Town of Lancaster 2021 primary / election updates / comments

[mark blazejewski]

. Hopefully, Mr. Burkhard will follow the lead of councilmember Leary in asking the tough questions and independently voting in the town’s best interests. That independence carries the risk of being labeled ‘that pain in the ass’!.

Especially in regards to the 2021 budget fiasco and the solar farm issue, it was only a handful of concerned residents, a very independent Councilman named Leary, and a highly supportive Councilman named Dickman that did the job that an inquisitive, probing press should have done.

[Lee Chowaniec]

Especially in regards to the 2021 budget fiasco and the solar farm issue, it was only a handful of concerned residents, a very independent Councilman named Leary, and a highly supportive Councilman named Dickman that did the job that an inquisitive, probing press should have done.

Inquisitive, probing press in Lancaster? Like the original Lancaster Source of old?

Speaking of press and today’s toxic political world, I found Sandra Tan’s report in the Buffalo News today interesting and enlightening – as was her reporting when she covered the Lancaster beat years ago. Fair and honest reporting where both sides were given equal opportunity to present their story.

The report captioned Candidate says Democratic chairman told her she’s ‘not what a sheriff looks like’, covers an aggrieved Kimberly L. Beaty who has more than 30 years in law enforcement and believes she has credentials to make a strong push for the Erie County sheriff’s seat as former deputy commissioner for the Buffalo Police Department. But according to her recount of conversations with the Erie County Democratic Party chairman, there was one thing Beaty didn’t have. The right look.

“He said, ‘You’re not what a sheriff looks like, and what people are used to,’” she recalled Party Chairman Jeremy Zellner telling her. “He told me it was nearly impossible for me to win, and that I would never be the party’s nominee,” Beaty said. “He told me that credentials and experience and qualifications did not always matter.”

Zellner denies ever saying that to Beaty.

Another he said she said story, noteworthy regarding today's Lancaster politics and the following in the report: credentials and experience and qualifications did not always matter.

Zellner may deny saying it, but from all appearances the two Board of Election Commissioners are conjointly influencing / practicing that exact perspective in Lancaster politics. What is missing in the statement is candidate character, values and integrity. Questionable attributes in the new hybrid REPDEM Party and its candidates.

The Lancaster Republican and Democratic Parties collude, cross endorse and lock up all party endorsements except the Conservative line, then try to eliminate the endorsed Conservative Party candidates, all in an attempt to suppress voter choice.

[mark blazejewski]

The report captioned Candidate says Democratic chairman told her she’s ‘not what a sheriff looks like’, covers an aggrieved Kimberly L. Beaty who has more than 30 years in law enforcement and believes she has credentials to make a strong push for the Erie County sheriff’s seat as former deputy commissioner for the Buffalo Police Department. But according to her recount of conversations with the Erie County Democratic Party chairman, there was one thing Beaty didn’t have. The right look.

“He said, ‘You’re not what a sheriff looks like, and what people are used to,’” she recalled Party Chairman Jeremy Zellner telling her. “He told me it was nearly impossible for me to win, and that I would never be the party’s nominee,” Beaty said. “He told me that credentials and experience and qualifications did not always matter.”

Zellner denies ever saying that to Beaty.

Have Breezy and Gorja weighed in on the story?

[mark blazejewski]

The report captioned Candidate says Democratic chairman told her she’s ‘not what a sheriff looks like’, covers an aggrieved Kimberly L. Beaty who has more than 30 years in law enforcement and believes she has credentials to make a strong push for the Erie County sheriff’s seat as former deputy commissioner for the Buffalo Police Department. But according to her recount of conversations with the Erie County Democratic Party chairman, there was one thing Beaty didn’t have. The right look.

“He said, ‘You’re not what a sheriff looks like, and what people are used to,’” she recalled Party Chairman Jeremy Zellner telling her. “He told me it was nearly impossible for me to win, and that I would never be the party’s nominee,” Beaty said. “He told me that credentials and experience and qualifications did not always matter.”

Zellner denies ever saying that to Beaty.

Have Breezy and Gorja weighed in on the story?

Just in case Breezy and Gorja did not see the story, here it is...

image - 2021-04-25T062456.008.jpg

image - 2021-04-25T063923.289.jpg

[Lee Chowaniec]

Voter choice suppression

Democratic Board of Election Commissioner (BOE) Zellner has made it crystal clear he would favor eliminating fusion voting. Several minor parties have already gone by the wayside for not meeting state requirement re voting percentages vs. general elections. In Lancaster, the Independence Party and Green Party are no longer.

