This is one guy who does not let up.

Mark Robbins, whose car was towed on June 1 in the city of Wilkes-Barre, is taking his battle to the people.

He has announced a rally in front of City Hall for Saturday Sept. 17, from 2-4 p.m. Mayor Tom Leighton and anyone else who wishes to attend the “apolitical” event is welcome.

However, because the “benefit and anti-corruption protest”  is being called “CORRUPTION IN ‘LEIGHTON LAND,’ ” we’re not so sure the mayor will attend.

We wonder whether the city will order Robbins to get a permit.  Or charge him for extra police personnnel to enforce order.  Or for firefighters in case a fire erupts.  Don’t laugh, remember Thom Greco had to pay for off-duty firefighters to attend his latest nightclub grand opening  just in case there was a fire?

Surely Robbins won’t bring his car into the city where’s it’s almost certain that LAG owner, Leo Glodzik, will be waiting for the very second his meter runs out to tow it.

Seriously though, Robbins is not kidding.  He is actively seeking those, who, like him, believe they were gouged by LAG. 

He continues to charge that Mayor Leighton has allowed Glodzik’s company to charge fees exceeding industry standards in violation of his contract and that city police Chief Gerard Dessoye does not demand that he provide monthly vehicle inventories, also a requirement.

And Robbins wants to know whether Leighton will revoke Glodzik’s contract if he is convicted on pending charges that he assaulted a Kingston Township police officer.

We’d like to know the answer to that one too, although we don’t see why the mayor would have to divulge that in advance.

Robbins is raising some valid issues here.  Whether he can prove his other allegations of bribery and kickbacks is another story.  He has contacted the authorities to investigate.

This is a pretty amazing story.  Most people who get towed certainly don’t like it but never carry it this far.

It is a little strange that Leo Glodzik pays the city $50,000 for an exclusive contract.  Is that common practice?

So, yes, we can’t help but admire Robbins’ zeal in fighting City Hall on his own behalf  and on others’.  In his press release, he said he’s willing to give $5,000 to aid those who were unable to afford the city’s “monopoly prices.”

He encourages those who believe they’ve been victimized to contact him at Mark@gratefulhands.net. He said whoever submits a legitimate claim “will receive at least some money.”

If anyone thinks Robbins is not someone to be reckoned with, think again.  He holds a master’s degree in business administration, is a former senior financial analyst and now writes Christian books and ministers to the poor and vulnerable.

It’s not that he couldn’t afford to pay his towing fee.  He seems to worry more about those who can’t.

You can’t fight City Hall?  Think again.

Forty Fort resident Mark Robbins is not taking lightly the June 1 towing of his car in the city of Wilkes-Barre.

This is a guy who does not mess around and does not pull any punches.  He has taken on City Hall with the aggression of Conan the Barbarian.  If you’re curious, check out his website, www.gratefulhands.net where you can read his feature, ”Cars for Cash.”  To say the least, it is thought-provoking.

A few weeks ago, Robbins, who’s highly educated and an author, stunned the city council when he accused Mayor Tom Leighton, city police Chief Gerald Dessoye and city tower, Leo Glodzik of a kickback scheme.   He was furious when his car, which had an expired registration, was towed.  He claims he was charged $200, which exceeded the contracted rate and that his car was damaged in the process.

Leighton wasn’t at that council meeting, and it’s a good thing he wasn’t.  When former city tower Bob Kadluboski allegedly called him a thief prior to being escorted -again- from a recent council meeting, Leighton responded, “Goodnight, Cupcake.”  God only knows what the mayor would have called Robbins after he accused him of a felony in a public forum.

And as if things weren’t already bad enough, now the city council has attracted the attention of the ACLU after announcing it may change the rules regarding citizen input.  Chairwoman Kathy Kane said the council should not have to tolerate unruly citizens time and time again.  She said the council is not targeting Cupcake.  LOL!!!!!

But back to Mark.  His charges are no laughing matter.  He firmly believes that the city is guilty of predatory practices in giving Glodzik a monopoly to tow illegally-parked vehicles and to then charge whatever he wants.

Robbins said he not only paid $650 to take a polygraph test to verify what happened when he confronted Glodzik and city police about his towed car, but that he also has plans to contact almost every agency out there to investigate what he believes is collusion between Leighton, the cops and L.A.G.

These are pretty serious allegations.  If Robbins is concerned about being sued for slander or libel, there is no hint of that in his website postings.  It’s simply amazing how much research he has done.

His accusations also include fraud and police prejudice.  He said a city police sergeant told him he was lucky that L.A.G. gave him his car back because normally Glodzik would tow it to his house.  At his own expense, we presume.  Lucky to be able to drive his own car home?  If that is true, that is outrageous. 

“Profits are being made off the backs of the poorest, most vulnerable and most defenseless citizens, ” Robbins said.

Don’t count Robbins, though, as among the defenseless, because he’s fighting back.  His ministry, Grateful Hands, represents the poor and vulnerable.

It’s uncertain, so far, whether he is tottering on a very perilous tightrope accusing the mayor and police chief of Wilkes-Barre and others of serious crimes or whether he may actually be onto something.

Either way, it appears that city officials have messed with the wrong guy.