politics

Press release:

The Le Roy Democratic Committee held its nominating caucus on Monday Aug. 26 at the Le Roy Town Hall for the Nov. 5 general election.

The Party is proud to announce a diverse and dynamic ticket leading into the November elections.

Michael Welsh is the Party's choice for Le Roy Town Justice. Mike is married to Gail Rudgers and is a local attorney and community activist, who most recently has devoted his time and talent to the Le Roy Community Pool. He served the people of Le Roy  for 21 years on the Genesee County Legislature.

Incumbent Town Councilman Tom Stella was nominated for his second full term. Tom has served the community well on the board for six years. In addition to being the past Deputy Town Supervisor, he serves as the liaison for the Fire Commission and the liaison for the Farmland Protection Commission. He is married to wife, Deborah, and is a proud father and grandfather.

The caucus also nominated newcomer Kelly Carlie who is running for the second Town Board seat. Kelly, married to George and mother of three grown children with one grandchild and another on the way, is employed as a counselor at Elba Central School. She is also a small business owner and has served on the Holy Family School Board, was a former 4-H Leader and former Girl Scout leader.

Earlier in the summer Earl Funderburk garnered the Democratic endorsement for County Legislature through the petition process.

There was a bit of history at the county's election's office this afternoon -- for the first time in Genesee County history, Libertarians turned in signatures to put their own candidates on a local election ballot.

Batavia City Council candidates Lisa Whitehead (center) and Jim Rosenbeck (right) need 191 valid signatures to get spots on the ballot.

In New York's system, the Republican and Democrat candidates get to gather signatures first. When they're done, so-called third party candidates can gather signatures. None of the third-party signatures can duplicate signatures gathered by the Republicans and Democrats.

They all, of course, must be registered voters.

The Libertarians turned in 459 total signatures, which will now be reviewed by the election commissions to see if the minimum threshold of valid signatures have been met.

With Whitehead and Rosenbeck is Phil Ricci, chairman of the Genesee County Libertarian Party.

It's not every year that a local election has at least one issue that might sway voters. With all the attention garnered by the Genesee County Economic Development Center since the last County Legislature election, this November the opinions candidates hold on GCEDC funding and its policies might be an important issue for voters. We thought it a worthwhile public service to get candidates on the record on this issue as soon as they were declared candidates.

In posing the questions to the GOP candidates -- the first group to declare -- we found not all of the candidates agreed with that assessment.

We received objections to answering questions along the lines that it was too soon; wait until the election is closer; "my position is already well known"; and, most surprising, that candidates shouldn't have to answer questions before all of the candidates are declared.

There is apparently some concern that since there's still weeks left for candidates to declare, some candidates thought they shouldn't be asked policy questions until after the filing deadlines. None of the candidates explicitly stated that they fear their answers might prompt another candidate to enter the race. They did express concern that they would be sharing opinions that would be read by potential opponents before those opponents needed to answer the questions.

That's not a line of thinking The Batavian finds terribly persuasive. Any candidate should be willing to speak openly and publicly about their positions without fear of the political repercussions. If an opinion might spur another candidate to enter the race, well, then, that's good for democracy. If a candidate lacks sufficient confidence in a position that it will be easily targeted by opposition, then perhaps he or she should reconsider that position.

The filing deadlines are July 11 for candidates running on an established party line, and Aug. 20 for a candidate running as an independent (creating his or her own party line).

Below are the answers to our three GCEDC-related questions we received from six of the declared Republican candidates, the three declared Democrats and the lone independent to enter the race so far. After the three questions are statements we received from the three candidates who did not answer the questions. 

Question 1: Traditionally, there has been an item in the county budget to transfer money to GCEDC to assist funding the operations of the agency. Last year,  GCEDC received $215,000 in the county budget. Do you support continuing this fund transfer to GCEDC, or should it be eliminated or modified?

Shelley Stein, incumbent, Dictrict 5: The Genesee County Legislature has supported GCEDC at approximately 20% of the GCEDC 2013 approved budget. Moving forward I would support same level of funding to provide for foundational costs of GCEDC operations. Eighty percent of GCEDC’s budget must be derived from providing services and collecting fees for services from business community, grants and contractual annuity payments, not taxpayer dollars. Additionally, LeRoy Business Council and small businesses located in LeRoy are very supportive of the foundational funding of the GCEDC.

Earl Funderburk, challenger, District 5: I do not support the continuation of county budget funds to GCEDC. They have millions of dollars from fees and no longer require funds from the county.

