But, but, this is exactly the way the Buffalo News wanted it as did all the minor parties. They chose the status quo over any voices of change. So what do they expect?
This reminds me of Albany, everyone complains that Albany is dysfunctional and out of touch but their legislator is doing a good job. If they are in, they are part of the problem.
The Buffalo News: Opinion: Same old Legislature
Lawmakers spared the anger of voters but must forge partnership with Collins
That’s not the winds of change you can feel sweeping through the Erie County Legislature’s chambers this week. It’s more a sigh of relief, from the incumbents still lodged within.
Despite a county executive election driven by change and voter dismay, the Legislature emerged from Tuesday’s elections virtually unscathed. The 13 incumbents running for reelection won. In the two districts where no incumbents were running, each party retained the seat it holds in the current Legislature. The political makeup of the Legislature remains a veto-proof 12-3 Democratic, posing a challenge for Republican County Executive-elect Christopher C. Collins.
The difference between the demand for change in the executive race and business as usual in the legislative ones is remarkable. It’s also remarkable in juxtaposition to the 2005 elections, when strong public demand for change — and dismay with the county budget fiasco — roiled the Legislature.
Even in situations in which the rumor mill had incumbent Democrats in trouble, they not only came through but they came through soundly. Democrat Kathy Konst of Lancaster gained the confidence of 55 percent of district voters, defeating Republican Tom Ulbrich to gain her second term despite a Republican majority in her district.
Konst also triumphed despite Democratic Party displeasure over her going her own way on several key issues. Preserving her degree of issue independence was important, because the other independent voice in the Legislature — Cynthia E. Locklear — was ousted in the primaries by the partybacked Democrat, Timothy Wroblewski, whom she had beaten in 2005.
The one new face in the Legislature carries an old name, the one on the county office building. Republican Edward A. Rath III, grandson of the first county executive and son of State Sen. Mary Lou Rath, replaces Dr. Barry A. Weinstein of Amherst, who elected to leave the Legislature this year so he could run for Town Board.
For all of the heated campaign rhetoric about politics as usual and a need for change, voters seemed content with the Legislature they have — one that settled down after the budget and across-the-board cost cutting debacle of the pre-2005 election. It has been working steadily toward improving the county’s fiscal position and reviewing the deadline decisions made in red budget, green budget haste.
Its challenge now is to craft a working political relationship with a radically different kind of county executive — and to avoid making what should be a cooperative effort for recovery into a political battleground. Erie County can’t afford that kind of bickering. It needs real leadership and real improvement, carefully planned through thoughtful and bipartisan work toward a more efficient and more affordable government.
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Tags: Erie County Insanity
Didn’t we replace half the legislature only 2 years ago? Isnt too much turnover a bad thing? It takes time to learn a job, doesnt experience count for anything anymore? It does in every other job…the more experience you have, the better you are able to do your job. Apparently according to the Buffalo News, we should have brand new legislators every year, thus guaranteeing an inexperienced legislature. We really need another newspaper in this town!
A bigger problem than “newness” vs. “oldness” is governing philosophy.
Although Mike is right there was turnover 2 years ago, the problem is that with few exceptions (Konst for her predecessor was a wash) most of the new legislators elected two years ago are even more liberal than who they replaced.
Examples:
Whyte is a lot more liberal than DiBenedetti, who is liberal too but not as much as Whyte
Ianello is more liberal than Swanick
Logherahn is a shade more liberal than Cuszak
A few quick examples of the consequences of the 2005 elections moving the legislature leftward:
1.) All talk of cuts to non-mandated spending stopped
2.) Some non-mandated spending was quietly restored
3.) A guarantee of 3% funding to hippie arts groups and elitist culture groups was put into law (disappointingly, sponsored by Cindy Locklear)
4.) “Temproray” sales tax increses were extended without even hardly any debate.
5.) The union apprenticeship law was easily passed, and veto overridden.
Now, some people might say that the leftward actions listed above are generally what the majority of voters wants.
Whenever spedning cutbacks are proposed, there’s a lot of backlash against that.
Perhaps this is true and the reality is taht this county does not want government seriously reduced, only tweaked a little to be slightly more efficient.
Hard to argue against that interpretation.
[...] The Buffalo News: Opinion: Same old Legislature [...]