Regular Part Time Employees - Collins Loses

**Dougles** · April 3rd, 2009 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by WNYresident

Isn't that gambling for the most part which is illegal in NYS

Since they do it at EVERY Sabres game i think it legal if it goes to a charity!

**grump** · April 29th, 2009 09:49 AM

Collins fell into the same trap that has eaten up many a "reformer"...he believed that his election was somehow divinely ordained and that he is "on a mission from God". Amerst saw that with that joke they elected supervisor (memo to residents of Erie County: when someone from UB tells you they can solve your problems run screaming in the other direction!), NYS saw it with Client 9, and now we're witnessing the same thing in the White House. Collins refuses to believe or accept that the legislature is a co-equal branch of government with which he has to deal. He has repeatedly picked fights he can't win and then tries to spin his defeats as victories. He lost the budget battle in court; he lost the hiring fight before PERB; he lost his fight with the control board over borrowing. His confrontational, in your face attitude may play well with some but it accomplishes ziltch!!! At the same time so much of county government is out of his control due to state mandates. We don't need elected officials trying to score debating points...we need them working together to try and find the areas where agreements can be reached to improve life in these parts. No candidate or elected offical has a monopoly on that!

**WNYresident** · April 29th, 2009 10:59 AM

Collins fell into the same trap that has eaten up many a "reformer"...he believed that his election was somehow divinely ordained and that he is "on a mission from God".

Once the Non-government worker/business owner finally gets people elected onto the legislature to have majority control the hand of god will come down and wipe the crap away.

THere's always hope.

Can't reform when the people who vote for the stuff they benefit from have the majority vote.

**Save Us** · April 29th, 2009 12:28 PM

If our taxes weren't so choking and growth crushing, then there would not be as much to bitch about.. truth is our taxes are sick.

They were created by a machine designed for patronage and employment

They are made worse by a shrinking tax base

This is partly due to our extremely unfriendly business climate

This will never stop until the last drop of blood has been sucked out.

Anything that attempts to turn the above around should be lauded and supported.. end of story

**fp2206** · April 30th, 2009 09:37 PM

I think the county needs a new lawyer representing them. This case should not have been lost. Keep trying C Collins.

**Smiley** · April 30th, 2009 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by fp2206

I think the county needs a new lawyer representing them. This case should not have been lost. Keep trying C Collins.

Even if they hired $1million Lawyer, they would not have won. The law is clear. Collins knew this. He just needed to show the public that he is trying, but is running up against resistance. Using this as an example to show the public, is really costing us a lot of money. I don't know where you get the idea that the case should not have been lost.

**grump** · May 13th, 2009 10:31 AM

Well, nonpolitician Chris Collins certainly has gotten the bug...traveling the state looking for another office he can run for. Actually, that's pretty typical of people like him. He's looking for another group to buy his snake oil...er, six sigma, so he can get out of town before the locals wise up and dump him. He has no record of accomplishment, has lost every attempt to impose his will on county government and he's screwed up a routine process like preparing the tax bills. Want fries with that Erie County residents?

**Save Us** · May 13th, 2009 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by grump

Well, nonpolitician Chris Collins certainly has gotten the bug...traveling the state looking for another office he can run for. Actually, that's pretty typical of people like him. He's looking for another group to buy his snake oil...er, six sigma, so he can get out of town before the locals wise up and dump him. He has no record of accomplishment, has lost every attempt to impose his will on county government and he's screwed up a routine process like preparing the tax bills. Want fries with that Erie County residents?

and yet people move because of our poor business climate, high taxes etc. etc.

I think we are all masochists

**cheekman** · May 13th, 2009 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by Rocksimm

Yeah, Collins did hire Maxwell as a full time employee. Apparently a Probation Officer who is doing the work day in and day out that County Government is meant to perform is not worthy of full time employment, but someone who will serve as a PR official for Collins deserves full time employment.

A bit hypocritical?

i was just told they have been hiring FTer's @ the DMV. (CS list.) he can't stop nothing it's all BS. is his six hai karate program working? if it is how much
money has it saved?

**tomac** · May 15th, 2009 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by Surfing USA

We need to have these laws rewritten. In fact, we need to eliminate every possible county position and subcontract the work out. Can you imagine the savings?

Sure, there'll be NO savings past the first year or two. The outsiders will get in the first year and do the job. The second they'll whine about not being able to do it for the amount agreed upon and by the third will demand an increase.
Case in point. The Highway Division used to maintain a Materials Testing Facility for about thirty years. It was staffed by one lower-level white-collar guy who worked at testing concrete samples, did soil borings and road corings, tested top soil and gravel and did structural tests on the County's bridges. All he got was his normal paycheck and overtime during the construction season, about $40,000 - $45,000 annual.
About seven years ago, Dan Rider decided to shut down the lab (payback from some of the local private testing facilities????) So now they don't have a lab. Testing is done sporadically and Lord alone knows the quality of the materials used. Ohh, and they're paying close to a quarter-million dollars annually because the private facilities decided that our contract wasn't cost-effective to them. Think of that the next time you drive over a nice, new County Bridge......
On a last note, the County can't go back (even if they wanted to) because Rider took all of the equipment and left it out in the parking lot of the Harlem Maintenance plant in the rain and elements. What wasn't stolen (no security there) was ruined by rust and corrosion.

**tomac** · May 15th, 2009 03:49 PM