We Need Term Limits In Erie County

[PWolf]

Read the article I wrote for the Buffalo News below. Do you agree or disagree with term limits?

http://www.buffalonews.com/opinion/a...ounty-20140805

[NY The Vampire State]

It's foolish to think that a majority of the current idiots in power are going to change a system that gets them elected term after term. Don't hold your breath when it comes to these nimrods passing any legislation on term limits. Yea we need them badly, but this dilemma (like all of them) is up to the people to solve, not the politicians.

[WNYresident]

I'm mixed on this.

Would you risk limiting someone's term who might actually be doing an excellent job. In all honesty you rarely see that in the long run because decisions are made for self/party's best interest. I always thought the elected official represented the "voting property owners" not the "party".

[NY The Vampire State]

I think after a while anybody and everybody gets corrupted. Prime example is Maziarz, how many constituents were conned into thinking he was so wonderful but behind the scenes we figure out he's cheating with campaign funds. You can't trust anyone. And for that reason, the best thing is for a new group of individuals to start fresh and be pulled out before they can make any connections. There are plenty of people out there who are capable of holding elected office. New faces would be great every couple elections.

[4248]

I would support a ten year vesting process for tax funded pensions and or benefits entitlements.
Part of the reason many get hooked is it takes as little as 5 years in service to be entitled to life time tax funded benefits. Once they get their first few deferred compensation statements or their first NYS Pension entitlement notice their hooked.

In case you don't know - they have what's called deferred comp program - they can stash a portion of their "Pretaxed earnings" into this NYS investment account. Its like a group of mutual funds and can be vary lucrative - the first benefit is their tax funded pay is not taxed if deposited into the system. This should not be available until they are vested which like I stated should take at least ten years - not just one time getting reelected.

The mid term or late term appointments of two years or less should not count towards the vesting time calculation. Look at how many current elected officials where plugged in this way - then they fool voters by posing as incumbents when they run their first election cycle. Just another well used Dem trick - too many loop wholes that are abused on a regular basis.

Term limits per say wont happen - its a control issue. If forced to take a stand on term limits many will say yes - then if it would affect their parties control they back of. If it can be used to upset another Party - their all for it.

[WNYresident]

What we need to do is push people for office that will act on items like this out of the gate.

Not talk about it and then focus on something different once elected.

Who would have thought the Cuomo once elected was going to ram through the safe act like he did? Notice when there are other items that really should be rammed through it never happens. Funny how selective someone can be.

We should focus on the primaries in Sept and only push those who will start at the bottom to get term limits pushed through for the town boards they are running on. KNow what I mean?

I know Charley is running in a primary for cheektowaga. If he doesn't state he'll start a resolution for term limits on our town board we'll see if the people running against him will and push them instead. That was just the first example that popped into my mind.

[WNYresident]

I'd like to hear Alan Bedenko's opinion on term limits.

[WNYresident]

I'll scan this in at work tomorrow. It is a good read

Integrity in ELected Official Vital to voters

[PWolf]

An article I wrote in support of implementing term limits for Erie County offices ran in the Buffalo News.

http://www.buffalonews.com/opinion/a...ounty-20140805

What are your thoughts regarding term limits? Are you for or against?

A resolution introduced by Kevin Hardwick has been introduced and may come up for a vote in September.

[nogods]

I don't vote for incumbents.

But I see no reason to prevent my fellow citizens from doing so. Term limits impose restrictions on We the People in the exercise of our votes.

They are based on an illogical premise.

On the one hand, term limit laws assume that the majority of voters are too stupid to know who to vote for when an incumbent is in the race, but then assume those same voters are smart enough to pick the right candidate when there are no incumbents in the race. That's utter nonsense.

If the loser of an election can't convince a majority of the voters to vote for him or her without term limits, then term limits are just affirmative an action laws for people who would otherwise lose the elections.

There is no need for our laws to tell us who we can't vote for, and that is all term limits do. they restrict our right to vote.

[Colonel Sun]

I think Term Limits address a symptom of the problem, and not the solution. Better quality candidates, in districts that are not "gerrymandered" would go a long way toward fixing what is wrong in government. How many incumbents face token opposition? Because the district is biased? Does anyone here actually believe that Wepner has a sporting chance against Higgins? That Collins can lose to ANYONE in his district? Those districts are rigged to favor the Dem/Rep. Make them closer to 50/50 in composition and see what occurs.

