Given the suspicious cross-endorsements and the other complexities of the 2021 campaign, I am perplexed as to why Paul Rudz is running for the Town Council. For me to make a full assessment of his purpose, Rudz needs to answer the following questions:
(1) Why did
Paul Rudz choose to accept the Democrat Party's endorsement and become the
running mate of Councilman Mike
Wozniak, who on January 1, 2021 became Supervisor
Ruffino's majority-making third vote on the Town Council?
(2) Why does Paul Rudz choose to run in
challenge to Councilman Adam Dickman who has performed his Town Council duties with thoughtful skill, in the broad interests of the residents of Lancaster, and with principled resistance to the more questionable Ruffino proposals?
(3) Did Paul
Rudz support Supervisor Ruffino's demand that the Town Council reinstate the
Supervisor's stipend for budget duties?
(4) Was Paul
Rudz supportive of Supervisor Ruffino's rather closed-minded approach to the
2020 Reassessments?
(5) Was Paul
Rudz supportive of the more perceived
heavy-handed tactics and comments of Supervisor
Ruffino in connection with the COVID "Lancaster Pause?"
(6) Was Paul
Rudz supportive of the letter co-signed by Supervisor
Ruffino, under the letterhead of the Town of Lancaster Supervisor, in support of the private enterprise
Solar Simplified?
(7) Was
Paul Rudz supportive of the
initial draft of the 2021 Budget, prepared by
Supervisor Ruffino and his Budget Officer Cuviello,
over the revisions initiated by
Councilman Leary and citizen watchdogs which
met the tax cap limit?
(8) Was
Paul Rudz supportive of Supervisor Ruffino's seeming failure to transparently explain a decision to terminate the Chairman of the ZBA, when the Supervisor rather dismissively justified his decision with the comment
"Basically, I have three votes?"
(9) Was
Paul Rudz supportive of what many perceive to have been Supervisor
Ruffino's rather disrespectful comment to a former Town Clerk during a Public Participation session?
(10) Was
Paul Rudz supportive of his running mate
Mike Wozniak when Wozniak appeared to
attempt to avoid a direct answer on a question concerning
family patronage?
(11) Is
Paul Rudz comfortable running with the publicly announced support of the
Working Families Party?
Perhaps more relevant to a complete understanding of the Rudz candidacy, it is necessary for the Democrat and Republican parties to answer these questions:
(1) Why have both political parties endorsed Paul Rudz, who as VOL Trustee, voted to massively increase search fees in the Village of Lancaster?
(2) Why have both political parties endorsed Trustee Paul Rudz, who in light of COVID-19, initially supported a delay in the advancement of the VOL Roundabout project, only to reverse himself some weeks later?
(3) Why have both political parties endorsed Trustee Paul Rudz, whom I understand told the Lancaster Conservative Party Chair that he favors the dissolution of the Lancaster Town Police Department in favor of a contracted police force?
(4) Why have both political parties
endorsed Trustee Rudz, who in his two years and two months in office, holds this
record of attendance at VOL Board meetings:
(A) In his first full year as Trustee, Paul Rudz
missed five (5) VOL Board public meetings.
Reference:
https://ecode360.com/documents/LA060.../541482977.pdf
(B) In his second full year as Trustee, Paul Rudz
missed four (4) VOL Board public meetings.
Reference:
https://ecode360.com/documents/LA060.../605358457.pdf
(C) At the beginning of his third year as VOL Trustee, as of May 10, 2021, Paul Rudz, out of three regular and one special VOL Board meetings, Rudz already has
missed one meeting.
Reference:
https://ecode360.com/documents/LA060.../605358521.pdf
If I am provided with full answers to all of the above, perhaps I can more fully assess as to why Trustee Paul Rudz is running for the Town Council, why the Republican and Democrat Parties endorsed him, and why the Working Families Party is supporting him.