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Thread: Proposition to increase the number of councilmen

  1. #16
    Member dtwarren's Avatar
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    Vote yes!:


    town of west seneca proposition no. 1




    shall the town of west seneca increase the number of councilpersons from two (2) to four (4) effective january 1, 2014?


    ( yes ) or ( no )


    proposition no. 1 abstract

    statement of proposition: The purpose of the proposition stated on the ballot is to consider increasing the number of council members on the west seneca town board from two (2) council members to four (4) council members. The west seneca town board would then consist of four (4) council members and the town supervisor.

    Impact: Passage of the proposed proposition would increase the representation of the west seneca town board so that the west seneca town board would consist of four (4) town council members and the town supervisor.

    Effect: A “yes” vote would result in the addition of two (2) town council members, resulting in the west seneca town board consisting of four (4) town council members and a town supervisor. Therefore, at the biennial town election held on november 5, 2013, three council members would be elected.

    A “no” vote would leave the composition of the west seneca town board as it presently stands consisting of two (2) council members and the town supervisor. Therefore, at the biennial town election held on november 5, 2013, one council member would be elected.
    “We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” ― Thomas Jefferson

  2. #17
    Member dtwarren's Avatar
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    I do not understand why Mr. Gaughan would want to "debate" a town board member. They did not ask for this the people of West Seneca did. The Town board does not have the power to unilaterally increase it's size, we the voters do. So shouldn't Mr. Gaughan want to debate one the people who supported this petition drive to get this question on the ballot and who is urging other voters to vote for it?

    He should but he will not just like in 2009 when a debate was to be moderated by Kevin Hardwick on his then radio show Hardline with Hardwick. Mr. Gaughan danced around and then finally bailed stating he would rather debate a politician. That is after he called me a politician.

    Before Mr. Gaughan engages anyone in a debate or addresses our Town Board I think it is only fair he answer a few questions:

    1) Since you are not registered to vote in West Seneca nor do you pay property taxes in West Seneca, what interest in this issue do you have?

    2) Where was the support to the downsized Town Board that you and your supporters promised in 2009 the past several years?

    3) You state that the town board did not do enough to work within a downsized board, however for all of 2010 and 2011 the town board was led by Mr. Piotrowski who supported downsizing how can you make that statement?

    4) Since the decision to downsize was made by a 2 to 1 margin why are you so concerned with this question being presented to the people again?

    5) Are you also asking to debate the Alden Town Board and going door to door there as well? If not, why is West Seneca being treated differently than Alden?
    “We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” ― Thomas Jefferson

  3. #18
    Member yokes's Avatar
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    probably because since there wasnt actually enough signatures in time to get on the ballot, the town board needed to intervene. So it would make sense to ask for them to debate it since they are putting it on the ballot

    How many signatures ended up being collected? that would help clarify whether the people of West Seneca actually did indeed ask for this or just a small group.

    not to be a scrooge but the People of West Seneca already clarified their will in downsizing in the first place.

  4. #19
    Member dtwarren's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by yokes View Post
    probably because since there wasnt actually enough signatures in time to get on the ballot, the town board needed to intervene. So it would make sense to ask for them to debate it since they are putting it on the ballot

    How many signatures ended up being collected? that would help clarify whether the people of West Seneca actually did.

    not to be a scrooge but the People of West Seneca already clarified their will in downsizing in the first place.
    It was a matter of timing rather than the number. Would you have rather us pay for a special election in the middle of January because then you can say the people did ask for it?

    The people did ask for it and the town board recognized that voting on this question was inevitable so rather than waste the money for less voter turn-out they did the right thing.

    You may already be aware of this but Mr. Piotrowski put forward a similar resolution BEFORE Gaughan and crew circulated their petition in 2009. I am sure those that support a 3 member board would not be advancing that argument if that resolution passed. So one can say the TB learned from the past.
    “We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” ― Thomas Jefferson

  5. #20
    Member yokes's Avatar
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    no problem with when its being held. I get it the town didnt vote the right way when there was a bunch of press around it and everyones paying attention and went out and voted. now is a good time to get it reversed

    BTW how many signatures did you get?