Term Limits presupposes that you can find someone to run every few years. Ask Zellner or Langworthy how hard it is to get someone to run these days. Between the loss of privacy, the expense, the time and the work involved, I am amazed that anyone will do it. Now, make it necessary to recruit MORE people and see what you get!

I propose a shorter campaign season - 90 days. You can't raise money outside of that time, nor actively campaign. That makes the process more manageable for the newbie. I also propose public funding of campaigns.

Term Limits is a Band-Aid. You need to fix the gerrymandered districts and the money in politics to make things right.

[WNYresident]

On the one hand, term limit laws assume that the majority of voters are too stupid to know who to vote for when an incumbent is in the race, but then assume those same voters are smart enough to pick the right candidate when there are no incumbents in the race. That's utter nonsense.

On one hand when you have one party who misleads the community on the state of the community to get their candidate in cycle after cycle terms limits seem useful.

[4248]

How about "Party Limits" -

Look heres a major part of the election process problem - Its starts at the Board of Elections and runs right to the Village Committee level.

It doesn't matter if its Republicans or Democrats - if you go to the:

Erie County Elections Board
134 W Eagle St,
Room #311,
Buffalo, NY 14202

What will you see - "First" an for most a large room filled with "Party Patronage Workers" - all seem to be reviewing papers and talking on phones. But what are they doing ? Go look - find out ! Or better yet if you have the time - ask for a voter registration form - have a seat and just listen to the actual phone conversations -

If you want to talk to a specific "Party Rep" - you'll be directed to one of two doors where the secretary is - one Democrat - one Republic.

Where's all the "other parties offices"? - ask someone ! Let me know how that works for you !

Now, these are the people who safe guard the process and inner workings of everything from who gets on a ballot to where that persons names goes on that ballot. They handle all the voter registrations and listings of that info - who is registered - where they live - how many people in that home and who voted when. They also are involved in district issues and planning.

They also help create and sell registered voters lists - if they don't know you as a "Party Insider" the list you receive will first be on a disk your computer cant read - if you pay for printed party mailing labels - you'll get hundreds/thousands of preprinted address labels many of which are out dated or invalid.

If your a "Party Committee Member" you'll get a list/labels of current "Prime Voters" and registered voters in your party. "Prime Voters" are tracked voters who turn out for primaries and or by which major elections they usually participate in.

This is but a pretense of what's happening in the "Offices" behind the seldom open other doors to the inter sanctum of the "Board Chairman."

Term limits need to start here - these Board Chairman make their own deals with every committee and possible candidate through out the entire County. Contrary to what you may believe - at least with the Republicans - this Chairman is not elected - he is "Confirmed" by the Party Leaders.

At present the type of "Term Limit" you might image for the candidate/incumbent comes from here. If your parties Board Chairman says your in - your in - if he decides your out your term hit its limit. No he doesn't make that decision on his own - he directs the actions.(That's another story for another day)

The whole system is set to protect the two Party control game. If you have no true input as to who is even considered as a candidate - nothing will change.

Yes, if you have a few years - twenty or thirty people willing to devote the same amount of time - you might make a dent infiltrating a smaller local Committee.

[WNYresident]

How about "Party Limits" -

Look heres a major part of the election process problem - Its starts at the Board of Elections and runs right to the Village Committee level.

It doesn't matter if its Republicans or Democrats - if you go to the:

Erie County Elections Board
134 W Eagle St,
Room #311,
Buffalo, NY 14202

What will you see - "First" an for most a large room filled with "Party Patronage Workers" - all seem to be reviewing papers and talking on phones. But what are they doing ? Go look - find out ! Or better yet if you have the time - ask for a voter registration form - have a seat and just listen to the actual phone conversations -

If you want to talk to a specific "Party Rep" - you'll be directed to one of two doors where the secretary is - one Democrat - one Republic.

Where's all the "other parties offices"? - ask someone ! Let me know how that works for you !

You mean the IP party doesn't even have a cubicle there? So what is up with that and why?

[4248]

You mean the IP party doesn't even have a cubicle there? So what is up with that and why?

Click here for major Party Contact info - this gives there locations - according to the Erie County Board of Elections site : http://www.elections.erie.gov/GetDocument.aspx?id=606

The only two Parties represented by a staff and Chairman are Democrats and Republicans at the Erie County Board of Elections, 134 W Eagle St,
Room #311,
Buffalo, NY 14202