A Federal judge did in one day what the entire Erie County Legislature couldn't do in six months. New district lines will be created to have the legislature go from 15 to 11 useless members. This means Tim "Einstein" Whalen, the handpicked candidate of the South Buffalo entitled class, will have to face Thomas Mazur of Cheektowaga in a cross town Mick/Polack primary...
Democrats Thomas J. Mazur of Cheektowaga and Timothy J. Whalen of South Buffalo would have to face off in a district covering the western half of Cheektowaga and part of South Buffalo.
Unfortunately, this means newcomers cannot enter the primary. However, that doesn't mean bloggers can't put their stamp on the race. I will be making every possible effort to meet with Mazur and try to get him a few South Buffalo votes. The "South Buffalo Team" is nothing more than career political families, who don't give a rat's ass about the neighborhood (most don't even live in the city). While we're driving up South Park or down Seneca Street or getting our cars vandalized on McKinley Parkway, they're enjoying the summer at their luxurious cottages (paid for by our tax dollars) or down in Florida for the winter. When they tell you the Whalens and the Keanes have been good for South Buffalo, they really mean the Whalens and the Keanes have been good to the Whalens and Keanes. Don't be fooled by these professional burglers. They want competition. They're going to get it. If you live in South Buffalo, I urge you to join a real South Buffalo team and vote for Mazur. Federal court judge imposes 11 new legislative districts
I think if the average person paid attention to things, the days would be numbered for the entire Erie County Legislature. Last Fall, voters overwhelmingly voted to reduce the size of the body from 15 to 11 members. The Democrats and Republicans cannot come up with a plan to do this. They don't seem to get the concept that, if the Legislature is reduced by 4 seats, 4 people will have to leave the group.
As I've pointed out in the past, the group does nothing now, that the all volunteer Board of Governors did before at no cost. Instead, we pay each lawmaker $43,000, we pay for their satellite offices, and we pay for their staff. Buffalo police officer Barbara Miller-Williams made a complete mockery of the position by working full time as a cop, part time (or should I say no time?) as a lawmaker, AND still racking up tons of police overtime. Talk about nerve. She's either Superwoman or the Erie County Legislature is the place to be for scammers.
Now, a Democratic Committeeman from Hamburg is suing to have the Legislature stay at 15 members. He obviously was put up to this by current lawmakers. Looking to earn points with the professional dirtbags, he is all too willing to prostitute himself...
A Democratic committeeman— unconnected to the Legislature — has filed a lawsuit complaining that downsizing cannot take place this year anyway because of a technicality in state law. Democratic Elections Commissioner Dennis E. Ward has said the committeeman, Dennis F. Chapman of Hamburg, consulted with him before the papers were filed.
The Republicans note that Ward tried to block last year’s downsizing referendum by citing an obscure legal glitch. The GOP lawmakers later agreed in their news conference Thursday that the Republican elections commissioner, Ralph M. Mohr, cited the glitch as well, and both commissioners stood shoulder to shoulder when they were challenged in court.
In the long run, this is a good thing. The longer these crooks try to stall, the sooner residents will wake up and realize how irrelevant the body is. Do we need to pay this group of liars well over $500,000/year or should we just appoint a group of volunteer liars? The whole group needs to be eliminated. Don't listen to them when they tell us we need them. I can assure you their departure will not impact your life at all. They literally do nothing and get paid well for it.
All the towns colored in yellow would encompass one district under the Erie County Legislature's "protect their own hides" redistricting plan. Do they really think the residents of Erie County are that stupid?
I've been saying for years, the most unnecessary layer of government in Western New York is the irrelevant Erie County Legislature. It is a part time job with a full time staff member. They do nothing except pass the budget once a year.
