The Buffalo News and the LUSJ are reporting that the Tucker/Green primary will come down to absentee ballots and that Pilot defeated Jack Smith. The surprises have me wondering if I am still sleeping.
Who’ll be Michael Pillot’s Republican opponent in the mayor’s race?It goes to show how important it is to get out and vote.
It’s up in the air after an unexpectedly strong primary election showing by Mayor Mike Tucker’s GOP opponent, former alderwoman Phyllis Green....
...Green predicted “the lawyers are gonna get involved” in the GOP primary, given the closeness of the live vote.I wonder if many people felt their candidate would move on? Seeing that Pacseri was also defeated, is garbage fear mongering that powerful? We haven't even used the system yet.
“I have no regrets. I’m very proud of the campaign we ran. We worked very hard ... and gave people the opportunity to have their say, have somebody else to vote for,” she said. “I think the mayor thought he’d get a free ride (from Republicans) — and he didn’t.”
44 comments:
I am surprised about the mayoral primary on the republican side. I didn't realize that many people were unhappy with Tucker.
As for Pasceri, for the people in this ward, I don't think it was garbage. Shirley is the reason we got our taxes adjusted and had several public hearings regarding Flintkote. She went door to door talking to people BEFORE she was a candidate. Pasceri didn't even say a word at that hearing. In fact Jack Smith ran it- not even his ward! If you ask me, that is why she was defeated. She was more interested in doing things for Tucker's agenda than she was for speaking for the people of this ward.
Seeing that less than 10% of the city decided to weigh in on the primaries (assuming a little more than half are eligible)I'm thinking it was more complacency or apathy over any statement about anyone. My guess is those OK with Tucker did not feel a need to show up in what looked to be a long shot for Green. Green got to take advantage of that so far.
If Green did win here and Tucker got a minor line I wouldn't be surprised to see him come out on top when all is said and done.
If the city did feel two garbage rabblers are our best two options, I have some concern. No where did I see from either of them any new vision for what was required to turn the city around.
I don't think garbage was the major issue with voters. IMHO; Tucker's major problem was the Hoffman debacle plus he wasn't helped when Allen complained recently that he was underpaid and should get $100,000 a year for his 35 hours a week while supervising 4 more employees than Hoffman did, Smith's credibility took a dive with his secret recordings and HV vote and Pasceri was hurt being connected by the hip to Tucker and appearing to concentrate too much on garbage and not enough on her own ward. Funny thing though, this morning I noticed they are repaving Mill Street - should have done it a day sooner LOL.
Green and Pillot didn't have any major hot buttons, but I don't think they have any major hot ideas either unfortunately.
Still think the city needs a real city manager and not a strong mayor government.
I honestly don't think Richelle wanted another term. Her "campaign" was apathetic compared with Shirley's. Shirley was visiting the voters, called them and even sent a handwritten thank-you note to everyone who signed her petitions.
When's the last time you received a handwritten ANYTHING?
The percentage of people who turned out to vote is horrible. I always say that if you don't vote - you have no right to complain.
From a Toronto News article:
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1052173--hume-if-ignorance-is-no-excuse-how-do-leaders-manage-to-get-elected
"...“The best argument against democracy,” Churchill said, “is a five-minute conversation with a voter.” So is a five-minute conversation with the average politician."
Not one of the mayoral non-incumbents did anything to prove to me they offered anything better than the steady coarse with some improvements under Tucker. If anything their points made the future sound slower or moving in reverse.
But seeing the items the anonymi keep harping on in the comments here, it's hard to tell what came first: the voting chicken or the politician egg. It's not hard to understand why some of the possibly more capable people out there(that some of you may be desiring)decide not to get into politics.
I think her apathy could be read as not thinking Shirley had a chance to win. But boy did she ever and I'm excited about her being on the council next year. She got into the race for all the right reasons, maybe someone will start taking this ward seriously now. I bet Tucker is regretting that the Niagara county legislature snubbed a nosey little old lady now, huh!
Again, I commend Richelle for taking on the garbage/recycling thing and not backing down. But in the process, she forgot about the quality of life issues that plague her district.
Thanks for the fair comment Luciano. Is too bad we didn't have more of that in the past.
The voter turnout for this election was very sad. Is it that people are that apathetic about politics or that they do not think it will make a difference if they vote or not? Do they still teach Participation in Government (PIG) in school? If not, they should. Even though the current students are most likely not old enough to vote, they will at least understand that the only way to change things (or keep them the same) is to vote.
Maybe we should make voting even easier for the lazy culture that we live in. Because clearly if you are able to vote online or via text (like on any one of the reality shows on tv) then you get a huge response!
or maybe even drive-thru polling places...so you can be drinking your Tim Hortons & eating McDonalds while you vote. :)
I agree that Richelle did a great job re: garbage - some (including me) think they went about it arse backwards but it is what it is. Someone mentioned a referendum a while back - never would have worked. Too much infighting and you'd probably get another 8% turnout.
