This is a good letter to the editor I found in the Buffalo News… Imagine is about all we can do. We won’t see our legislators do anything that would put their or their cronies jobs in jeopardy. Where would they get their campaign workers and staff, where would their campaign donations come from, where would all the foot soldiers come from as we know this would put the unions in peril and grasping to hold onto their stranglehold on county government.

But, we can imagine it, can’t we?

Imagine Erie County finally streamlining

Nearly all of my grown nieces and nephews have been forced to move out of Western New York to find work. I expect my own children will have to do the same. I now have relatives in places like Phoenix, Atlanta, Boston and even Alaska.

And many of my friends and co-workers are reaching retirement age and moving to states with lower taxes — there are 49 to choose from. Why are the young people leaving town with their educations and creativity in tow? Why are the old who are still able to walk shuffling out of Buffalo?

We seem to have far too many government entities, school boards, authorities, agencies and committees. Our political system is an outdated relic. Why do we still allow so much nepotism, patronage and graft? In Buffalo, one party is so powerful it could get a cadaver elected.

I realize we need public employees to plow the snow, teach our kids and keep the bad people locked up, but why do we need so many officials — appointed, elected or anointed? And why so many administrators?

Take county government — please. Back in 1960, the population of Erie County was more than a million; it has been in steady decline since then. Coincidentally, or perhaps not, 1960 was the year we went to a county executive form of government. Prior to that, a Board of Supervisors ran things. Rather than streamlining or consolidating, we added a whole new bureaucratic layer.

The current county budget comprises 1,030 pages and includes funding for things like the Commission on the Status of Women. While I’m sure this commission does fine work, I’m not sure it is the job of county government to look into such matters.

The question seems to be: With 45 town, village and city governments, why do we even need a county government? Keep the essential services and move them down to the town level.

The new county executive has pledged to reform government; I suggest he eliminate it. Mr. Collins: tear down County Hall!

John Lennon, multimillionaire rock star, wrote what is considered one of the great anti-establishment songs of all time: “Imagine.” Although Lennon didn’t follow his own suggestion about “having no possessions,” his heart was in the right place. With apologies to Lennon fans, here is an update, to the tune of “Imagine”:

•••

Owed to Erie County

Imagine there’s no county No Legislature, too

Leaves us just one question Can Collins save the day? Imagine all the voters Getting what they want . . . You may say I’m a dreamer But it’s really all in fun The odds of getting changes Are both slim and none.

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