Volatility may not be as prominant right now because they have been successful in spinning what is really going on in the county legislature. I think most of the blogs in WNY realized after the very first meeting of this elected class that we had hot air blown up our skirts. We just need to remind everyone that we are still very much in a budget battle here. Problem is the media has not been active as they were. Seems no one covered the sales tax vote, they approved it for two years instead of one.

Am I considering this race? Absolutely. Will I wuin? Absolutely.
I have a difficult time with no Dem challenges to the other seats. Remember this group gave us higher taxes, the apprenticeship law, raised the real property taxes this year by 2.7+ million, more jobs for friends and family……….

Michele M. Ianello of District 10 in Kenmore, Republican Rus Thompson of Grand Island is considering that race.

Volatility off ballot in races for Legislature

2 years after uproar, anti-incumbency eases

There are no controversies over red budgets and green budgets in this election year. No financial crisis that spurred political rookies to practically storm the gates of the Erie County Legislature two years ago.

This isn’t like 2005, when a swarm of newcomers sought to fix a government they deemed broken and failed.

While nearly two dozen novices vied for the Legislature that year, maybe six candidates qualify as true neophytes in 2007.

“It’s a lot different than two years ago — a completely different environment,” said Canisius College political scientist Kevin R. Hardwick. “Now hockey [has led] every newscast.”

While a state fi- nancial control board still supervises Erie County, increases in sales and property taxes have pulled its government from the brink of disaster. And while that 2005 fervor resulted in 11 new faces among the Legislature’s 15 members, an anti-incumbent fervor will not dominate this year’s contests.

Even Primary Challenge, the group that sprang up in 2005 to sponsor several anti-incumbent candidacies, expects a quieter 2007.

“I don’t expect we’ll have as many as two years ago, but we can now take our resources and put them behind candidates who can win,” said Primary Challenge founder Leonard A. Roberto.

As a result, this year’s legislative elections have reverted to traditional Republican versus Democrat faceoffs along with a smattering of primaries. That means fewer candidates, but no shortage of intensity.

Erie County Republican Chairman James P. Domagalski hopes to make his mark by electing Christopher C. Collins county executive and whittling down the Democrats’ 12-3 supermajority in the Legislature.

“It’s important to us because at 12 to 3, the Legislature is completely out of balance,” he said. “It’s really one-party government over there.”

Domagalski plans for Collins and legislative candidates to run in tandem — emphasizing their private-sector experience and proposals such as reducing legislative salaries. In the Republican view, legislators should be true part-time public servants.

“We’ll contrast that to legislators who do this . . . full time,” he said, naming several Democrats. “. . . This is how they earn their living.”

Leonard R. Lenihan, his Democratic counterpart, said that most of the Legislature’s Democrats are part of the Class of 2005 who ran because of their desire for change.

“We never take anything for granted,” he said of his 12-3 advantage. “But the fact is, we’ve got people who have not been in politics for a long time running for that body.”

More than two months remain before designating petitions are approved in order to officially name legislative candidates. At this point, the races are shaping up like this:

• A competitive contest is developing in District 11, where Chairwoman Lynn M. Marinelli is facing party challenges from Democrats Joel Feroleto and Joseph Kennedy in the September Democratic primary. The district includes the Town of Tonawanda and North Buffalo.

Businessman Christopher L. Jacobs considered entering the race on the Republican side, but has decided against it. Now Republican sources hope to get Town of Tonawanda Councilman John E. Donnelly, who ran against Rep. Louise M. Slaughter in 2006.

• Another interesting race could shape up in District 15 [most of Amherst], where Legislator Barry A. Weinstein will retire this year.

Buffalo Sabres commentator Mike Robitaille is mulling a Democratic run there and was noticed a few days ago at the Conservative Party’s annual dinner.

If Robitaille does run, he would face either Edward A. Rath III, son of State Sen. Mary Lou Rath, or Francina J. Spoth, a Williamsville School Board member — both Republicans.

• In Lancaster-based District 5, incumbent Democrat Kathy Konst is expected to face Republican challenger Thomas R. Ulbrich, a businessman.

• District 8 depends on whether incumbent Democrat Thomas J. Mazur will seek reelection. He says he is leaning toward running again and will decide this week. The district is centered in Cheektowaga.

If he does not, Democrats may offer Cheektowaga Council Member Jeffrey E. Swiatek.

• In District 9, incumbent Democrat Cynthia E. Locklear is expected to face former Legislator Timothy M. Wroblewski in a rematch of their 2005 contest. No Republican candidate has yet surfaced. The district comprises most of West Seneca.

• Incumbent Democrat Robert B. Reynolds Jr. of District 12, located mostly in Hamburg, is expected to face Republican James A. Liegl, a retired podiatrist, in November.

• In District 13, Democrats plan to again offer Suzann M. Cushman, who was defeated by Republican incumbent John J. Mills in 2005 by only a couple of hundred votes. The district is centered in Orchard Park.

• In District 14, Republicans hope to run Bradley W. Rowles, son of the Town of Tonawanda Highway Superintendent Bradley A. Rowles, against incumbent Democrat Thomas A. Loughran. The district is mostly located in Amherst and the Town of Tonawanda.

• No Democratic primary opponents or even Republican opponents for the general election have surfaced for Democratic incumbents Daniel M. Kozub of District 1 in Lackawanna, Timothy M. Kennedy of District 2 in Buffalo, Maria R. Whyte of District 6 in Buffalo or Michele M. Ianello of District 10 in Kenmore, although Republican Rus Thompson of Grand Island is considering that race.

rmccarthy@buffnews.com