Now, "Einstein" Whalen and the rest of the incompetents might have gotten a little too greedy, even by their own standards. Their redistricting process has been filled with politics. The whole process has been designed to ensure the reelection of each member. Some fool came up with a proposal to lump all the small towns into a huge "mega district", thus proving what I've said for the last three years. They are a completely unnecessary layer of government. They do nothing that the all volunteer Board of Managers did for years. It was nice to see the leaders of these towns and villages finally agreeing with me. Please tell me people will finally wake up and rid themselves of these career politicians, and the tight grip they've had on our wallets...
"This will bring an end to legislative government as we now know it," Pero said. "We will petition and force a referendum vote to return to a board of supervisors and mayors."
That would be a fairer way to represent residents, he said.
Mr. Pero: As soon as the petition is ready, we will do everything in our power to make sure it goes through South Buffalo. The Erie County Legislature is an ongoing joke (on the taxpayers). If these people are our representatives, please give us less representation. Southtowns officials voice opposition to Dems' redistricting plan
Does anyone have regionalism advocate Kevin Gaughan's email address? I'm trying to email him this letter regarding the special election for the Erie County Legislator seat vacated by the always fresh Tim "Horton's" Kennedy:
Mr. Gaughan,
I appreciate all of your efforts to downsize Western New York and free us from unnecessary and expensive layers of government. I am writing to you about the Erie County Legislature. We currently pay the part time lawmakers $43,000/yr. We also pay the salaries of their full time staff members as well as the cost of maintaining their satellite offices in the district.
For years, the County was governed by an all volunteer Board of Managers, consisting of the leaders of various towns and villages in Erie County. Their only role was to approve and make amendments to the County Executive's fiscal budget. Coincidentally, this is the same thing we now pay our current members and their staff to do. The only people who benefit from the current group of legislators are their close friends and family. They are a burden on the hardworking taxpayers.
I am looking for information and support on specifically how much money we pay each year (in salaries, pension costs, office rentals,etc.) for this completely unnecessary layer of government. I'm exploring a possible protest candidacy calling attention to this issue and for the future elimination of the entire Legislature. I live in the 2nd Legislative District currently "represented" by Timothy Whalen. A special election for this seat will be held this Fall. In my opinion, if the people knew how unnecessary these seats were, they would support a future referendum calling for the elimination of them. In an age where we're calling for cutbacks to police officers, firefighters, and teachers, we need to start cutting first with politicians.
I've been a coach and youth sports organizer in South Buffalo for 20 years. In this role, I've come to know thousands of hardworking families. 1,500 people a week read this blog. I have a Bachelors degree in Psychology from UB and a Masters degree in Physical Education from Canisius College. (Unfortunately, not being related to the Keanes, Brian Higgins, or any of the other South Buffalo political families has made finding a decent job in this economically depressed area a little tough.) However, I have no problem competing against them, since I know the residents of the 2nd District would be behind this issue. Thank you very much for your time. I am definitely interested in promoting your call for leaner government in Western New York. My email address is Blake14220@yahoo.com.
Picture here receiving the endorsement of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown for Erie County Legislator is Mark "Rogo" Rogowski.
Lifelong South Buffalo resident Mark "Rogo" Rogowski is considering a run for Tim Keane-Whalen's seat on the Erie County Legislature. Rogowski coached thousands of baseball players throughout the years and is a longtime businessman in South Buffalo. He cites Whalen's support for Barbara Miller-Williams as Majority Leader as an insult to all Western New York Democrats. (Miller-Williams had the support of all the Western New York Republican Legislators but only two Democrats.)
In addition to being well known in South Buffalo, Kaisertown, Seneca Babcock, and Lovejoy, Rogowski has vast political support in the city of Lackawanna. He also has the backing of South District Councilman Mickey Kearns and was listed as one of People Magazine's 25 most influencial Americans in 2010. He was kicked out of Harvard's prestigious John F. Kennedy School of Government (incidentally the same school that gave Brian Higgins his FAKE degree.)
