Who does Ruffino think he's fooling?

[Wag]

Who does Ron the bobble-airhead Ruffino think he's fooling? He says he's saving the taxpayer's money by taking a $6,000 a year benefit that is unheard of in the private sector.

If he was really interested in saving the taxpayer money he would:

a: refuse the benefit and

b: sponsor a resolution to not only end the payout, but take away health care coverage from part-time elected officials completely.

How many years has be been on the board? Has he ever once even suggested doing away with the buyout and eliminating health insurance for those elected to part-time slots? The answer is NO!

He takes his $6,000 a year and laughs all the way to the bank.

How this tongue-tied simpleton got elected and re-elected is a mystery in itself. What the voters see in him is a mystery.

[Foot Fungus]

Originally Posted by Wag

What the voters see in him is a mystery.

He brings us clocks and bells that we don't pay for (but we really do).

Doesn't this guy work for a major bank? I'd hate to think that banks have crappy health care. Such a shame. Maybe he should start a union.

Kudos to Danny A for doing the right thing. He's been doing a lot of that lately. No wonder he doesn't make the Lancaster Dem class photo at election time anymore.

___________________________________

"I have some of the more experienced people in the legislature working for me. That's why my monetary situation is different." - State Senator Dale "Mr. Pickle" Volker when asked about cutting his office expenses.

"It's a perfect example of you need to get out and vote because all your votes count".
Mark Montour- Democratic, Republican, Independence, Conservative and Working Families parties candidate for Lancaster Town Justice

"I don't think it was luck" -Donna Stempniak, unopposed candidate for Lancaster Town Council on winning re-election.

“What these towns are about to do, if they have their way, is kill the goose that laid the golden egg” -Victor Martucci, vice president of Marrano Marc/Equity in response to local towns opposing the 339-y condo law.

[Foot Fungus]

For anyone wondering what this is about, go here:

http://www.speakupwny.com/article_3845.shtml

___________________________________

"I have some of the more experienced people in the legislature working for me. That's why my monetary situation is different." - State Senator Dale "Mr. Pickle" Volker when asked about cutting his office expenses.

"It's a perfect example of you need to get out and vote because all your votes count".
Mark Montour- Democratic, Republican, Independence, Conservative and Working Families parties candidate for Lancaster Town Justice

"I don't think it was luck" -Donna Stempniak, unopposed candidate for Lancaster Town Council on winning re-election.

“What these towns are about to do, if they have their way, is kill the goose that laid the golden egg” -Victor Martucci, vice president of Marrano Marc/Equity in response to local towns opposing the 339-y condo law.

[Wag]

Fungi, thanks for the link. I should have done that, but I ain't thinking. (Maybe I should run for the town board.)

I remember the clock thing like it was yesterday. It was the 4th of July and rotten Ron was in a tent, trying to get donations for the clock. I stopped in to see what it was all about. He claimed the clock was going to be paid for entirely by private contributions like mine.

Well, turns out the Ruffino's rough ideas didn't work. He FAILED to raise enough private donations. So, what did he do? He did what all politicians do when they FAIL. He got the taxpayers to pay for it.

I wonder how much of the $6,000 a year buyout he took out of his pocket and donated towards the clock? You can buy a hell of a clock for $6,000.

Too bad they don't make a $6,000 clock that can wake rotten Ronnie up.

[TTDeathInLan]

Question, with all this talk about "free health care" and elected officials are not town employees and not eligible for "free health, why have I not heard the words, FREE LAWSUITE?

We have a supervisor who takes free healthcare from the Boys Club, pockets 6 grand , awards the Boys Club an annual grant, (no conflict of interest of course) and laugh's at the taxpayers with his hold the line budget.

Who else but our Barney Fith?, local government, offers full health care coverage to part time elected town officials.

Who else but our local governments, pays laborors in excess of 50,000 dollars a year, just in salary, plus benefits.

Who else but the town of Lancaster has a curb inspector in the Highway department.

The good news is, the town may have to take over the Lancaster Rural Cemetary. I hope this happens. Then we will have a place to bury all this nonsense, once, and for all taxpayers.

[Foot Fungus]

As you can tell by the absence of responses here and the status quo during election cycles where the incumbent retains it's anointed place at the feed trough, no one really cares.

Disheartening isn't it?

___________________________________

"I have some of the more experienced people in the legislature working for me. That's why my monetary situation is different." - State Senator Dale "Mr. Pickle" Volker when asked about cutting his office expenses.

"It's a perfect example of you need to get out and vote because all your votes count".
Mark Montour- Democratic, Republican, Independence, Conservative and Working Families parties candidate for Lancaster Town Justice

"I don't think it was luck" -Donna Stempniak, unopposed candidate for Lancaster Town Council on winning re-election.

“What these towns are about to do, if they have their way, is kill the goose that laid the golden egg” -Victor Martucci, vice president of Marrano Marc/Equity in response to local towns opposing the 339-y condo law.

[pudge]

Foot Fungus;409363]As you can tell by the absence of responses here and the status quo during election cycles where the incumbent retains it's anointed place at the feed trough, no one really cares.

Disheartening isn't it?

It is disheartening especially considering this is the same individual who had no problem supporting the purchase of the Colecraft building, defending it's lying idle and costing the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in principle and interest payments, remaining silent on the shady Tahoe bid process, and spinning a yarn on how his taking $6,600 a year in health insurance is saving the town money.

This is the same guy who had a problem with Shutt Engineering being awarded a contract without the bid going to formal process. Shutt had given their bid and none other were entered, but he wanted to make an issue out of it and possibly save taxpayers less money than he scams them for.

And only three people found this buyout scam to be worth commenting on. The town gets the government it deserves.

Maybe that's why Amatura sponsored the ethics resolution.

