2015 @ 8:53 AM
I’m looking around Mad . I still don’t see these homeless kids walking around the streets. I didn’t say there was not poor people struggling to get by. I said with all the welfare and Low income housing Why are these kids homeless.
Tell me then if we have this many out of work parents that cant house their own children why is your party ok with thousands of Illegals coming across the border to add to the misery of this country ? I think you know why VOTES.
I was working and supporting my family in 2008 during The so called great recession. It cant be to great most people wouldn’t know what your talking about. And do you know all the crap that was hidden in the Jobs Bill? You study.
Cut benefits from seniors and the disabled. Same broken record the liberals play every election year.
How about cutting our military to unsafe levels and growing federal government by leaps and bounds. How about adding to the debt that no other president ever came close to.
And lastly what about infringing on our rights and trying to destroy the constitution every chance they get.
Republicans and Democrats are two heads of the same snake I agree. And until they push the big Reset button and we start over. I will have to believe what I see in person . Not what liberal Media reports. I will have to back the party that stands for jobs and industry and freedom. Not Welfare give away programs and gaining Democrat voter’s any way they can. Nuff SAID
By blutoblutarsky, January 22, 2015 @ 9:55 AM
Jorn- The majority of my posts are responses to yours, so it only makes sense to name the person you are responding to lol
I thoroughly enjoyed your hypocrytical comment and thought that was an appropriate place to use it.
So, what you’re saying is that you’re back to posting daily after your vacation? Shocking! Who would have thought…
Typically if someone is being a grammar Nazi, they’ve lost all of their ammo in a debate.
So, I’ll see you here tomorrow jansen?
By mad-2010, January 22, 2015 @ 10:34 AM
taxpoor… How about the former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (Repub.) ousted in the primary, Cantor now works on Wall Street with Moelis & Co. Cantor got a 3.4 million cash and stock signing bonus! Cantor’s pay while in office was 174,000. per year! Who do you think he worked for while in office, You the taxpayer! LOL Taxpoor you’re always talking about thinking for yourself, (repub slogan!) I don’t think you do! Open up your eyes, man…..
By worthingtonman, January 22, 2015 @ 10:37 AM
Mad
I can you tell one thing for sure. If there are homeless United States children in this country it is the fault of their prents. Take them from the parent and put them in foster care. There are so many programs for the poor or low earners it is crazy. There is no reason for parent with children to be homeless unless the parents are on drugs. Have you heard of section 8 housing? Take a drive through Kittanning and you will see them. I kow a woman. Late 30′s with a child. She gets disability because she is apparently crazy.. I think around 600 a month. She has a very nice two bedroom apartment most of the rent paid by section 8 housing. Free food….free cellphone….utility bills paid for her…she has car. she gets picked up taken to the methadone clinic every day for free. And with the latest round of giveaways she can get two years of free community college.Plenty of programs like I said.
By mad-2010, January 22, 2015 @ 12:22 PM
Taxpoor… I’m Sorry, but I can’t help it, you said: “Their trained from birth that the government will provide everything for us so don’t try. “I mean, come-on, you have to know that most people that say things like that are involved in some kind of mental health study! Again, I’m sorry, it’s so Outlandish, I have to laugh! Hey man, try this: “Free Your Mind and Your Backside Will Follow” LOL
By blutoblutarsky, January 22, 2015 @ 4:12 PM
Was my post from earlier today censored by admin? It was no more off topic than Jorn’s 1/21 post that was published.
By admin, January 23, 2015 @ 12:17 AM
You are so quick to be negative. No it wasn’t censored. No one was in the office to approve until later. Patience, my dear bluto! Patience!
By taxpoor, January 23, 2015 @ 8:13 AM
Mad I see I must have won this argument . Your down to correcting grammar and throwing insults towards me. You rest now and come back when you have healed . Next Liberal Please.
By jerry6, January 23, 2015 @ 9:11 AM
Taxpoor: The republicans are the ones who want to mess with social security and disability benefits. When I worked, no one asked me if I wanted to pay into social security. It is not going broke like the conservatives say. There is over a trillion dollars there. I am really against paying for kids to go to a two year community college. I paid for my two kids to go to college and I am not in favor of paying for others to go free. Let them work like the rest of us did. The conservatives are the ones killing the jobs plan. By the way, the oil pipeline is not a permanent job maker. It will create only 35 permanent jobs. Why didn’t Canada want this pipeline to go across there country? And Jorn, this pipeline does leak oil. Look it up. Look when it leaked into the Kalamazoo river into Michigan. This oil will be shipped to another country and won’t help us at all.
By jorn jensen, January 23, 2015 @ 9:21 AM
Bluto, good that you have someone to dislike so much. There’s your personal post, from me, today. Good to see that we can agree on our local representative.
