Niagara Frontier
Political News
Here is an archive of political stories. Announcements
by candidates, charges and counter-charges,
speculation, and analysis. From powerful political pressure cookers all over Niagara
County.
We make our best effort to include only the most interesting but...
If you find yourself falling asleep,
Three Escape Routes are Available directly below...
A Truly Independent, Local Media
The
Lockport Home Page: www.Lockport-NY.com
The Biggest Niagara County Public Information Site On
The Web!
Most recent stories are first and age as you scroll down
Special Assembly seat election May 2nd. To fill a
sudden vacancy, the election will pit Mike Cole (R-C-I) against Jeff Bono. Both are
from Erie County. Cole is the town supervisor for the town of Alden. Bono is,
according to his literature, currently disabled from a back injury but has a history of
being a Democratic Party operative. Neither has given the Lockport Home Page any
information that the Niagara County towns of Lockport and Royalton would get any special
attention. The race is expected to be decided in Erie County. Cole is the
favorite based on enrollment figures and higher spending. (4/23/06)
Reporter indicates up to five Democrats
may be indicted. The Niagara Falls Reporter says in its April 18th
issue that as many as five leaders in the Niagara County Democratic Party may face charges
of election fraud. A key to the case, according to The Reporter is that
several party kingpins may have signed documents saying they circulated nominating
petitions when indeed they did not. (4/22/06)
News reveals Maziarz mailer false. The Buffalo
News is reporting that a taxpayer-funded brag flyer mailed to Lockport home owners
indicating they would get checks this fall from New York State as a result of legislation
pushed through by State Senator George Maziarz is false. The pay-outs were only one
of many proposals floated in the proposed state budget, the News indicates, and
it was not accepted by Gov. George Pataki. However, Maziarz wins by claiming that HE
worked to have checks of several hundred dollars each sent property owners. Pataki,
who is not running for re-election will be "blamed" for the checks never
arriving. The advertising mailer was paid for by---you guessed it---New York State
taxpayers. (4/15/06)
Maziarz, GOP Boss are linked to Zito investigation. According
to a report in the Niagara Gazette lid appears to be coming off how public
officials and public money have been used to benefit Mark Zito and others in the Niagara
Power Coalition case. Zito, a Niagara Falls school board member who claims to be
disabled and on disability payments, is under attack for what, some say, is selling out
Niagara County to powerful electric power deal makers. The Gazette reveals that
State Senator George Maziarz funneled about $20,000 to Zito, or family members, in a
complicated arrangement. Maziarz put the Zito payments on the State books, the
newspaper report indicates, as salary to a "special coordinator of energy."
Public monies (almost $35,000) may have also been funneled, the published report
alludes, to Niagara County GOP Chairman, Henry Wojtaszek, through a law firm he works for.
There is speculation that Zito, who is chairman of the Niagara County Independence
Party, may have also directed endorsement of most GOP candidates in recent elections.
(4/13/06)
Apolito Wins Re-election. After a full day of
counting with lawyers for both parties present, the Absentee Ballots were tallied Monday,
11/21 at the Board of Elections for the still-pending contest between Harry Apolito
(D-Incumbent) and Scott Cercone (R) for the 15th District Legislative seat (Lockport) on
the County Legislature. With only 18 ballots still in question, Apolito was leading
by 9 votes and Scott Cercone issued a concession message late Monday. (11/22/05)
Election Results November 2005:
Harry Apolito(D) is ahead by only four votes in his effort to retain his 15th
Legislative District seat on the Niagara County Legislature. The outcome of his contest
with Scott Cercone(R) won't be know until the middle of next week when
over one hundred absentee ballots are counted. Glenn Aronow (R) won
re-election in the 16th District race.
All other Lockport races weren't close with results
Tuesday night showing the winners as Lombardi (R 5th Ward), Schrader
(D 4th), Green (R 2nd), Grzebinski (R 1st) and newcomer Flora
McKenzie (Pictured Left) (D) winning in the 3rd Ward. Alderman-At-Large, Joe
Kibler (R) was re-elected. Republican City Judge Bill Watson was
reelected by a wide margin. In the Coroner contest, Lederhouse (R)
won re-election. In Lockport Town Democrat Brad Erck failed in his attempt to get on
the Town Board, preserving the GOP majority there and making it likely that Senator George
Maziarz de facto GOP County boss, will have his man, Michael Norris
appointed to the Board in January. Norris just recently moved into the town, has
been on the Maziarz payroll in Albany, and resigned from his appointed post as County
Elections Commission during the scandal of four years ago. He reportedly escaped
charges by testifying against his Democratic counterpart. Maziarz also had reason to
smile over the re-election of Democrat Tom Beilein as Sheriff.
