Oh look, Collins yanked out the union teet from the mouths of the Democrats of the Erie County Legislature… This is great news for all of us. Now we will actually have a chance at competitive bidding between the union and the non union construction companies. But, the best thing is the savings. We have paid millions upon millions to much for projects just because of this supposed Law. It was clearly designed to screw the taxpayers, screw the non union companies but on the other hand it benefitted the legislators that passed it. Tim Kennedy, Iannello, Whyte, Marinelli and the rest need to go down in flames for passing this and so many other “Laws” designed to benefit them, their union buddies and give us the screws.

Thank you Chris Collins, finally a County Executive with a set and know what to do with them.


Collins suspends apprenticeship law - Business First of Buffalo:

Honoring a campaign pledge, Erie County Executive Chris Collins suspended the controversial, union-friendly apprenticeship law that business leaders felt unnecessarily drove up the cost of county-financed public works construction projects.

The Erie County Legislature enacted the apprenticeship law two years ago, despite concerns raised by the business community that the law favored unions, limited those who could bid on projects and, effectively, increased construction costs for the cash-starved county.

The law mandated any firm that bid on a county construction project had to have an approved apprenticeship and training program.

“It was the most anti-business, anti-taxpayer law in the county,” Collins said.

To suspend the law, Collins on July 21 submitted a new set of rules and regulations that withdrew the apprenticeship requirement to the Erie County Legislature. The Legislature’s majority had 60 days to block the new set of rules, but failed to do so.

“We did this in the open,” Collins said. “This has been in the light of the day for the past 60 days. We did not try to sneak it past anyone.”