On a serious note, Kearns' crew, led by Rogo, have been hard at work plowing the streets of South Buffalo. They have been getting both sides of the side streets. In fact, their work has not gone unnoticed. A few city workers have asked Rogo and his crew to slow down, saying they are making the full time workers look bad and cutting into their overtime. Fortunately, most residents don't care who plows the streets, as long as they are plowed in a timely manner. To Rogo and his crew of drunks, ex-cons, and anti-social misfits, we say, "Keep up the great work!" Here is some recent footage of one of Rogo's guys hard at work...
Philanthropist Robert Gioia tried to lesson the burden on taxpayers in an effort to privately fund the cultural organizations of Erie County. Barbara Miller-Williams made a fool out of herself by turning down the money and trying to label Gioia as the bad guy. Miller-Williams is the Buffalo police officer who doubles as a $43,000/year part time County Legislator. She even has the audacity to work overtime as a police officer, thus emphasizing the irrelevancy of her position as lawmaker (as well as the other 13 members of the do-nothing Legislature).
Gioia is now bypassing the entire Legislature with his plan. Who can blame him? They are an irrelevant body. They need to be eliminated, as they are an unnecessary layer of government. South Buffalo representative and MENSA member Tim Keane-Whalen didn't say anything during the hearing, but did play with his tie a few times...
The circus is in town down at County Hall. It's hardball season as the County Executive and County Legislature begin their annual debate over the budget and taxes. From this clip, I can tell you Lynn Marinelli has been in office way too long. It will be interesting to see who wins this tug of war. My bet is that it is going to get very ugly, very fast...
The County Legislature got a little brighter today... Kennedy Making exit from Legislature
Timothy M. Kennedy told his Erie County Legislature colleagues Thursday that he has cast his last votes as a county lawmaker and will step aside, both to make room for his successor and to assume his seat in the State Senate come January.
It might not be the popular thing to say, but I think County Executive Chris Collins is making some tough choices. The easy way out would be to fund the culturals and raise property taxes. He campaigned as a guy who was going to trim the fat in Erie County spending and I think he's trying to do that.
I like the Arts as much as the next person. However, during a recession, I don't know if government should be responsible for funding these groups. I'd love to sit down with Collins or one of his staffers and talk about what a County Legislator's workday consists of. These are the people whose jobs need to be eliminated. They do nothing. Please give us less "representation."
This from Bob McCarthy's column in todays Buffalo News, regarding what political opportunist will be appointed to Tim "Little Antoine" Kennedy's vacant seat on the Erie County Legislature...
• With South Buffalo’s Tim Kennedy moving on to a seat in the State Senate, maneuvering is already under way to fill his vacancy in the County Legislature. Most speculation is centering around Tim Whalen, who is backed by Rep. Brian Higgins—and that is significant.
Also in the mix is School Board Member Lou Petrucci, another familiar name in city politics. Other names being mentioned include Brian Bollman, who works in the office of Council Member Rich Fontana; and Mark Rutecki, an employee of the Medical Examiner’s Office.
The thing to watch in this appointment is in which camp the new legislator lands. While Kennedy was part of a coalition friendly to Republican County Executive Chris Collins, a new legislator might not follow that route and chip away at the Legislature’s current majority.
The situation is expected to be addressed during a meeting of district committee members in early December.
Whalen will mark the third intellectually challenged candidate Higgins has endorsed in a row. (Jeff Conrad and Tim Kennedy were the other two.) Higgins obviously likes to choose people he can control, over those that actually possess leadership ability or intelligence. This way, they will never be a real threat to him.
The South Buffalo rooster tells me there is another candidate in the mix that has the backing of South District Councilman Mickey Kearns, as well as substantial support in Lackawanna. This unnamed candidate plans on running against whomever the Democratic Committee members are told to support. I'll have a name shortly.
It's been my longstanding belief that the entire Erie County Legislature is an irrelevant body. For decades, the all volunteer Board of Managers served the exact same function. They consisted of elected city and town leaders that met with one goal in mind:to approve the County budget. Today, we pay each legislator $43,000 for the part time job of doing the exact same thing! They do nothing else. For proof of this, see Barbara Miller-Williams. In addition to being a County Legislator, she was also a full time Buffalo police officer. She had the audacity to work overtime to pad her police pension upon retirement. How could she work a full time job, plus overtime, and have time to perform any duties as a legislator? Easy. As an Erie County Legislator, one has no duties! We formed an entire new layer of government, costing the taxpayers more money.