To the best of my knowledge, PIG is still a state mandated course. Unfortunately, neither the kids nor the teachers seem to take it seriously. A few years ago it consisted of going to class when you felt like it and going to one public meeting then writing three paragraphs about that meeting. Sad.
Our kids, at least in this county, stay as far away from politics as they can. As they get older and see the inner workings of it they don't want to have anything to do with it.
Would you?
look..I've stopped licking my wounds concerning Jack Smith. GIJOE lives!
Richelle I'm sure is a nice person, but when you attach yourself so closely to an issue the "smell" will rub off on you.
Again...nothing personal to Richelle but she was never qualified to sit on the Common Council to begin with. My daughter is a Bar Tender, and has a four year degree from a major university, but I don't think she can be the president of the common council. When Tucker said nod...she nodded. When he goes down she going to fall too.
The turn out was pathetic.
To all of you who have a big mouth and didn't even bother to vote do us a favor...leave town.
George at 9/14 10:40 Am
I hate to say it...... but I agree with you.
You can tell by the anonymous behavior here during the run up to the vote that the any PIG that was offered in the past has not done any good.
I don't see what would be so hard about having students research each candidate, write a paper of pros and cons and then have a mock vote in the high school. Would be interesting how the future voters would choose.
I know one thing MJ...The next time someone at a common council meeting stands up and shoots their mouth off, someone should ask if them if they voted in the primary. If the answer is no, then they should be told to sit down and shut-up. I'm overly tired of the blow-hards' with their exasperated opinions about everything form trash to secret tapes. Then when it's time to make their position count, less than 12% have the time to vote. This is the city of all talk and no action.
"9/15/2011 9:51 AM
gijoe2012 said...
George at 9/14 10:40 Am
I hate to say it...... but I agree with you."
wow -- thanks. i honestly never had a bone to pick with your guy. i just thought we needeed more info.
now tuckers other handpicked guy (white) wants another $12,000 to do the budget.
a question i have for both allen and white - besides making tucker look bad asking for all this extra money - you guys both only work 35 hours a week. you are getting a fair wage. in return for the raises you want (10-20%), is it going to cause you to work an extra 4-8 hours a week or are you still just putting in your 7 hour days?
utterly ridiculous what those two guys are doing. someone should have ran for whites job this year.
This is tantamount to Rape and Robbery. As most know Mr. White ( another nice guy) is Maziars brother in-law.
There is a wide open Job Market with hundreds of qualified people looking for work. If Mr. White wants to resign because he feels the pay is insufficient, let him go. As a matter of fact we should place a moratorium on hiring anymore over-paid consultants.Is he protected by the union? It's just another patronage job.
Let's start a job search.
The city can always say no, then they quit and then you replace them.
Consolidation is going to be messy no matter how it is done. People are going to ask for more when more responsibility is pushed their way. Maybe they get a little. Maybe they don't. Maybe they stay. Maybe they decide to leave. There will be a period of upheaval. The city will survive it.
Too Close to Call, could be looked on as "Too Close to Believe"
Now that the Primary is over we can move into Phase II. The battle of the "Under Educated" candidates has begun.
As long as the people of Lockport think the most important Job in the city ( The Mayor) can only be occupied by someone who has lived here all of his/her life, we're screwed.
How big of a wake-up call do some of you need? Most people follow opportunity, and if it takes them from their home town so be it. Sometimes they return later in life, sometimes they don't.
I've had to stop Listening to Niagara's Talking altogether. The stupidity and naivete that comes from the mouths of some of the "regular" callers is just too scary to think about any more.
The people of this area need to wake up before it's too late.
MJ hit's the nail on the head.
You know what? I lost an entire team of people at my job at a certain large financial institution. I now do the job of 5 people. How much of a raise did I get? Nothing, I'm just lucky to still have a job. These guys asking for a raise in these economic times is inexcusable. Let them go if they don't think they make enough. Wages and benefits are out of control as it is, and like someone else said, there are MORE QUALIFIED people out there who would work for less.
I'm not one for a race to the bottom in salaries but anyone who is not happy with theirs does have the option of looking elsewhere. I also see no wrong in asking for a raise for additional responsibilities, training etc brought to the table. It does not guarantee that the employer can afford it or find it valuable to them.
The big problem is the public pension. No one is going to want to lose it. It 1) makes people stay with the city because they don't want to loose it (even though their job may have become stale) and 2) stops other people from working in the public sector for just a while because it can not be take like a 401k etc when they move on. It turns into a static work atmosphere with minimal new blood/ideas/ etc. I could be off though as I do not know exactly how the state pension system works.
