Home Rule panel's strong-mayor forces say attacks are unfair

"I think it's appalling that the new minority (commissioners) are sinking to the level of personal attacks," he said.

One of those commissioners, Annette Palutis, said Friday she did not mean to give the impression that she felt her fellow commissioners were playing politics. Mrs. Palutis said she believes those trying to manipulate the process are local politicians planning to run for office.

"I respect their right to vote the way they did," she said of the commissioners who favor a strong mayor. "I was upset with (Bob) Sheridan because he changed his vote."

Mrs. Palutis and Commissioner Wayne Evans, a strong mayor supporter, called for commission members to put aside their differences and work together to revamp the charter.

It was Mr. Sheridan's decision to switch his vote Wednesday from a city manager charter structure to a strong mayor form that generated the controversy. The switch enabled strong mayor proponents like Mr. Spano to call for a revote. The vote went 6-5 in favor of strong mayor.

Mr. Sheridan's waffling led city manager supporters, such as Mrs. Palutis and fellow commissioner Sharon Quinn, to the conclusion that Mr. Sheridan was pressured by those who want to maintain the status quo.

Mr. Spano said his support of a strong mayor system is based on his desire to have the people making decisions for the city on the ballot so he and other voters can judge their performance through the election process.

He also said his position on the city Planning Commission amounts to long hours of volunteer service.

"If they think that's a political reward, they're entitled to think that," he said, adding the implication that such involvement makes him so politically motivated that he cannot be objective is "shameful."

Mr. Spano also pointed out that Mrs. Palutis and Mrs. Quinn have been involved in political campaigns.

His criticism extended to members of Scranton Tomorrow's Efficient Government and Taxes Task Force, which he called a "rogue committee." The task force supports a city manager form of government and has heavily criticized Mr. Sheridan.

Mr. Spano said that it does appear city manager proponents are trying to advance their own agenda to get rid of Mayor Jim Connors through a change in the city's constitution.

He said the ploy would not work because a revised charter would not even take effect for two to four years, adding that the charter has nothing to do with the mayor's performance. He said council manager supporters are "perverting the process to serve partisan ends."

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