Patriots seek tax reductions to stem the exodus from WNY
WHEATFIELD — The message at the first “town hall” meeting held Tuesday by the Niagara County Patriots rang clear.
Supporters need to take back the country, the state, the county from career politicians and return representation and control to the people.
The weapons in winning this battle are lower taxes, controlled government spending and more jobs — especially in Western New York.
The speakers who included candidates, two county legislators, activists and other local notables, spoke to an audience of about 150 at the Frontier Fire Hall. All acknowledged a need for change and encouraged residents to stay involved.
Lou Ann Gosch, leader of the Patriots, said the goal of the group is to bring the facts to the people so that informed decisions can be made.
“We’re informational,” she said, and noted that they had no plans to stage flamboyant tea party protests like Russ Thompson, one of the evening’s speakers. The Patriots, who carry no political party affiliation, want the exodus of people from this area to stop and one way to do that, they say, is by curbing taxes.
Tables were provided to candidates and groups such as the Abolish Government organization. The Patriots also were fundraising by selling books by Fox News commentator Glenn Beck and the New American group.
The Patriots formed around her kitchen table in Sanborn and talked about how fed up it was with the way government is run. The first meeting attracted seven interested residents in July. The next meeting drew 70, she said.
“I knew we had to start doing something,” she said, stressing the need for residents to stay involved.
Involvement was a common theme among the speakers, including Buffalo developer Carl Palladino.
During his talk, which included many sharp criticisms of state and local representatives, Palladino advised voters to go against the incumbents.
“They laugh at you,” he said. “Throw ‘em out of office — not that the next guy is any better but if you keep putting new ones in,” eventually the message will get across, he said.
“Forget about Democrat and Republican,” Palladino said. “It’s upstate versus downstate.”
He also had his own slant on the recent controversy surrounding Erie County Executive Chris Collins. Collins never should have apologized for comparing Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to Adolf Hitler and an Antichrist.
Silver, a popular target during the speeches, is one of the “most corrupt” politicians in office, and “fit the description” of Hitler and an Antichrist, according to Palladino.
County Legislature Chairman William Ross urged voters to approve the referendum next week that would reduce the legislature from 19 representatives to 15. Although the move might not result in huge savings for taxpayers, it would be a symbolic overture to show that government needs to do more with less.
He pointed out that the county work force, which had 1,799 employees in 2002, is now at 1,463.
Other speakers were Legislator John Ceretto, 12th District; Republican candidate for the 5th District Vincent Sandonato; and Wheatfield candidates for supervisor Republican Robert Cliffe and Democrat Samuel Conti.
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