Esther Leadley, incumbent, District 6: Every year the upcoming County budget gets several months of intense scrutiny – by the whole legislature, not just a committee. GCEDC’s funding request is always included in that scrutiny. Please note that State and Federal mandates continually erode the County legislators’ ability to provide a quality of life that Genesee County residents have come to expect.

We legislators have already begun general discussions about the 2014 budget. As we go forward, I am confident GCEDC’s funding request, when it is received, will be one of the topics of discussion. I will weigh all input and make my decision at that time.

Please also note that companies considering making a significant investment in Genesee County want concrete evidence that the County’s leadership has financial “skin in the game.”

Gregg Torrey, challenger (GOP endorsed), District 6: Every item included in the County budget needs be evaluated and that includes the funding which assists the operations of the GCEDC. With the increasing pressure put on County Government by State and Federal unfunded mandates each department must justify its funding request.

I was encouraged to see that the incentive compensation system at the GCEDC was eliminated last year. I am now more confident that the funding is directed to the intended purpose of supporting the economic development mission for the County.

With that being said, the EDC has shown a tremendous return on investment for the County and makes the County money while its funding is only a very small portion of the overall budget (under 1%). The County funding also shows that we are committed to investing in ourselves and the County’s support of the EDC’s efforts which include leveraging other State and Federal money. This support of the GCEDC does not go unnoticed during the attraction process when potential companies are considering bringing investment into our community.

Marianne Clattenburg, incumbent, District 8: My position on this issue is well documented and on the record. This was my first budget vote as a new legislator and I took the opportunity to voice the concerns that many of my constituents have expressed regarding GCEDC funding.  Many opposed the salary and bonus structure of the organization. My position is that public employees who enjoy the benefits of a NYS retirement should not receive bonuses. The second reason I did not support the funding was that I wanted to send a strong message to the GCEDC that redevelopment must also become a priority of the organization. I represent the City of Batavia. We have needs and issues that are different than those of the rural towns around us. If the GCEDC is going to work as the county’s public benefit corporation dedicated to development, then it must strive to improve all areas of the county. I will dedicate my second term to working with the organization to see that this is done. My future support would be contingent upon the organization's willingness to work toward the goals of redevelopment, particularly in the City of Batavia.

William Fava, challenger, District 8: I would support a modification of the amount transferred from Genesee County to the GCEDC Agency. Originally, the agency needed the start up fund support, but now the agency has been successful in meeting yearly goals. The Agency has increased internal manpower to parallel anticipated growth and created sub organizations to minimize potential legal problems for Genesee County. In addition, the Agency continues to look forward (to) bringing in more business growth opportunities to the area…from all points of view, this State/County endeavor appears to be a success for the County. Modifications should be appropriate over the next few budget cycles to bring the annual fund down to a more reasonable amount. In doing this, the Agency can continue to document County support in any advertisement to a potential customer. The appearance of “Lack of County Support” has been mentioned many times during previous discussions concerning a decrease in funding…this is  simply a reduction, not an elimination of the fund. A modification would be a win-win solution for the Agency and the County taxpayer.

Ed deJaneiro, incumbent, District 9: It now appears that the GCEDC finances are strong enough to continue without a County contribution.

Bob Bialkowski, challenger, District 9: I am very prudent when it comes to spending tax dollars so I would insist on a complete accounting of this expenditure. The way the state has the EDCs set up is that if you want to participate you have to pay. This means that if the county doesn’t support the GCEDC we won’t be considered for the grants the EDC receives, so yes I would vote to continue this support. Genesee County has done very well for itself considering that in a recent survey New York State placed 49th in economic development out of 50, but here we have seen tremendous growth. Last week Texas announced that it was aggressively marketing for New York businesses to move there. They have no state tax. New York needs to learn to treat all business the same and discontinue making special deals.

Andrew Young, candidate, District 4: Yes, I support the County investing in its goal of creating jobs, promoting business capital investment (which converts to tax base) and keeping our kids in our community.

Frank Ferrando, incumbent, District 7: As you indicated, the $215,000, or an amount similar, has been transferred to the GCEDC for several years. It’s not new. What I believe was disturbing to most local citizens was the bonus pay model used by the GCEDC with the assumption that the subsidy supported the bonuses. I and two colleagues on the Legislature voted against last year’s budget in objection to that practice. Bonuses are no longer a part of the GCEDC’s compensation practice. This year I will vote for the subsidy if the GCEDC Board presents to the Legislature a detailed description of a specific project the subsidy will be used to support. A demonstration of support by the County is important and it represents about .1 percent of our overall budget.