I've heard regionalism advocate Kevin Gaughan talk about the old Board of Managers, as well as many other people. It would be interesting to see a protest candidate run (say a South Buffalo blogger) and pledge to do everything possible to call for the elimination of the entire body. What an opportunity to educate the public on where their taxes are really going. You have the salary of the legislators, their full time assistants, and the cost of operating and heating their district offices. Trust me. We can survive without the likes of Tim Whalen or Lou Petrucci taking up space and pretending to be leaders. The candidate's signs could read: Vote for me and help me eliminate my useless seat.
Please remember to tell your friends and neighbors to vote Yes tomorrow to reduce the size of the Erie County Legislature. The politicians want you to vote No so they and their staff can keep their no-show, do-nothing jobs. Barbara Miller-Williams says you will lose your "representation." What representation do you have now?
This lady was able to do this job in addition to being a full time Buffalo Police officer. She also had the nerve to rack up tons of overtime. To hear her tell it, she worked around the clock for 24 hours straight each day.This is the ultimate no-show job and needs to be eliminated entirely. Vote Yes, so we can go from 15 clowns who do nothing to 11 clowns who do nothing. Remember, it's on the back of the ballot. They put it there because they are hoping you and your elderly neighbors won't see it tomorrow.
There's an interesting story in the Buffalo News today about the County Legislature downsizing debacle. Clerk Robert Graber (notice how the last names never change?) alleges that Dennis Ward has acted to prevent the measure from going before the public...
According to Graber, Ward assured him not to worry about the public backlash.
"It will blow over," said Ward, according to Graber. Ward told him that "the county attorney will wear it," meaning the county attorney would face the public's scorn, Graber said.
"We'll be heroes," Ward continued, according to Graber.
This is really blowing up in Ward's face. The measure will be going before the voters and he is looking like an upholder of the dysfunctional status quo. The Erie County Legislature is an irrevelant do-nothing body. They and their staff should be reduced from 15 to 0. Years ago, the all-volunteer Board of Managers did their job at no cost. It's time to return to that format and force this talentless bunch to the private sector...
Talk about ridiculous. Bowing to public pressure, the Erie County Legislature finally agreed to put a referendum before the voters to shrink it's body from 15 to 11 members. Fearful of their friends and relatives losing patronage jobs, the Republican and Democratic Elections Commissioners are using a ridiculous loophole to prevent it from going to a public vote...
The commissioners Friday cited an arcane legal argument in scuttling a referendum to shrink the Legislature from 15 members to 11.
In their strict view of state Election Law, the wrong office within the county bureaucracy sent them the paperwork to set up the referendum.
Both theorized that Ward and Mohr do not want the matter reaching voters because of the political implications of a smaller Legislature: incumbents from both parties risk losing their seats; patronage appointees risk lost incomes.
I can't see the two commissioners getting away with this. It's a slap in the face to the residents of Erie County. The legislature does nothing. It is irrelevant. The people are tired of these career politicians and want to see less of them. Public pressure needs to be put on Dan Ward and Ralph Mohr to allow the vote to continue. The voters want shrinkage...
Betty Jean Grant-What an unbelievable scam artist.
I've been saying for years, the biggest scam being purpotrated on Western New York taxpayers is the continued exhistence of the Erie County Legislature in it's current form.
Despite what these liars claim, everyone knows the only job of this elected body is to pass a budget each year. It is a part time job in the truest sense of the word. A part time job that pays $43,000 annually. For years, an all volunteer Board of Managers did exactly the same thing as these bozos at zero cost.
