The fourth public forum on Grand Island town government downsizing takes place this evening at the Bible Presbyterian Church Family Life Center, 1780 Love Road, Grand Island, beginning at 6:30 pm. All the previous discussions have been at times robust, often passionate, and always informative.
The Grand Island town board has been kind enough to debate me at these forums, sending two different board members to each session. Anytime I can debate more than one politician at a time, I like my odds. On some evenings, though, I feel like I should welcome the “new shift.”
Notwithstanding their tag-team approach, the Grand Island town board is to be commended for standing up for what they believe. In several previous towns, local officials refused to engage in open debate, preferring to have party bosses, academic representatives, or town employees defend the present system.
Grand Island officials have a difficult task convincing residents that Western New York’s gaggle of elected officials – the highest concentration of politicians in America – should remain while our population and jobs leave. But in attempting the argument, Supervisor Pete McMahon, and council members Mary Cooke, Richard Crawford, Gary Roesch, and Ray Billica have demonstrated the courage of their convictions.
September 13, 2010 at 4:41 pm |
I grew-up on G.I. I moved away from G.I. because of 2 reasons…A) It is far to over inflated cost wise to live on G.I. & B) The Town’s Board!
The ‘Toll-Booths’ were supposed to be gone when I was still in High School! Almost 30 yrs later…they are still there! The Board has never done anything to protect the Island Residents from the continued rising cost of having to ‘pay-a-fee’ to arrive at their own homes! Not a single Island Resident should never-ever have to pay to go home! As well as the continued ‘Bridge Work’ which is & will always be a never ending issue. Not to mention the huge over inflated Property Taxes.
I know most of the people that are on or have been on the G.I. Board started out wanting to do right by their Town & the people who live there…their Neighbors. But…they like all the others have become just like Albany’s lead of Career Politics! The ‘What’s in it for me Attitude’ reigns! Down-Sizing the G.I. Board is a huge step in the right direction for the people of the Town. I hope the Residents come out in full force & step up for themselves by voting to Down-Size! The Local Board’s everywhere seem to forget…They work for the People! Not the other way around!
I do miss living Grand Island & I still Proudly refer to G.I. as My Home-Town. I would have loved to have given my daughter the same experience’s I had by living there while she was growing up…But, the cost was to high. I was able to give her pretty close to that by living in Amherst…for alot less expense & that is a shame!
Keep up the good work Kevin, you are fighting the good fight!! Get out & Vote Grand Island! I Can’t wait until it is Amherst’s turn…I will be voting to Down-Size too!
September 13, 2010 at 6:56 pm |
When are you going to come out to the Akron/Newstead area to help get of the enormously wasteful spending that is taking place out here? We have twice the government for a very small population at a great expense to the taxpayers. I see no return on the double taxation that takes place. We need your help out here!!!
Thank you very much,
Richard Fennell