County Executive race: A referendum on unions?

I haven't written too much about the race for County Executive, but one item caught my eye the other day. It was reported in the Buffalo News that the salary of Mark Poloncarz' campaign manager, Jennifer Hibit, was being paid by a local union (the Service Employees International Union). I also read where he received a $20,000 donation from the New York City Port Authority PBA. One has to wonder what interest a group so far removed from WNY has in this race. I seriously doubt they are helping him out of the kindness of their hearts...

The Police Benevolent Association of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey contributed $20,000 to the Poloncarz campaign, one of the largest single sums donated to Poloncarz, according to new campaign finance records filed with the state Board of Elections.

That prompted Collins to criticize his opponent for accepting such a significant donation from a police union based in Englewood Cliffs, N. J..

“He’s a pawn of Jersey union bosses who are giving him tens of thousands of dollars in a last-minute push to take our government away from taxpayers,” Collins said. “They know he will give the special interests anything they want, regardless of the cost to taxpayers.”

I fail to see how Poloncarz could negotiate future contracts in an unbiased fashion when his strings are being so blatantly pulled by the unions. I think Poloncarz has run a good campaign and I find him to be well spoken. However, the unions would not spend this kind of money, were they not expecting something in return. If I was in a union, I'd be more likely to vote Poloncarz. Since I'm not, I'll probably be sticking with Collins.
Collins assails union donation to Poloncarz






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