Some are trying to scam us even more by becoming eligible for full time pensions. Just what we need. More incentive for the bottom feeders we know better as career politicians. From the Buffalo News article:
No county lawmaker reported more hours than Betty Jean Grant. The Buffalo Democrat’s logs indicate she toils late into the night. She can often be found in her district office up to 11 p. m., returning telephone calls or helping people register for the Home Energy Assistance Program. She even cleans her office, she says. Over the three months, Grant reported working the equivalent of 31.39 days a month — or more days than are contained in any month. “If you really want to find me between 8:30 p. m. and 11 p. m., call my district office,” Grant said. “For me, it is not an 8-to-4 or 9-to-5 job. It is for whenever I can make myself accessible. I think people need access to me when they want it, not when I want them to have it.”
Give me a freaking break. Only in Buffalo can you claim to work more more than 31 days a month and not get laughed off the stage. Grant is an outright liar. I'll bet she hasn't worked more than 31 days a year. It's good to know that we are paying her for the great job she does cleaning her office. Helping people obtain HEAP? Is that what we need our legislators for? How about you create private sector jobs so people don't need to be on HEAP. I drove by Tim Kennedy's South Park office on my way to school in the morning and on my way home in the afternoon for a full year. I never saw anyone in there once. Maybe he was out in the district helping people obtain HEAP?
The article then turns from ridiculous to hilarious when Barbara Miller-Williams explains (or attempts to explain) how she fudges her county hours so she doesn't become inelligible for her police pension...
Contrast Grant with Legislature Chairwoman Barbara Miller-Williams, who over a three-month period averaged the fewest full-time work days of any Erie County lawmaker, or 13.36 days a month. But Miller-Williams, D-Buffalo, filled out her logs when she was finishing a career as a Buffalo police officer. The department limits outside employment to no more than 20 hours a week. “On paper, I could not exceed that 20 hours or I would have gotten into a lot of trouble,” she said. Now that she’s retired from the department, she intends to log her hours for another three-month span. “You will see my hours drastically increase,” she said.
Get rid of this incompetent fool as soon as possible. She's so stupid, she admits, in print, that she lied about her part time job being no more than 20 hours per week. The sad part is it's probably not even a lie. The bigger lie, now that she's retiring and wants to scam us with yet another pension, is that she is working more than 20 hours a week. What a complete joke. Please read the comments underneath this article if you think I'm the only one that thinks we need to get rid of this entire body. What a scam! If every one of their jobs was eliminated, it would save us tons of money and would not adversely affect our lives in any way. County lawmakers’ logged work hours reveal inequalities : City & Region : The Buffalo News
The Erie County Legislature violated the Open Meetings Law and met today on Clinton Street in West Seneca to talk about downsizing. What they didn't count on was my camera being there. Absent was South Buffalo's representative Tim Kennedy. You remember him. He's the guy that supported Byron Brown for mayor over your neighbor Mickey Kearns. Now he's hoping you forget that and vote for him for State Senator. My sources tell me Kennedy could not make the illegal meeting today because he was cleaning Brian Higgin's house dressed in a French maid's outfit.
How could anyone read this article in today's paper and not get angry? I've been calling for the County Legislature to be eliminated for several years now. It is a completely useless body which does absolutely nothing that the old VOLUNTEER Board of Managers didn't do. Some points from the article that should make people stand up and demand their government back (but probably won't)...
Barbara Miller-Williams is a Buffalo Police officer as well as the Majority Leader of the County Legislature. Last year, she racked up $51,000.00 in police overtime. This is not a misprint. It's hard to be sympathetic towards Buffalo police officers when most live in the suburbs, allow this blatant rip off of the taxpayers to go on, and then pull you over and harass you about your inspection sticker(because they are angry about their contracts.) Seriously, look around at the residents that pay your salaries and be very thankful for what you have.
"She's gaming the system, which is done by police officers all over the state, and it's costing the taxpayers a lot of money," said Lise Bang-Jensen, senior policy analyst with the Empire Center for New York State Policy, a research and advocacy organization based in Albany. "This is why the public is upset by the high cost of government," she said.