  6. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by John Blando View Post
    There is a story in the W.S. Bee today regarding the up-sizing of the town board. Mr Gaughan asserts that the town board is behind this proposition. That is so far from the truth! The town board is just doing as the petitions compel them to do. Put the question to the town's residents. He has no business in this town and is not entitiled to an opinion on how we choose to be represented.
    Asking the Town Board to debate this issue is inproper since they didn't ask for this to be brought to a vote, they are not the people to debate on our behalf.
    Mr. Gaughan GO AWAY and let the people decide!
    Blando, HAHAHAHAHAHA, Blando - now, that's funny

  7. #22
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    I used to be for downsizing years ago.

    More representation is better. It is a matter of should there be funds allocated to representatives at levels closest to the people.

    This is a good thread.
    Democrats Against UN Agenda 21 - Democrats Against UN Agenda 21

  8. #23
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    3 is too few 5 would be better. Just have to make sure you don't get 5 easily lead people who's best intentions are their own versus the general community they supply services to. These are positions that are basically won in a contest. Some contestants will mislead the community for their own self interest. Human nature

  9. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by WNYresident View Post
    3 is too few 5 would be better. Just have to make sure you don't get 5 easily lead people who's best intentions are their own versus the general community they supply services to. These are positions that are basically won in a contest. Some contestants will mislead the community for their own self interest. Human nature
    Let's hope that if this passes, we don't get a bunch of repeats running for the open seats! We certainly don't need Bove, Graber, Hicks, Blando or others that didn't make it the last time to pop up again and try to slip back in! That would be stepping back in time and NOT accomplishing anything.

  10. #25
    Member dtwarren's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by truth seeker View Post
    Let's hope that if this passes, we don't get a bunch of repeats running for the open seats! We certainly don't need Bove, Graber, Hicks, Blando or others that didn't make it the last time to pop up again and try to slip back in! That would be stepping back in time and NOT accomplishing anything.
    That too is up to the people. It is the people that decide to run for office, sign petitions to get candidates on the ballots, vote in primaries and vote in the general election.
    “We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” ― Thomas Jefferson

  11. #26
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Quote Originally Posted by dtwarren View Post
    That too is up to the people. It is the people that decide to run for office, sign petitions to get candidates on the ballots, vote in primaries and vote in the general election.
    But "Which People". In Cheektowaga it is the "Democratic Social Club" that seems from the outside is ran out of our sanitation department.

  12. #27
    Member yokes's Avatar
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    How many signarures did you end up with?

  13. #28
    Member yokes's Avatar
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    nevermid found it. roughly 1.8% of the poulation in town signed according to the news.

  14. #29
    Member dtwarren's Avatar
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    I last counted on 9/7 that we had just over 700 and we have continued to gather signatures since even after the board passed it's resolution in the event of a challenge that I have not yet counted.

    For the doubting thomas' out there here is where Mr. Piotrowski tried to pass the resolution to get it on the ballot befoe a petition drive was even begun: http://westseneca.net/bdmin08/mi080728.html

    Below is the e-mail I sent to the Town Board on 9/22 and attached is the proposed resolution that was attached to it:

    From: Daniel T. Warren [mailto:d.warren@roadrunner.com]
    Sent: Saturday, September 22, 2012 7:48 AM
    To: 'Sheila Meegan'; 'ehart@TWSNY.ORG'; 'jrusinski@TWSNY.ORG'
    Cc: Shawn Martin
    Subject: Proposition to increase the number of councilmen in the Town of West Seneca.

    Dear Mrs. Meegan and Messrs. Hart and Rusinski,

    As you may already know I am part of a group of citizens working towards putting the question of whether or not to increase the number of councilmen in our town from 2 to 4. While we intended to have completed this petitioning process in time for you to be able to place this question on the ballot for the upcoming general election, we fell short. However, we are so close we have decided to continue collecting signatures because we cannot simple waste the efforts of so many who gathered signatures by letting this drop.

    I do not expect any of you to take a position on the merits of this question. However I am writing to you hoping that you would exercise your discretion to voluntarily place this question to the electors of our town for the sake of saving money and insuring that the greatest number of our Town’s voters will have the opportunity to cast their vote on this question.

    I am respectfully submitting a proposed resolution to accomplish this for your review and consideration.

    Yours,

    Daniel Warren
    Attached Files Attached Files
    “We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” ― Thomas Jefferson

  15. #30
    Member dtwarren's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by yokes View Post
    nevermid found it. roughly 1.8% of the poulation in town signed according to the news.
    But what was required was 5% of the number of West Seneca voters that voted in the last election for Governor which was 907 so as of 9/7 we had 77% of the signatures required.
    “We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” ― Thomas Jefferson

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