More after the jump. Click on the headline to read more.

Question 2: Are you confident that taxpayer subsidies for economic development in Genesee County are generating the results claimed/promised by GCEDC or should steps be taken to foster greater accountability?

Shelley Stein, incumbent, Dictrict 5: Investment of $215,000 of taxpayer dollars increases exponentially the capital investment in Genesee County; jobs, tax base, sales tax revenue, infrastructure (water and sewer lines), shovel-ready business parks and workforce educational opportunities. There is no better mechanism to leverage this investment in Genesee County.

LeRoy Plastics is an excellent local example of a private business seeking to retain jobs, renovate an older facility, and creating several new jobs within 3 years, as per their application to GCEDC for assistance in sales and mortgage tax relief. LeRoy community is pleased to see this local private investment as a sign of our economy turning around.

Earl Funderburk, challenger, District 5: For the money being paid to GCEDC leadership, we need a greater number of new businesses being lured to our county that provide good high-paying jobs. Base compensation of GCEDC employees should be directly tied to clear goals and objectives. GCEDC must be regulated better by the GCL, and compensation needs to become more proportional to performance.

Marianne Clattenburg, incumbent, District 8: The GCEDC has been very successful with many of the projects they have put forward. The opening of two new factories in the Town of Batavia is a remarkable achievement considering it was done during one of the worst economic downturns in recent memory. The STAMP project is in its preliminary stages. I fully support bringing high tech jobs to Genesee County. We need to develop the jobs that will enable future generations to live and work in the areas that they have grown up in. I do have concerns, as I said in my prior answer, that issues that face different areas of the county all need to be addressed. The legislature has the obligation to foster accountability. We have instituted term limits for the first time. We control who sits on the GCEDC board and we control a portion of their operating budget. I believe we must continue to work toward greater accountability and I support the steps that have been taken thus far.

Esther Leadley, incumbent, District 6: Yes, I am confident that “taxpayer subsidies for economic development in Genesee County are generating the results claimed/promised by the GCEDC.”  GCEDC leadership reports regularly to the Ways and Means Committee of the Legislature, and annually to the whole Legislature. These are open meetings that anyone can attend. The Legislature and GCEDC work as partners, not as adversaries. I believe that the people we legislators appoint to the GCEDC board do have the best interests of Genesee County residents at the forefront of their decisions.

Gregg Torrey, challenger (GOP endorsed), District 6: I’ve seen firsthand the results and successes of the GCEDC at the Genesee Ag Park which includes successfully attracting international investment, as well as a Fortune 500 company, to locate and invest in our community. Over $200 million in private investment and nearly 200 quality jobs have been brought into in the park and there is about 40% of the park still to be developed.

The bottom line about accountability is results and the GCEDC is generating results. There have been considerable improvements within the last year in transparency, communication, and policy adjustments as well. I would like to see increased engagement by the County Legislature in appointing Board members to the GCEDC that will maintain this high level of accountability and responsibility as they continue to carry out the comprehensive economic development activities for the County.

William Fava, challenger, District 8: The results that are reported each year by GCEDC are gathered by the Agency itself and independent Accounting/Consulting organizations. The information reported to the Agency, should be audited to be validated as to the accuracy for the period being reported…remembering that numbers don’t lie, people may distort facts to support their case. For example, if a company is granted a subsidy for the creation of 5 positions, the company goes out and hires 5 people over the agreed period, a few months later, 3 people out of the 5 are released. The company reported that they hired during this period, but after the period ended…so did the employment of the three employees. The taxpayers of this county have not forgotten what Sylvania “pulled” after its tax subsidy ended; there are many individuals that never recovered from this loss of employment. The reasoning behind any subsidy or abatement program is the potential  “offset”  by increased sales tax collections, increased business for local vendors, increased home ownership, increased job opportunities to increase a person’s income…for the residents of the City of Batavia…look around, do you see more retail businesses starting up, do you see more new housing construction, do you see the City of Batavia enjoying an overflowing increase of new sales tax dollars? Maybe you see it in the Town of Batavia, but not in the City. The potential windfall of increased betterment has not reached the City of Batavia. I would support less independence of operation and an increase in accountability.

Ed deJaneiro, incumbent, District 9: GCEDC continues to provide new job opportunities in our County. I believe every agency needs greater accountability especially if they receive government funding.