It appears the Republican Party has become of like mind as they are challenging the authorization of Working Family Party nominating petitions across the state. They claim the petitions are “insufficient, fraudulent, false, and invalid” because they do not conform to provisions of the New York State election laws. Working Family Party (WFP) representatives claim the legal suits to be frivolous and meritless.

Sounds like the game being played by the Republicans and Democrats in Erie County attempting to not only eliminate minor political parties but to also displace Conservative Party endorsed candidates by challenging nominating petitions as well, and failing in the process where the petitions were dismissed as frivolous / meritless / obstructive petitions.

For some having a minor line to vote on defers from the onerous task of having to vote on either the Republican or Democratic ballot lines. Especially this year where the two Lancaster major parties have colluded to cross endorse candidates which robs voters of candidate choice.

Politics at its ugliest!

[Frank Lee Blunt]

Lee, not to sound to conspiritorital, but where is the Buffalo News? They are just as much to blame for their lack lazy and one sided view of local government operations and that brings with it a green light to underhanded politics.

There are no more real reporters with a nose for a real story. But sooner or later someone will pick it up and run with it. There is just so much for an editor to write about.

Message to the Lancaster Bee......do you job and inform the local readers of the facts and your circulation will grow more than ever.

By the way readers, Golden Boy Amatura has been working everybody he can and calling in all the chips to get re-elected.
From the looks of what Mr. Pilato"s private fund raiser did, I'd say Danny Boy is in for a fight. There were many young residents in attendance. The kind that will work to get out the vote this cycle. These are NEW voters with a purpose in mind. They are coming for your job Danny Boy.
A sleeping monster has been awoken by the Boss, and it's one he never considered as a threat. Big surprises on the way folks. Ralph a train is rolling down the tracks headed straight for you. And from what I here there are Federal and State politicians watching all that goes on in Erie County. Especially the Sheriffs race. Watch out Zellner and Mohr, you guys may have already crossed a line you can't come back from..........


Just sayin'

Stay tuned

[shortstuff]

Voter choice suppression

Democratic Board of Election Commissioner (BOE) Zellner has made it crystal clear he would favor eliminating fusion voting. Several minor parties have already gone by the wayside for not meeting state requirement re voting percentages vs. general elections. In Lancaster, the Independence Party and Green Party are no longer.

It appears the Republican Party has become of like mind as they are challenging the authorization of Working Family Party nominating petitions across the state. They claim the petitions are “insufficient, fraudulent, false, and invalid” because they do not conform to provisions of the New York State election laws. Working Family Party (WFP) representatives claim the legal suits to be frivolous and meritless.

Sounds like the game being played by the Republicans and Democrats in Erie County attempting to not only eliminate minor political parties but to also displace Conservative Party endorsed candidates by challenging nominating petitions as well, and failing in the process where the petitions were dismissed as frivolous / meritless / obstructive petitions.

For some having a minor line to vote on defers from the onerous task of having to vote on either the Republican or Democratic ballot lines. Especially this year where the two Lancaster major parties have colluded to cross endorse candidates which robs voters of candidate choice.

Politics at its ugliest!

Lee I am not surprised. Fusion voting (which allows a candidate's name to appear on multiple parties' ballot lines) was a widespread practice in the 19th century, as Democrats benefitted from fusion tickets with populist parties. This practice now only remains in eight states. In those states, minor parties will often agree to cross-endorse a major party's candidate in exchange for influence on the candidate's platform. We have seen this practice. The states who still allow fusion voting are Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Mississippi, New York, Oregon, South Carolina and Vermont.*

*This information is from the political dictionary

[Lee Chowaniec]

Lee I am not surprised. Fusion voting (which allows a candidate's name to appear on multiple parties' ballot lines) was a widespread practice in the 19th century, as Democrats benefitted from fusion tickets with populist parties. This practice now only remains in eight states. In those states, minor parties will often agree to cross-endorse a major party's candidate in exchange for influence on the candidate's platform. We have seen this practice. The states who still allow fusion voting are Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Mississippi, New York, Oregon, South Carolina and Vermont.*

*This information is from the political dictionary

Point well taken, Shortstuff. If the Conservative Party continues to grow and remains viable, it will be difficult for Albany to eliminate it.

For ‘blanks’ and independents a minor party is the closest one can expect of having a third party to express voter independence – especially when one finds voting for Republicans and Democrats equally abhorrent. Especially abhorrent in Lancaster this year where both major parties have colluded to suppress all opposition.

The unholy alliance has gone to extremes to interfere in / disrupt the Conservative Party organization attempting to completely destroy voter choice in the process.

[shortstuff]

Point well taken, Shortstuff. If the Conservative Party continues to grow and remains viable, it will be difficult for Albany to eliminate it.

