An Open Letter to the Town Board

[TheBlueEagle]

Dear members of the Hamburg Town Board,

We, the voters and taxpayers of the Town of Hamburg bestowed upon you complete control over the Town of Hamburg since the inception of the Hoak administration in January 1993. In the succeeding fourteen, years government accountability and your residents confidence in their town government has been at an all time low, while town spending is at an historical high. Your lock step position with one another has wasted our money and valued resources. Unlike yourselves whose political appointments reads like a list of grade school science fair awards, our commoner status disconnected from your insiders political game confers no special appointments and thousands of dollars in bonuses akin to the ones granted to you. We, the voters, are sick of this sham. We are watching your activities that you make in your official capacity as board members during your meetings. You forgot all of us during your fourteen year long game. We won't forget you in the polling place this November.

Signed,
The Blue Eagle's Commoner Club

[j.camareri]

Dear Councilpeople,
Why do you continue to think we, the residents, are a pack of buffoons? Rather than address the will of the residents, you take each public meeting and turn it into a love fest. If I hear one more councilperson congratulates another councilperson on a "job well done," I'm going to kvetch. Your appointment of Dick Smith in the vacant council seat spoke volumes on how little you care about the input of the people you are paid to represent. You view us as the petit bourgeousie and frankly, we are all SICK of it.

By the way, I also see the Democratic Smear Machine has starting sputtering up already, with the Sun letter debasing Tom Best. I hope you all realize that you're beating a dead horse regarding Tom Best and his campaign contributions. Tom Best has support far beyond what you're even capable of understanding, and will no doubt, win this November. When that day comes, and the 14-year party is over, please be gentlemen about it, rather than commissioning people to write "Bring back Pat Hoak." Although I'd be lying if I said I didn't find that one hilarious.

Thank you.

[crabapples]

Nice ceremonial letters guys/gals. The reason they havent listened to you in 14 years is because they get reelected by large amounts of votes year in and year out. Why would they care what the Republicans say? Just like any other town in this area where the control has been one party for a long period of time, there won't be any change or consideration given until the voters make changes. The board just writes off the few vocal people (yourselves) and hopes that the general electorate writes you off too.

Should be interesting to see if the people of Hamburg awake from their 14 year stupor or if they continue to go to the polls and pull a straight Dem ticket again.

[j.camareri]

Nice ceremonial letters guys/gals. The reason they havent listened to you in 14 years is because they get reelected by large amounts of votes year in and year out. Why would they care what the Republicans say? Just like any other town in this area where the control has been one party for a long period of time, there won't be any change or consideration given until the voters make changes. The board just writes off the few vocal people (yourselves) and hopes that the general electorate writes you off too.

Should be interesting to see if the people of Hamburg awake from their 14 year stupor or if they continue to go to the polls and pull a straight Dem ticket again.

Crabapples, you're exactly right. When every single member of the New York State Leg. was voted back in this past fall (with the exception of Antoine Thompson who won), my jaw dropped. It's jarring to think there are that many people who just don't care, or just vote for a last name they think they remember seeing before. Old habits die hard. Plus, there still exists that number of people who say, "I never vote ----," refusing to vote outside of their party. That's pretty close-minded. As conservative as I may be ideologically speaking, I vote the person, and have voted Democrat before because of a candidate I was impressed with (just not in the town. And now that I think about it, never in the town, as long as Sorrentino runs their show).

The stakes are pretty high in Hamburg though and I think the residents, in general, are ready for something new (that means, not Dick Smith).

[ritefromrong1949]

Crabapples, you're exactly right. When every single member of the New York State Leg. was voted back in this past fall (with the exception of Antoine Thompson who won), my jaw dropped. It's jarring to think there are that many people who just don't care, or just vote for a last name they think they remember seeing before. Old habits die hard. Plus, there still exists that number of people who say, "I never vote ----," refusing to vote outside of their party. That's pretty close-minded. As conservative as I may be ideologically speaking, I vote the person, and have voted Democrat before because of a candidate I was impressed with (just not in the town. And now that I think about it, never in the town, as long as Sorrentino runs their show).

The stakes are pretty high in Hamburg though and I think the residents, in general, are ready for something new (that means, not Dick Smith).

when the late, great Lou Billittier ran a few years back he was able to get people to cross over party lines and lost by only 300 some votes in a Town heavily registered to democrats. If it wasn't for all the serious arm twisting done inside the town hall to employees he would have been the supervisor instead of hoak. expect the same tactics and more this time around because you are correct there is a lot at stake. Best can get those same cross over votes and hopefully more.

[My2cents]

when the late, great Lou Billittier ran a few years back he was able to get people to cross over party lines and lost by only 300 some votes in a Town heavily registered to democrats. If it wasn't for all the serious arm twisting done inside the town hall to employees he would have been the supervisor instead of hoak. expect the same tactics and more this time around because you are correct there is a lot at stake. Best can get those same cross over votes and hopefully more.

Don't forget the critical conservative endorsement of Hoak that was done in return for political favors. If Billittier had gotten the conservative endorsement he would have won. I don't know the particulars but I'm sure a deal was done back then just as it was done this year.