Miller-Williams admits to working 15-20 hours a week as a County Legislator. Sadly, she and the rest of her colleagues in this do-nothing group probably work less than that. For this part time, unnecessary position, each makes $43,000.00/year. This is not a misprint, either.
Brian Higgins handpicked the borderline disabled Tim Kennedy as our representative, not long after he handpicked the intellectually challenged Jeff Conrad to become city Councilman . Kennedy supported Byron Brown over South Buffalo native Mickey Kearns because uncle Brian told him to do so. Kennedy also was part of a coalition of Republicans that pushed for Barbara Miller-Williams to be the Majority Leader. So when Kennedy asks you for your vote this summer for State Assemblyman, please ask him why he supported Barbara Miller-Williams for the Majority Leader position. He did so because he cares more about Bri-Bri than he does about you and I.
Lynn Marinelli claims to work 40-60 hours a week as a County Legislature. Marinelli is a liar. She is a snake oil saleswomen who hasn't worked 40-60 hours/week in her entire life. Lynn, you're not fooling anybody. Go back into your cave. Please wake up and stop reelecting the same crooks. Legislature chairwoman's police OT is a pension lode : City & Region : The Buffalo News
The Erie County Legislature met tonight to discuss the downsizing issue. Civic leader Kevin Gaughan spoke about his plan to reduce the group to nine members. Legislator Tim Kennedy used the forum to profess his undying love for Congressman Brian Higgins until someone explained to him that the meeting was about downsizing. Talk about a group of idiots that do absolutely nothing. Erie County used to be led by an all volunteer Board of Managers until the politicians decided they needed more jobs. Listen to this woman Catherine Rieley Goddard speak out against downsizing. I just wonder which politician she works for.
The meeting was running smoothly until Kennedy began choking on a McRib sandwich and had to be escorted to the hospital. Listen to this interview on channel IV where he attempts to sound articulate with his ridiculously bad imitation of Brian Higgins. Notice carefully how he mispronounces the S in his use of the word embrace as if he's from Allentown.
This was an interesting article in today's paper. It looks like they are going to build an administration building at the Erie County Botanical Gardens. I just hope whatever they do maintains the feel of the park. The Botanical Gardens is one of the true hidden treasures in our area. It's ironic that the Olmstead Conservency built a 46 car parking lot on the property. This is the same group that opposed us letting the cars park at the Potters Rd. soccer field. At the time, they wanted parents and grandparents to walk from St. John's Church all the way to the fields. This was impractical and didn't fly.
This group does a great job with the parks, though. I just hope the new addition doesn't end up having a WalMart feel to it. One person commenting on the following article already doesn't like the look, but I think it's hard to tell from just an artist's rendition. Regardless, the Botanical Gardens will always be a great place to visit. Botanical Gardens’ office building, greenhouses get construction start*
"Little Timmy" Kennedy, pictured here, makes $43,000/per year to kiss Brian Higgins ass on a regular basis and advocate for such controversial issues as texting while driving.
It looks like the county legislature is looking for a new leader. I have no comment on that process. What's the difference? The legislature is a complete waste of tax dollars. They serve no real function. I've written before about how "Little Timmy" Kennedy is merely Brian Higgins' poop boy. Anybody with half a brain can tell you that.
If you are reading this and you voted for one of these entrenched incumbants, I have to say you're clueless. They make $43,000/year to do nothing. Literally nothing. Here is an excerpt from the full article in today's Buffalo News. It mentions Legislator Barbara Miller-Williams and talks about how, in addition to being a county legislator, Williams also works as a full-time Buffalo police officer and a US Army reservist. If she does these two important things, how many hours per week do you think she is devoting to being an Erie County Legislator? Yes, the answer is not many. "Little Timmy" Kennedy probably doesn't even know how to get to his district office. These imbeciles should be making about $5,000/year. They do absolutely nothing and you and I pay their salaries:
Miller-Williams works as a Buffalo police officer and serves in the U. S. Army Reserve, but she is in the process of retiring from the police force and says the time required for the Reserve is small.