For ‘blanks’ and independents a minor party is the closest one can expect of having a third party to express voter independence – especially when one finds voting for Republicans and Democrats equally abhorrent. Especially abhorrent in Lancaster this year where both major parties have colluded to suppress all opposition.

The unholy alliance has gone to extremes to interfere in / disrupt the Conservative Party organization attempting to completely destroy voter choice in the process.

I hope the Conservative Party can continue to grow, the strength of this party is critical to secure a win, especially in Lancaster.

Survival of the fittest, if I can correlate it to local politics, is the ability to adapt to local "politics" to mark its relation to political party's power of selection. Natural Selection, I guess that makes the Democratic Party the stronger party with the Republican Party behind. It does make it uncomfortable knowing both parties are joining forces! It will be interesting to see what happens...LOL

[Lee Chowaniec]

I hope the Conservative Party can continue to grow, the strength of this party is critical to secure a win, especially in Lancaster.

Survival of the fittest, if I can correlate it to local politics, is the ability to adapt to local "politics" to mark its relation to political party's power of selection. Natural Selection, I guess that makes the Democratic Party the stronger party with the Republican Party behind. It does make it uncomfortable knowing both parties are joining forces! It will be interesting to see what happens...LOL

Survival of the fittest is an interesting analogy especially considering what the new Republican Party Chair told the committee membership at the recent meeting: I am not happy with all the endorsed candidates either but it will give us the summer off and then we can concentrate on the big prize, the Supervisor position in two years. WTF!

[mark blazejewski]

From the Lancaster Republicans Facebook page:

image.jpg

Reference: https://www.facebook.com/lancastergop

[Lee Chowaniec]

From the Lancaster Republicans Facebook page:



Reference: https://www.facebook.com/lancastergop

Hey, wait a minute, what is going on here? No patronage, no deals, no BS? Unheard of in politics on any level of government!

Proof? This year’s antics of the Lancaster colluded Republican - Democrat Parties. Read Sunday’s political analyst Robert McCarthy’s column.

Can’t wait to see the ads, mailers, flyers, whatever the REPDEMS put out to justify their duplicitous alliance. Or will they even bother considering they have the endorsement of every party except that pesky Conservative Party.

Why, even the REPDEM Chairs and political operatives have openly stated they could take the summer off by forming this alliance. Why worry? But worry they have as exemplified by their failed primary petition challenges.

The REPDEM collusion has put their candidates in an unenviable position of justifying their ideology, character integrity, ethos, and ability to substantiate they have the town’s best interest in mind, rather than their own agendas and best interests.

[mark blazejewski]

Hey, wait a minute, what is going on here? No patronage, no deals, no BS? Unheard of in politics on any level of government!

Proof? This year’s antics of the Lancaster colluded Republican - Democrat Parties. Read Sunday’s political analyst Robert McCarthy’s column.

Here is the article...

Robert J. McCarthy

Just about this time of year on the state’s new political calendar, boards of elections and State Supreme Court justices consider all kinds of challenges as potential candidates qualify for the ballot – or try to disqualify their opponents.

Take the case before Justice Dennis Ward last week scrutinizing the designating petitions of Amherst businessman Hormoz Mansouri. He seeks to oppose the endorsed Democrat for Erie County comptroller – Legislator Kevin Hardwick – in the party’s June primary.

But the real story involves not the court case, but the intertwining relationships among all kinds of Erie County politicians exposed in its pages. Some call them conflicts.

Here’s a sampling of claims and counterclaims stemming from the litigation that sheds light on the county’s inbred politics:

• Democratic Elections Commissioner Jeremy Zellner importantly points out that he approved Mansouri’s petitions, allowing the developer to take on Hardwick in June.

But Zellner is also the Erie County Democratic chairman, and is constantly forced to counter charges of conflict as he functions in both offices. It’s part of holding both jobs.

Case now in point: Mansouri’s court papers maintain that it is in Zellner’s best interest for Hardwick – the chairman/commissioner’s endorsed candidate – to prevail.



Reference: https://buffalonews.com/opinion/colu...ome-the-latest

[mark blazejewski]

The REPDEM collusion has put their candidates in an unenviable position of justifying their ideology, character integrity, ethos, and ability to substantiate they have the town’s best interest in mind, rather than their own agendas and best interests.

JUST MY OPINION:

When Supervisor Ruffino, during the January 19, 2021 Town Council Session, stated that "Basically, I have three votes," he did more than exert raw political power in connection with the ZBA Chairmanship. With his specific use of the word "I," Ruffino, it would seem, transformed the 2021 campaigns for Town Council into a referendum on the Ruffino administration.