What I do know is that Mr. White had an increase proposal before the Common Council and is trying to raise the amount already proposed. He is also flexing his muscles because Dick Malaney is leaving. That's his right, and his value will seek it's own level. I just don't like to feel like he's trying to game us for more. I'm in no mood for it.
This was brought up in relation to how all these changes are hurting Tucker's reputation.
Don't forget as you complain about White that Allen is doing the same thing. he got a large wage to take over Hoffman's duties, but now is complaining he is not making enough to supervise that many people.
And remember, these people only work 35 hours a week! Thats almost part time for most managers in the business world!
I commented, publicly, about the 4.5% RAISE Mike White was granted at a Common Council meeting a month or so ago. I was appalled. Those of us in the audience either don't have a job or are living on a fixed income.
This bozo got a 4.5% RAISE for the UPCOMING 4 years. I thought that was despicable! Now he wants more?
Now I wish I'd run against him - I could handle it - he's never there anyway so it wouldn't overtax my limited energy but, he's George's brother-in-law so what would my chances be?
I understand that Richelle was NOT looking for a way out - she was sincerely surprised and very upset that she lost. IMHO she forgot the old, true adage: "All politics are local." (Or ward-centric?) She did a great job on the garbage but didn't pay attention to her Ward. The roll-out fiasco was not her decision. It was done terribly. The City needs a PR guy (gal).
P.S. If every person now working for the City in an appointed (by Tucker) position had had their family members, not to mention friends and extended families, get out and vote for Tucker, he would have won by a landslide.
Why wouldn't some Lawyer pulling down +/- $60,000 a year work hard to keep him in Office and the lawyer in his well-paying part-time job? It defies logic.
Hubris my dear..... hubris
Agreed, Joe. The result was VERY unexpected as evidenced by the behavior of those who lost or are going to lose.
I think we should all wait until the write-in and the minor lines have been tallied
It ain't over til it's over...
I agree, Joe - although the skinny is that they will, at least, confirm Tucker's and Pasceri's losses. Still, we all, including they, should wait until they're counted and confirmed.
I firmly agree that these guys who are now asking for MORE money are way out of line. They're already overpaid. The fact of White's relation is, of course, a consideration, but when is this going to stop? The man is never there and I don't see him doing anything when he IS! His brother-in-law might want to pay attention to what he's (not) doing because it sure makes the Senator look BAD! In contrast, his step-daughter, the police officer, is a credit to the force and the City.
I don't know what Allen's "hook" is, but he doesn't deserve what he's getting NOW and he wants MORE? What's he got on whom? It's a really low point when Public Servants are holding the public hostage for more money when they don't do the jobs they're overpaid for NOW!
And "Niagara's Talking?" Please... The same old, same old is a complete waste of time. The "hostess" is NOT a professional, (in any way) neutral hostess whose purpose is to encourage civil discourse. She foists HER opinions on the listeners, and HER opinions are on Mars. She should be yanked before the station finds itself in a heap of trouble.
It will be interesting to see if these guys get granted the raises they want.
As far as Niagara's talking, if it's controversial then it's attracts listeners. I never listen to it so I don't know what she's saying, but I remember the days when Leffler would be so left wing out there he would get everyone mad. It's their job to spout their opinions and get the listeners mad, otherwise it would be boring! She's wasn't hired to be nuetral, anyone could host a show and do that.
I agree with you George. What i don't like about the current host is her spouting off lies as truth. The people who usually listen to the show are bound to believe what she says and repeat it, repeat it, repeat it... and then you have a problem.
There's also a little problem with the FCC. No - I'm not going to set it forth here - she knows what it is.
Looking better for Tucker - Thank God... (I like Phyllis a lot - but...)
When will they be done counting the votes?
Not fully sure. Based on the articles my guess is early next week (week and a half from the vote).
I agree with MJ, although the problems with the absentees from our troops overseas in '09 might make it longer.
I've been told that most of ours are from local nursing homes.
Luciano, when you are discussing the quality of life in the first ward are you including Shirley Nicholas's fine homestead?? She seems like a sweet lady but she does not have what it takes to be in city government!!!
Sweet lady or not, current Alderman or not, city work or not. cop or not.
That doesn't excuse anyone from keeping their property/home clean, and up to code.
If Shirley needs help because she's disabled or too elderly to do the work herself, there is a new group that is willing to help.
www.savelockporthousing.com
Cleaned up. It is possible to converse without the name calling and taking everything personal. Give it a try.
I agree..it is possible
If "some people" would stop commenting on "bloggers" and make a contribution to the subject matter it wouldn't get started
Stop instigating. Make a point if you like.
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