I agree with Gaughan 100% but I don’t see it happening, not in our lifetime anyway. All these little governments are little kingdoms with hundreds of patronage jobs. They have their own little power houses and control millions of taxpayers money.
I just about guarantee this will go no where unless the people actually stand up and do something about it like demand action, demand consolidation and downsizing. I have little faith in the people any more, they all seem to like it the way it is but continue to bitch moan and complain about the taxes. Go figure.
WNED: Gaughan Calls for Dissolution of Village Governments (2008-07-10)
BUFFALO (2008-07-10) It is, perhaps, the most radical proposal yet from citizen activist Kevin Gaughan. Gaughan told a Rotary Club luncheon in Buffalo yesterday he would like to see Erie County’s sixteen villages dissolved.
The Hamburg attorney contends that in this new millennium, village government is a thing of the past
Gaughan says local government is bloated. The Hamburg attorney displayed statistics to prove his point when he compared the populations of several metro areas and the number of governments in those areas, with the population and numbers of governments in Erie County.
“Greater Indianapolis for 863,000, they have 14 governments. Charlotte has eight governments for 752,000. Baltimore, three governments…for 1.6 million people. New York City for 8.1 million people, one government. Just one. Here in Erie County we have 45,” said Gaughan.
Gaughan is proposing that Erie County’s 16 village governments be dissolved and its duties absorbed by the towns that surround them.
Such a change, according to Gaughan, would not only streamline operations and make them more efficient and more accountable to constituents, it would also save millions of taxpayer dollars.
Paul Becker of Orchard Park told WNED News he thinks the reforms are long overdue.
“We need reform badly…we’re still living in the past and I think it’s time to reformulate our governments. It won’t happen overnight. It’s going to take a lot of thoughtful discussion,” said Becker.
The 400 rotary members and guests who attended yesterday’s Harbour Club luncheon at HSBC Arena gave the Hamburg attorney a standing ovation after his 45-minute presentation.
Tags: Erie County Insanity
