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Thread: The Ruffino Administration: "Had Enough Yet?"

  1. #76
    Member mark blazejewski's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gorja View Post
    Almost a decade ago and a lot has changed in the voting and the conservative practices in attempting to save money and not overspend.

    There never would have been an issue with Fudoli if he had not stopped paying his property taxes. That was my issue with him in changing course.
    I know, some people thought it was okay but I just wasn't one of them. Then, he was an adamant Redskin supporter.
    We all have reasons for what we do in life.
    LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"

  2. #77
    Member gorja's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mark blazejewski View Post
    We all have reasons for what we do in life.
    That's true. There are many times that you and I agree too, especially with the presidential race

    Georgia L Schlager

  3. #78
    Member mark blazejewski's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gorja View Post
    That's true. There are many times that you and I agree too, especially with the presidential race
    Oh, on many other things too Gorja.

    I personally know of your kind heart and I simply will not let this political garbage color my perceptions.
    LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"

  4. #79
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    Quote Originally Posted by mark blazejewski View Post
    Oh, on many other things too Gorja.

    I personally know of your kind heart and I simply will not let this political garbage color my perceptions.

    It is interesting to see Gorga and Mark share opinions and agree that they will not always agree but respect each other’s opinion.

    It is obvious that each shares differing positions regarding Supervisor Ruffino and former town board member Dawn Gaczewski, now running again to regain a seat on the Lancaster town board, against Mike Wozniak. Gaczewski is the endorsed Republican Party candidate, Wozniak is the endorsed Democrat. Gaczewski was endorsed by the Conservative Party but lost the party line to Wozniak by a less than 20 vote margin in the primary.

    Gaczewski was interviewed, vetted, and endorsed by the Erie County Conservative Party as candidate for Town of Lancaster Council member. Wozniak didn’t even request an interview, is a lifelong Democratic (serving as a Committee member) and recently switched to the Conservative Party to make himself eligible for a primary challenge for the Conservative ballot line.

    What is baffling to me (and meaningless as well) is why Gorga continues to close her posts with: “To be frank, we can’t afford a Town Council with Dawn Gaczewski on it,” and attributes the saying to, ‘Conservative Chair Joe Gallo’.

    I well remember the campaign mailer then Conservative Party Chairman Gallo distributed in 2015, a political strategy to discredit a conservative running as an endorsed candidate on the Democratic line. I thought it was foolish then, and foolish more so today as Gaczewski is the true conservative in this year’s election for the town council seat.

    Even more foolish today because Gallo has not been the Lancaster Conservative Party Chair for some time, and from what I understand recently suspended as the Town of Cheektowaga Conservative Party Chair.

    Michael Wozniak is the interloper here. Gaczewski is the true conservative embracing conservative values.

  5. #80
    Member mark blazejewski's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Chowaniec View Post

    What is baffling to me (and meaningless as well) is why Gorga continues to close her posts with: “To be frank, we can’t afford a Town Council with Dawn Gaczewski on it,” and attributes the saying to, ‘Conservative Chair Joe Gallo’.
    Our valued friend Gorja as is her want, apparently is using a rather rash and now awkward 2015 quote to her advantage; a tactic which by today's standards is fair.

    But that quote is of no greater relevance in 2020, than these comments by the Chairman of the Lancaster Town Democrat Committee, who, of his 2015 slate of candidates, which included Ms. Gaczewski, said:

    “Our endorsed Democratic slate represents the very best in Lancaster."

    Reference: https://www.lancasterbee.com/article...ter-elections/

    In its race to the extreme Left, perhaps the 2015 words of the Lancaster Town Democrat Chairman juxtaposed with the 2020 values and tactics of the Lancaster Town Democrat Party should be held to a scrutiny at least equal to the fading, forlorn words of the Chairman of the Cheektowaga Conservative Party?

    This extremist 2020 Democrat Party is not the party my grandparents and parents honored, and myself once respected.
    Last edited by mark blazejewski; October 24th, 2020 at 09:04 PM.
    LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"

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    “Our endorsed Democratic slate represents the very best in Lancaster."

    If I remember correctly, Gaczewski was approached by the Democrats to run for a town council seat, requested an interview from the Conservative Party, was denied that interview, and was campaigned by the Democratic Party as ‘one of the very best candidates’, and won.

    Imagine that, the Lancaster Democratic Party approaching a 13-year Conservative Party member and a Republican before that and championing her as one of the ‘very best’ candidates. Different time, different party chair.