By MaryPoppins, January 23, 2015 @ 12:41 PM
@taxpoor
You do know that Global Warmming is not a theory but a fact? The simple truth is it is real and it backed up something they call science, ever heard of it?? You see they can use science to prove the earth is warming, so it’s not really up for debate. In fact, 97% of the world’s climate scientiest endorse both the reality of global warming and the fact that humans are causing it. 97%, Wow! That’s what we call a consensus! Just because you don’t like a fact, doesn’t make it not a fact.
By blutoblutarsky, January 23, 2015 @ 3:05 PM
Other posts that were made after mine were published and considering I’ve been censored in the past it made me question it.
By mad-2010, January 24, 2015 @ 10:08 AM
Taxpoor.. Are you really that backwards to self proclaim yourself a debate winner, please! Never even thought about correcting grammar in my Jan. 22 post, it’s what you said, it’s so Outlandish and backwards, it’s funny, “their trained at birth” come-on.
Taxpoor, You totally ignore the facts from The National Center on FamilyHomelessness, and explain the statistics away based on what you see in Kittanning, stop already with the ignorance, come-on! Also, the number of homeless children in the U.S. has nothing to do with the illegals crossing the borders into the U.S. and to believe that the Dems want illegals for votes is again, backwards! Illegals have been crossing the border for decades, man. Don’t forget the Reagan Amnesty, taxpoor, was that for Repub votes? No!
You explain away the 2008 recession by telling me that you were working, so, it can’t be that great, when in fact 2.6 million-Plus lost jobs in a matter of months, the house market bust, or the Wall Street Banking Mess. I guess since you didn’t see it in Kittanning, it didn’t happen, Right? Again, stop the ignorance, please! So, then it’s OK to give Wall Street more Perks, are you crazy?
Next you explain away the fact that Congress wants to cut benefits to the disabled and seniors on social security by saying “same old broken record.” Look up the facts, man! Stop the ignorance. Ok, it wasn’t in the leader times, so it’s not real, right? LOL
Taxpoor, Your entire post is nothing more than ignoring facts and sidestepping issues, and rightwing rhetoric. “I will have to believe what I see in person.” That’s now close-minded people think! “Next liberal & Nuff said.” Yeah, Right. LMAO!!
By mad-2010, January 24, 2015 @ 12:10 PM
Wman.. Let me start with this: My original point was this, we have thousands of homeless children in the U.S. However, Congress wants to deregulate derivatives for Wall Street Bankers, now remember derivatives were at the heart of the 2008 recession. So, to me instead of making millions for these bankers, do some good and help these homeless kids, or in other words help the American people!
If you read my Jan. 21 10:26pm post you can see how this (being homeless) can happen without fault, and you just can’t take children away from their parents, it’s just not that simple a solution. You site one example, however all cases are not the same and I’m sure you know that. Even so, in your example 600.00 a month won’t cut it as far as caring for a child, again look at my Jan. 22 post. One thing you may look at is the section 8 waiting list, you just don’t go down to the office and fill out paper work and then look for a house or apt. You may have to wait as long as a year, that’s the amount of backlog. Here is a fact: 44% of homeless Americans do work, check it yourself. The U.S. has more than 62,000 homeless Vets! Instead of perks for the Millionaire Bankers, do something for Americans who really need Help.
Lastly, if the woman in your example is mentally ill and an addict, you still have to focus on the child in this case, again not all cases are the same. The free community college thing is not law yet, but, I’d rather have an avenue for the poor to become educated and enter the workforce and be self reliant than Wall Street Perks.
By mad-2010, January 24, 2015 @ 12:45 PM
This is from the Armstrong County Community Action site, I could not find the latest update, this is just an example for people like Taxpoor! Shelter Information Last Update Date: 2010-01-25 10:03:11
Important: Many of these shelters now have waiting lists. Please call before going to them. Many waiting lists are very long. Shelters and service also go out of business. Always call ahead to confirm that this location is still active. If you find that this location is no longer operating, please send us a comment using the form below.
By mad-2010, January 24, 2015 @ 2:25 PM
The average monthly income for a single mother in Pennsylvania who receives public assistance is less than $601, or roughly
41% of the Federal Poverty Level.
For families in this situation, even a seemingly minor event can trigger a catastrophic
outcome, pushing a family onto the streets.
By mad-2010, January 24, 2015 @ 3:49 PM
Hey Taxpoor, This ones for You: The U.S. Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission reported its findings in January 2011. It concluded that “the crisis was avoidable and was caused by: Widespread failures in financial regulation, including the Federal Reserve’s failure to stem the tide of toxic mortgages; Dramatic breakdowns in corporate governance including too many financial firms acting recklessly and taking on too much risk; An explosive mix of excessive borrowing and risk by households and Wall Street that put the financial system on a collision course with crisis; Key policy makers ill prepared for the crisis, lacking a full understanding of the financial system they oversaw; and systemic breaches in accountability and ethics at all levels.
Taxpoor, The so-called Recession didn’t happen cause you didn’t see it! “Next liberal & Nuff said.” Yeah, Right! Still LMAO! I guess I was right when I said Deaf, Dumb and Blind! LOL