[Wag]

As you can tell by the absence of responses here and the status quo during election cycles where the incumbent retains it's anointed place at the feed trough, no one really cares.

Disheartening isn't it?

It's not that I don't care. It's that I'm so g/d depressed, I can't figure out how to get out of town fast enough.

People do deserve the government they vote for, but what about those of us who voted differently. We're stuck!

[Foot Fungus]

http://www.speakupwny.com/article_3851.shtml

http://

Nice positioning in the video. Ruffino makes sure that his claim to fame on the Town Board is in the background, his taxpayer funded clock. Maybe after they vote to get rid of the part time health benefits he can be in front of the Burger King to showcase his other deed of daring-do, another taxpayer funded clock. Get that taxpayer funded bell up quick Ron, they may need to do a third part of the series. If they do a fourth, you're out of luck.

It's also nice that the double dipper (or is that triple dipper) Stempniak talks about fairness. Someone needs to tell the bennie queen that the rest of the world is tired of funding her ongoing quest to pay for her for the rest of her life. I guess they'll all have to find a committee to chair for an extra "stipend" to make up for the buyback they may lose. Time to create some new committees. How about the beaver patrol committee? Or the creek watch committee to make sure the sewer lines buried in the creek beds don't leak raw sewage into the water supply?

Kudos to Danny A. As much as the change in the health insurance will affect him the most, he's hanging in there and is taking one for the taxpayer. Now that he's been thrown under the bus by the Lancaster Dem Committee, hopefully he'll make that run for Supervisor next time out.

___________________________________

"I have some of the more experienced people in the legislature working for me. That's why my monetary situation is different." - State Senator Dale "Mr. Pickle" Volker when asked about cutting his office expenses.

"It's a perfect example of you need to get out and vote because all your votes count".
Mark Montour- Democratic, Republican, Independence, Conservative and Working Families parties candidate for Lancaster Town Justice

"I don't think it was luck" -Donna Stempniak, unopposed candidate for Lancaster Town Council on winning re-election.

“What these towns are about to do, if they have their way, is kill the goose that laid the golden egg” -Victor Martucci, vice president of Marrano Marc/Equity in response to local towns opposing the 339-y condo law.

[WNYresident]

Why on earth was that clock needed?

[Foot Fungus]

Originally Posted by WNYresident

Why on earth was that clock needed?

They need to know the correct time to pick up their $6700 freebie.

So I'm thinkin' here after reading a transcript of the WGRZ story.

From the WGRZ story:

"It was never meant to be as a buyout. It was meant to be if an elected official needed health insurance and they weren't able to get it from an outside source--or if they were getting it from an outside source at their own expense--it was offered to them to take, but it was never meant to be a buyout," Amatura said.

I've looked at this a bunch of times now and if I'm reading this right, is this saying that for many years now, Town Board members have been taking this payment even though they were not allowed to do this by any law or resolution? Can anyone clarify this?

If this is so, who authorized years of unauthorized payments to these "public servants"?

If they weren't supposed to take these payments, shouldn't they have to pay them back?

If so, shouldn't the person that allowed these unauthorized payments to be dispersed be fired immediately and/or prosecuted?

"Was there ever a thought of 'I have my own insurance. I don't want to cost the town anymore money, I'm not going to take the buyback?" reporter Addie Bradshaw asked.

"I've never thought of it that way," Councilmember Ron Ruffino said. "Because, although I have health insurance through another source, I pay a pretty nice premium."

Dear Mr. Clock Master,
It seems to me that the taxpayers have been paying a pretty nice premium for you.

___________________________________

"I have some of the more experienced people in the legislature working for me. That's why my monetary situation is different." - State Senator Dale "Mr. Pickle" Volker when asked about cutting his office expenses.

"It's a perfect example of you need to get out and vote because all your votes count".
Mark Montour- Democratic, Republican, Independence, Conservative and Working Families parties candidate for Lancaster Town Justice

"I don't think it was luck" -Donna Stempniak, unopposed candidate for Lancaster Town Council on winning re-election.

“What these towns are about to do, if they have their way, is kill the goose that laid the golden egg” -Victor Martucci, vice president of Marrano Marc/Equity in response to local towns opposing the 339-y condo law.

[WNYresident]

THey are all too easy with out money. Simple as that. All the way up to the governor of NYS. All BS.

[Wag]

Just a question. If part-time elected officials were never supposed to be eligible for the buyback, how did they get to collect it in the first place?

Aren't Ruffino, Stempniak, and Abraham taking something they aren't entitled to?

Is that legal?

If they aren't entitled to it, shouldn't they be forced to pay back what they took, because they weren't eligible for it?

[Dougles]

So if these fools can't figure out hosw to cut 35K HOW THE HELL ARE THEY GOING TO MAKE CUTS in the 100's of thousands?

[pudge]

Just a question. If part-time elected officials were never supposed to be eligible for the buyback, how did they get to collect it in the first place?

Aren't Ruffino, Stempniak, and Abraham taking something they aren't entitled to?

Is that legal?

If they aren't entitled to it, shouldn't they be forced to pay back what they took, because they weren't eligible for it?

Why are you guys limiting this buyout scam to only Ruffino, Stempniak and Abraham.

Ther was never any resolution or contract approved that allowed elected officials to get insurance buyouts; just resolution approval for elected officials to take the town provided insurance.

Town Clerk Johanna Coleman, Supervisor Robert Giza and Justice Kelleher have outside insurance coverage and they take the buyout.

Is it illegal, of course it is. But if a lawsuit were initiated and it got before a local justice, it would most likely be ruled that there is no criminal intent, rather it was just bad governance; just like the illegal contract Giza entered into when he purchased the Colecraft building.