    In hindsight, had Gaczewski won last year in her bid for Town Supervisor, I would believe she would not have dismissed Budget Director Dave Brown. Together, they would have surely recognized the 2021 tentative budget (which became the preliminary budget) proposed a 6.6% tax levy increase which is well over the tax cap limit.

    The proposed budget as it now stands is a disaster. And the Supervisor wants to reinstate the $5,000 Budget Officer stipend?

    At least Gaczewski would have know better and proposed a resolution to override the tax cap if need be – as she supported doing two years in her term as council member, which was not needed and which she was ridiculed by some anyway

    The town needs someone with experience back on the board – a true conservative, not one in name only.

  7. #82
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Chowaniec View Post
    It is interesting to see Gorga and Mark share opinions and agree that they will not always agree but respect each other’s opinion.

    It is obvious that each shares differing positions regarding Supervisor Ruffino and former town board member Dawn Gaczewski, now running again to regain a seat on the Lancaster town board, against Mike Wozniak. Gaczewski is the endorsed Republican Party candidate, Wozniak is the endorsed Democrat. Gaczewski was endorsed by the Conservative Party but lost the party line to Wozniak by a less than 20 vote margin in the primary.

    Gaczewski was interviewed, vetted, and endorsed by the Erie County Conservative Party as candidate for Town of Lancaster Council member. Wozniak didn’t even request an interview, is a lifelong Democratic (serving as a Committee member) and recently switched to the Conservative Party to make himself eligible for a primary challenge for the Conservative ballot line.

    What is baffling to me (and meaningless as well) is why Gorga continues to close her posts with: “To be frank, we can’t afford a Town Council with Dawn Gaczewski on it,” and attributes the saying to, ‘Conservative Chair Joe Gallo’.

    I well remember the campaign mailer then Conservative Party Chairman Gallo distributed in 2015, a political strategy to discredit a conservative running as an endorsed candidate on the Democratic line. I thought it was foolish then, and foolish more so today as Gaczewski is the true conservative in this year’s election for the town council seat.

    Even more foolish today because Gallo has not been the Lancaster Conservative Party Chair for some time, and from what I understand recently suspended as the Town of Cheektowaga Conservative Party Chair.

    Michael Wozniak is the interloper here. Gaczewski is the true conservative embracing conservative values.
    It's been awhile but when Dawn ran against a Conservative back some years, she did a write in and garnered the Conservative line (some called it "stole the line"). I wish I can remember who she ran against but at that time Joe Gallo wrote a letter to all Conservative voters and in that letter was the quote Gorja cites word for word. Everyone has a perspective and I respect their perspective, but I still believe that Dawn is not a true Conservative. All one has to do is review her voting record.

    I thought Ted was the Cheektowaga Conservative Party Chair, isn't he still?

  8. #83
    Member mark blazejewski's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by shortstuff View Post
    Everyone has a perspective and I respect their perspective, but I still believe that Dawn is not a true Conservative. All one has to do is review her voting record.

    Shortstuff, I respect your perspective as well, and I am certainly glad that we can get together and air our views and disputes with calm civility.

    In that connection, your view of Ms. Dawn's record is respectfully noted.

    As I understand our past tensions, your position in opposition to Gaczewski during the 2019 Supervisor's race in large measure resided with her vote to give to the Town Council emergency standby authority to raise the tax cap, if exigent circumstances so required.

    I also understand that such circumstances never emerged, and the tax cap was never overridden; no taxes were raised accordingly.

    I must say, as you were troubled by Gaszewski's "YES" vote on the grant of the emergency, contingency authority to override the tax cap, I was equally troubled by Mr. Ruffino's "NO" vote on that exact same standby authority.

    Was it perhaps out of indifference; perhaps a lack of understanding or knowledge; perhaps out of an ill-advised sense of security, or perhaps out of a reckless application of politics in search of electoral advantage, that then-Councilman Ruffino shunned the possibility of the unforeseen calamity; a state which he now appears to strictly rely in justification of his rather inartful budget preparation?...



    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Chowaniec View Post

    Cuviello: Declared that because of Covid the town is being conservative in case there is a need if another shutdown occurs, Can’t predict the future. Can’t use fund balance then if there is none.

    Supervisor Ruffino: No clue what we will need in the future if another wave of Covid hits in the future. Nor can we predict the revenues.
    Ergo, Dawn's previous vote to give to the Town Council standby authority in anticipation of the unforeseen, now appears to be rich with sage insight and glows with concern of aforethought.

    Last edited by mark blazejewski; October 25th, 2020 at 02:41 PM.
    LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"

  9. #84
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    Quote Originally Posted by mark blazejewski View Post
    Shortstuff, I respect your perspective as well, and I am certainly glad that we can get together and air our views and disputes with calm civility.

