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Jimmy Sabatino announces run for Luzerne County Council

John Lombardo, a 27-year-old Pittston resident, announced his run for Luzerne County Council.

A 2011 Pittston Area High School graduate, Lombardo received a bachelor’s degree in political science and media relations from Penn State University in 2015. He currently works as a full-time firefighter/EMT at the City Fire Bureau.

Lombardo, a Republican, chairs both the Luzerne County Young Republicans and the 118th District Republican Committee.

Heavily involved in local politics since he was 15, Lombardo has interned with legislators, worked for numerous campaigns and ran a few of his own.

He said he is running for county council because many of his friends and peers have left the area believing they will find better opportunity elsewhere. Lombardo said he always wanted to remain here and focus on the future.

”Young people who get into politics are often seen as crazy, but some of the youngest people in our local government have been making the most meaningful impact,” Lombardo said in a release, adding he would be “excited to serve alongside many bright minds” working for county residents.

If elected, he wants to focus on economic development, fiscal responsibility and the preservation of local history and nature.

Many parts of the county are experiencing a renaissance of revitalization and economic progress. He pointed to Pittston as a “bellwether for what good governance can do for a community.”

”I’d like to expand that mindset to the entire county, encouraging our government to work with each individual municipality to give them tools for success,” he said.

Lombardo also said he would work to streamline the process for businesses to build and open in the county and maintain and improve county infrastructure.

He would ensure the county budget is passed in a fiscally responsible way every year, saying it is very important to have “passionate watchdogs” in county government because the budget is very complex and can be difficult to understand.

”I will always be happy to have an open discussion with anyone who has taken the time to read through it and come up with solutions,” he said.

Preserving local history and supporting outdoor recreation will make the area attractive to young homeowners and new businesses, he said. Lombardo said he is in the process of creating a “Keep Luzerne County Beautiful” initiative.

He’d also like to revisit the county’s home rule charter to determine if changes are warranted, including switching some of the 11 council seats to districts instead of at large to prevent a “power vacuum of people from one or two towns making decisions for everyone.”

Information on his campaign is available by searching “John Lombardo for Luzerne County Council” on Facebook.

John Lombardo announces run for Luzerne County Council