Those words, arrogant in tone and defiant of accountability, strongly suggested that he alone controlled the Democrat caucus, and that the role of each and every member of that caucus was to strictly execute the Ruffino program, and to do so without regard to the more broader interests of the residents of Lancaster.

In accepting the Democrat endorsement for Town Council, both Messrs Wozniak and Rudz not only embrace the future Ruffino agenda, but they are now burdened by the historic Ruffino record; a compendium of self-pity moans and groans, misspeaks, self-interest demands, seeming political retribution(s), questionable practices, and comments reflecting a not only disregard for transparency, but for the value of the opinions of wise and learned Lancaster residents.

This, in part, is the Ruffino record that Wozniak and Rudz must justify:

(1) Wozniak and Rudz need to harmonize their so-called "conservative" ideologies with the fact that Ron Ruffino's official act was to demand the reinstatement of the Supervisor's stipend for budget duties.

(2) Their support for a Supervisor who in 2019, ran "as the most experienced" candidate for "ever," but who seemed to have indulged in self-pity when confronted with the COVID-19 emergency in March, 2020. I seem to recall that the Supervisor walked-back his assertion of experience when he stated "I am new to this," and woefully lamented "It hurts a lot to be going through this," and that he was under "a lot of pressure."

Those comments may have been appropriate for a more humble man; a public servant less-prone to self-serving exaggeration, but they were truly revealing as he applied them in his own self-created "gotcha moment."

I would be remiss if I did not remind the reader of the leadership rendered by a previous Supervisor, Stan Keysa Jr., during the Blizzard of 1977; a crisis which some would argue was of a more immediate danger to all human life than the COVID-19 emergency.

In January, 1977, Supervisor Keysa's previous electoral experience was limited to the VOL Police Justice bench, and was only on the job for one year when the natural disaster occurred. There is little doubt of the intense, immediate threat that the infamous Blizzard of '77 posed; a serious, life-threatening state which rose to such an emergency level that it required a Presidential Disaster Declaration.

Admirably, Keysa did not lament his condition; he provided leadership; Keysa did not suggest that food was not essential, rather he observed the bravery of those who walked two miles to feed their children.

Most notably, Keysa did not bemoan being under "a ot of pressure," but on national television, openly challenged Governor Carey to provide the necessary numbers of military police to augment the overburdened Lancaster Town and Village Police forces.

From ABC News, January 31, 1977:

image (1).jpg

(3) Messrs Wozniak and Rudz need to justify also, the rather perplexing, if not inappropriate, distribution of letter, using what appears to be the official Town of Lancaster Supervisor's letterhead shared with the letterhead of a private business, seemingly for the advertising purposes.

(4) In light of the 2021 Budget fiasco, Councilman Wozniak and Trustee Rudz also need to speak to the issue of the competence of the newly-appointed Budget Director.

(5) More troubling, Wozniak and Rudz need to justify Mr, Ruffino apparent lack of transparency in connection with what some may consider to be political reprisal against Diane Terranova's compensatory entitlements, along with Mr. Ruffino perceived total lack of respect for a very well respected, and I dare say revered, former Town Clerk, Bob Thill, when Ruffino brazenly publicly admonished Mr. Thill that he was "out of order."

Reference: https://www.speakupwny.com/forums/sh...le+of+salaries

Indeed, this is just the partial Ruffino record that Wozniak and Rudz need to justify.

[Lee Chowaniec]

Hey Mark:

Where you focus on REPDEM candidate allegiance to defend Supervisor Ruffino, I would think opposing candidates would focus more on Ruffino and the endorsed REPDEM candidates as being the dog wagged by the tail of the likes of Lancaster party bosses McCracken / Giza / Zellner on the Dem side and Smith / Mohr / county patronage operatives on the Rep side.

Rudz openly admitting he never sought the Democratic Party endorsement he received, and later openly admitting he would be a ‘fool’ not to accept it, speaks to the sentiment of the colluded REPDEM alliance – their morals / values / integrity / ethos and self-interest agendas over that of community best interests.

To then hear the Republican Party Chair declare that he was not satisfied with some of the candidates endorsed, but that they could take the summer off in campaigning, and then in two years concentrate on the Supervisor race, WTF! This is the soft underbelly REPDEMS to be attacked – IMHO!

Then again, I am a lifetime ‘blank’ and for 20+ years of religiously attending town board meetings I have come to abhor voting on either the Republican or Democratic lines because of the political deal-making that has taken place.

As a ‘blank’ I have no standing to vote in the primary. What is of interest to me in this primary is the outright deceit used by the REPDEMS to not only form an unholy alliance attempting to suppress voting choice, but the machinations used attempting to eliminate candidate opposition by challenging petition authentications.