    In that connection, your view of Ms. Dawn's record is respectfully noted.

    As I understand our past tensions, your position in opposition to Gaczewski during the 2019 Supervisor's race in large measure resided with her vote to give to the Town Council emergency standby authority to raise the tax cap, if exigent circumstances so required.

    I also understand that such circumstances never emerged, and the tax cap was never overridden; no taxes were raised accordingly.

    I must say, as you were troubled by Gaszewski's "YES" vote on the grant of the emergency, contingency authority to override the tax cap, I was equally troubled by Mr. Ruffino's "NO" vote on that exact same standby authority.

    Was it perhaps out of indifference; perhaps a lack of understanding or knowledge; perhaps out of an ill-advised sense of security, or perhaps out of a reckless application of politics in search of electoral advantage, that then-Councilman Ruffino shunned the possibility of the unforeseen calamity; a state which he now appears to strictly rely in justification of his rather inartful budget preparation?...




    Ergo, Dawn's previous vote to give to the Town Council standby authority in anticipation of the unforeseen, now appears to be rich with sage insight and glows with concern of aforethought.

    Ah, the Mark I have gotten to know long ago and admire greatly

    I actually understand the reasons Dawn voted on that, but mostly she voted as a block voter along with her Democratic colleagues. I understand politics is politics. It wasn't just that, although I do understand the reasoning behind it, she had a liberal voting record during her tenor as a Town Council member. I understand the Democrats broke ranks with her as she aligned herself solely with the Republicans & Conservatives, perhaps she has become more of a fiscally liked minded politician. I hope that is the case.
    Keep the spirit respectfully high there my friend.

  10. #85
    Member mark blazejewski's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by shortstuff View Post
    Ah, the Mark I have gotten to know long ago and admire greatly

    Keep the spirit respectfully high there my friend.
    Thank you for your very kind words shortstuff.

    I did not like where we were last year, and in light of your many past kindnesses, it pained me greatly.

    At the end of the day, politics is flawed and fleeting; friendship is a permanent imprint on the heart.
    LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"

  11. #86
    Member mark blazejewski's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Chowaniec View Post

    The town needs someone with experience back on the board – a true conservative, not one in name only.
    Indeed.

    Ms. Gaczewski has been a member of the Conservative Party for many years.

    IMHO, yes, Ms. Gaczewski's record as a member of the Town Council has been fully consistent with a conservative legislative temperament.

    Her commitment to confront over-development and its attendant hazards have been prominently present throughout her tenure, and most recently, was resident in her stand in addressing the issue regarding the Transit-William Street area.

    To be sure, Ms. Gaczewski's conservative credentials have been tested in elected office, and her strong, ongoing commitment to serving the needs of the people of Lancaster has been forged on the anvil of deeds done.

    As I understand Mr. Wozniak's background, there is truly no measure of his philosophy, other than his very recent switch from the Democrat Party to the Conservative Party.

    Moreover, as I understand his resume, his experience lacks a legislative record attesting to his purported fiscal conservatism, and therefore, the voter is required to rely on Mr. Ruffino's interpretation of such conservatism to define Mr. Wozniak.

    It is my opinion that Mr. Ruffino's past voting record appears to be replete with "Yes" votes to high tax and spend budgets, rezones, "Friends and Family" patronage, and the faithful embrace of the wants of developers. Does Mr. Wozniak approve of that record, and is he committed to such applications in the future?

    Furthermore, should I, as an enrolled Conservative, not be concerned that Mr. Wozniak, who is said to hold "the same ideology" as Supervisor Ruffino, seems to have remained suspiciously silent on Mr. Ruffino's requests for a pay raise and the reinstatement of the Supervisor's stipend for budget duties?

    Is the voter expected to rely on the substance of this story in order to glean the true, full, and complete testament in support of Mr. Wozniak's suggested "conservative values" and "ideology?"..

    image - 2020-10-25T164030.683.jpg

    What's the saying "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me?"
    Last edited by mark blazejewski; October 25th, 2020 at 05:05 PM.
    LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"

  12. #87
    Member gorja's Avatar
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    I'm of the belief that endorsements are made by a chosen few while a primary vote
    choice is the will of the people of the party,

    As last year, the Democrats endorsed someone for Town clerk and the will of the democratic
    party voters chose someone else.

    The Conservatives endorsed someone for Supervisor and the will of the conservative party voters
    chose someone else in a write-in. Again, just my opinion

    Georgia L Schlager

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    As a lifelong unaffiliated (blank) registered voter, I enjoy the banter and can speak freely without fear of causing allegiance grievance to any party or individual.