Republican Brian Grear had to go it alone when the County GOP bosses refused to fund his
campaign or give him support. Maziarz's candidate in North Tonawanda loss the Mayor's race
but his slate in Newfane retained control of government there. (11/9/05)
Election Day Overview. The main question this year
seems to be if Niagara County GOP Leadership will expand its power in the Town of Lockport
and on the County Legislature. State Senator George Maziarz., the County GOP's de
facto leader, is seen as backing candidates on the Lockport Town Board so that his
protégé, former Elections Commission and newly arrived Town resident Michael Norris can
be appointed to the Board after the elections. That would move to give Maziarz de
facto control over Lockport Town, a political goal some believe he has sought for a
long time. Most interesting is the lack of financial support the GOP is giving its
candidate for Sheriff, Brian Grear (R). Incumbent Tom
Beilein (D) is a modest favorite to win this race but Grear has been running a
strong campaign although very much hurt by lack of Party (Maziarz) support. That,
sources say, goes back to political/official favors done for Maziarz and his associates by
Beilein. The difference could very well be GOP Party bosses not allowing any
money to go to Grear. Lockport Democrat Harry Apolito (D) could be in
trouble in his effort to win re-election to the County Legislature. Apolito has come
under strong attack for his backing of causes in the western end of the County while doing
little for his home base of Lockport. Scott Cercone (R) has strong city
support after serving on the Lockport City Council. Apolito's record, by contrast,
is one of controversy and party politics. A dirty campaign has been the one between Glenn
Aronow (R) and William Keith McNall (D). The Lockport
Home Page doesn't have the answer but one of the two candidates appears to be lying.
All we have heard in person from either of them was a nasty exchange in a radio
debate. The edge in city contests seems to go to mainly to the Republican incumbents
since their party office-holders have had considerable success turning around the disaster
of a city budget and administration they inherited from the out-going Democratic
Administration last year. A surprise winner could be local meat market butcher, Bill
Richardson (D), making his second run at public office, Alderman First Ward.
Listening to radio (WLVL) and looking at the newspaper the day before the voting, the big
winners were obvious. Both media were packed with advertisements of a political
nature. The radio was so packed that little else seemed to go out over the air on
Monday. (11/7/05)
Lockport candidates night. Several of the city and
county candidates for public office appeared at a public debate Wednesday evening, 11/2 at
the Dale Center in Lockport. Sheriff's candidates Tom Beilein(D)
and Brian Grear(R) debated. They were restricted in what they could
say relative to a lawsuit Grear had against the Sheriff's Department over an employment
matter since in the settlement a "gag order" was imposed on both parties.
But the Lockport Home Page was told earlier that the matter resulted in a payout to
Grear. The incident goes back many years.
A significant part of the debate between County Legislator candidates Glenn
Aronow (R) and William Keith McNall (D) dealt with the alleged
mud slinging in that contest. McNall is registered as a Republican but running as a
Democrat. He has a history in the Lockport Board of Education elections.
Aronow is the incumbent.
15th District Legislator Harry Apolito (D) repeated his
stance that the money-losing Mountview County Nursing Home should be retained under county
ownership with taxpayer footing the bill for the cash hemorage. His opponent,
now-City Alderman Scott Cercone (R) favors selling the facility to
private operator to raise money to relieve tax pressure, and get the facility back on
non-loss basis. It's a sensitive issue for both parties since staff there is made up
in large part by politically appointed favorites and the pay/benefit package is higher
than private-run nursing homes. (11/3/05)
Now...it's time to cast your vote...
A Nose For News...An Eye For Beauty...A Recall Of History
And...A Bias For The Truth
The
Lockport Home Page: www.Lockport-NY.com
Niagara County's Biggest Public Information Site On The Web