11022005-5

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Legislature candidates get graded on their support of ?A Plan for Moving On"

The Buffalo Niagara Partnership has been actively worked toward a solution for the County?s fiscal crisis. By commissioning the Erie County Stabilization Project, the Partnership set in motion a project which involved 150 volunteers from business, organized labor, and the not for profit sector. The report outlines more than 128 recommendations for the future of Erie County governance and has the potential to reap annual savings of in excess of $110 million. All of this year?s candidates for Erie County offices have been informed of the report, and the Partnership encourages its members to hold them accountable for implementing the changes that the document identifies.

Legislature

The implementation of recommendations made in the Erie County Stabilization Project stand to save Erie County tax payers in excess of $100 million in annual savings. However, these savings will never be realized without implementation from those elected to serve Erie County . Therefore, we must focus all efforts on electing candidates who are willing to support the efforts of the business community and volunteers from the community at large.

To that end, all Erie County Legislature candidates were sent a questionnaire regarding the recommendations made in ?A Plan for Moving On.? Based on their responses for each initiative ? either "Will Support", "Will Give Consideration,? or "Will Oppose" ? the candidates have received a ?grade.? They are listed by legislative district below.

Candidates receiving the following grades have indicated their intent regarding the initiatives in "A Plan for Moving On": 

       A -- STRONG SUPPORT -- support nearly all 

       B -- SUPPORT -- support most while giving strong consideration to nearly all 

       C -- MIXED SUPPORT -- support many while opposing some and considering others 

       D -- NONCOMMITAL -- give strong consideration but have not agreed to support specific reforms 

        F -- OPPONENT -- oppose the majority of the initiatives

To find out what legislative district you live in, click here for district maps.

1st District

A   Tom Jackson
C   Gary Pufpaff
     Dan Kozub - did not reply

2nd District

B   Julieanne Mazurkiewicz
     Tim Kennedy ? did not reply

3rd District

B   James Payne
B-  Ron Fleming
     Sam Herbert ? did not reply
     George Holt ? did not reply

4th District

A- Michael Ranzenhofer
     John Schrock ? did not reply

5th District

B- Denise Marshall
    Kathy Konst ? expressed support for ?A Plan for Moving On? but declined to complete

6th District

C   Joseph Totaro
     Maria Whyte ? did not reply

7th District

B+ Chris Brown
     Demone Smith ? did not reply

8th District

B+ Jeffrey Sell
D   Tom Mazur

9th District

A   Thomas Brooks
A-  Cynthia Locklear
      Tim Wroblewski ? did not reply

10th District

A   Bruce Kaiser
     Michelle Iannello ? declined to complete

11th District

B   Brian Krauss
B-  Lynn Marinelli

12th District

D   James Liegl
D   Robert Reynolds

13th District

B   John Mills
     Suzann Cushman ? did not reply

14th District

B+ David Lipinoga
B-  Thomas Loughran (D)

15th District

B+ Stephanie Seitz
      Barry Weinstein ? expressed support for ?A Plan for Moving On? but declined to complete