    In the 2015 campaign for town council, Gaczewski was endorsed by the Democratic Party. She approached the Conservative Party for interview and endorsement. Her request for an interview was not granted. As a registered Conservative, she was entitled to challenge for endorsement, she did primary and won the line – not by write-in. ‘Stole it’, like the saying goes.

    Fudoli was the only write-in primary challenger that I remember who ‘stole the line’. Several democrats throughout the years have ‘stole the Conservative line’ by primary challenge and beating the party’s endorsed candidate – never interviewing for the endorsement, including Ruffino and Wozniak this year.

    Do lifelong liberal democrats share the same ideology and values as conservatives? I don’t think so. I could never understand why year-after-year, for many years, the Conservative Party under John Abraham endorsed democrats, the great majority of the time.

    When Joe Gallo became Conservative Party Chair that situation changed, and the Party returned to its conservative roots and values. Primary challenges still came and democrats ‘stole the line’ – by guile, hustle, organization, money, and duplicity. What politics is all about, not so much ‘will of the people’.

    To the victor goes the spoils, and all that sort of BS. To the adage, ‘Keep your friends close and your enemies closer’, should be added ‘because in politics you don’t know who they will be in the future’. Throwing people under the bus becomes commonplace,

    To Shortstuff: Morton hasn’t been the Cheektowaga Conservative Party Chair in the past few years – after his re-election defeat. When party reorganization occurred, Gallo took over. Now Gallo is no longer the Chair and they are looking for a new warm body.

    Gaczewski is the true conservative. Ruffino and Wozniak in name and words only.

    LMAO when I hear the claim that Gaczewski cozied with the Dems when she was on the town council. Something like the Republican Dave Mazur and Ruffino, eh. There is so much duplicity and betrayal in politics that a scorecard is useless. It is a profession where prostitutes are insulted to be referred to as political. Wait, that’s an oxymoron, right?

  14. #89
    Member mark blazejewski's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Chowaniec View Post
    As a lifelong unaffiliated (blank) registered voter, I enjoy the banter and can speak freely without fear of causing allegiance grievance to any party or individual.

    In the 2015 campaign for town council, Gaczewski was endorsed by the Democratic Party. She approached the Conservative Party for interview and endorsement. Her request for an interview was not granted. As a registered Conservative, she was entitled to challenge for endorsement, she did primary and won the line – not by write-in. ‘Stole it’, like the saying goes.

    Fudoli was the only write-in primary challenger that I remember who ‘stole the line’. Several democrats throughout the years have ‘stole the Conservative line’ by primary challenge and beating the party’s endorsed candidate – never interviewing for the endorsement, including Ruffino and Wozniak this year.

    Do lifelong liberal democrats share the same ideology and values as conservatives? I don’t think so. I could never understand why year-after-year, for many years, the Conservative Party under John Abraham endorsed democrats, the great majority of the time.

    When Joe Gallo became Conservative Party Chair that situation changed, and the Party returned to its conservative roots and values. Primary challenges still came and democrats ‘stole the line’ – by guile, hustle, organization, money, and duplicity. What politics is all about, not so much ‘will of the people’.

    To the victor goes the spoils, and all that sort of BS. To the adage, ‘Keep your friends close and your enemies closer’, should be added ‘because in politics you don’t know who they will be in the future’. Throwing people under the bus becomes commonplace,

    To Shortstuff: Morton hasn’t been the Cheektowaga Conservative Party Chair in the past few years – after his re-election defeat. When party reorganization occurred, Gallo took over. Now Gallo is no longer the Chair and they are looking for a new warm body.

    Gaczewski is the true conservative. Ruffino and Wozniak in name and words only.

    LMAO when I hear the claim that Gaczewski cozied with the Dems when she was on the town council. Something like the Republican Dave Mazur and Ruffino, eh. There is so much duplicity and betrayal in politics that a scorecard is useless. It is a profession where prostitutes are insulted to be referred to as political. Wait, that’s an oxymoron, right?
    Lee, that is the most refreshing and candid analysis-appraisal of recent Lancaster politics that I have ever read.

    "No Quarter" Mr. C., and I love it!
    LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"

  15. #90
    Member mark blazejewski's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by shortstuff View Post

    I thought Ted was the Cheektowaga Conservative Party Chair, isn't he still?
    I knew that Morton served a short time as Republican Chairman for Cheektowaga, but never understood him to have been Cheektowaga Conservative Chairman.
    LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"

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