Bob Bialkowski, challenger, District 9: The GCEDC is overseen by a board of directors. I would like to see the board being more accountable to the legislature. If elected it would be my goal to push for more development in the city and improved communications between the GCEDC board and city council. For the last few years there was a large public outcry over the GCEDC staff being paid large bonuses. The NYS comptroller issued a statement that this was wrong and needed to be discontinued. This was a major point of contention amongst taxpayers and it has been stopped. Now it’s time to move on and put a better system of checks and balances in place.

Andrew Young, candidate, District 4: Contrary to some heavily biased reports recently, the Genesee County Economic Development Center is revered and respected statewide. It also has been recognized regionally and even nationally as a benchmark organization. It amazes me that within our own county borders we don’t understand just how good they are.

Frank Ferrando, incumbent, District 7: The questions presented to the Legislative candidates might be great questions for GCEDC Board members. The GCEDC Board, as everyone realizes, is its own entity. Once appointed, they have governance over the program until terms expire.

Having stated that, I believe, as I trust most citizens in the county (do), that progress is happening.  The Ag Park is but one example. Presently 200+ are working there. More jobs are coming. I also understand a McDonald’s restaurant will be going up on the East side of the City, a good indicator of spin off development. I personally would like to see a greater emphasis on redevelopment since this is the strategy needed for the City of Batavia, Village of Leroy, etc. In summary, the progress to me is obvious and it should make us feel optimistic about the future.

Question 3: Do you support or oppose tax breaks for retail projects, such as those provided to COR Development for Batavia Towne Center and the Dick’s Sporting Goods project? 

Shelley Stein, incumbent, Dictrict 5: COR Development project is a very unique project for “retail development” in Genesee County. Each retail project is measured against IDA laws. COR Project does qualify for the unique allowable retail project status, for goods and services not readily available to Genesee County residents. Our board of directors of GCEDC performed a very comprehensive and exhaustive review of the project, found it to be within the letter of the law and the right investment for Genesee County residents. There are several other retail projects in our county not eligible for tax incentive abatements.

I do support PILOT incentives to encourage capital investment with a schedule of payments to local school districts, towns, villages, city and county in lieu of property taxes. The schedule builds gradually to 100% of assessment being taxable and providing increased revenue to all of the taxing jurisdictions mentioned above. Tax base increases reduce local property taxes for all of us. As a previous Town Supervisor, Town of LeRoy did receive over $20,000 per year and increased annually in PILOT payments. The school district and village have received scheduled payments also to support their annual budgets and reduce the property tax burden of homeowners.

Earl Funderburk, challenger, District 5: As a rule of fairness, the tax playing field for corporations should not have handpicked winners and losers. Existing companies should not have the playing field tilted in favor of the new guy on the block by providing them unfair tax incentives. Additionally, I believe it is healthier for our local economy to have diversity in our local businesses. One or two large employers can provide a substantial base of economic support, but the risk is that if one or two of those corporations fail or leave the economy will greatly suffer. By encouraging growth for small and medium businesses (SMBs) we can grow the economy, minimize risk, and encourage entrepreneurship. That said, there is a place for the GCEDC and incentives. Tax incentives must be consistent and rule based. Criteria and parameters should be clearly defined and not subjective. Decisions should not be made based on who you know or how good your story might be. Decisions should be made based on numbers and facts. There must be clear expectations and consequences for missing targets placed on businesses receiving incentives. Any new incentives should be time bound and consistent from one company to another. In short, the playing field should be level. I’d like to see this become the rule in Genesee County -- if not all of New York State.

Esther Leadley, incumbent, District 6: Tax breaks for retail projects are a new component of New York State’s Industrial Development Agency (IDA) regulations. Our GCEDC, which is our county’s IDA, has very qualified legal assistance from Harris Beach, a respected law firm in Rochester. I partially understand tax breaks, such as Payment In Lieu Of Taxes (PILOTs), but that is not my area of expertise. Therefore, I cautiously trust others to make appropriate economic development a priority for Genesee County.

Gregg Torrey, challenger (GOP endorsed), District 6: As a general rule, I think that retail projects need to be scrutinized more closely because they tend not to increase the overall demand for retail goods and services and may create intense competition for established stores. It is important when considering providing tax expenditure benefits to a project such as the COR Development project that you do not end up with a net financial loss for the County.

You must, however, also consider the impact that this project will have on the sales tax revenue for the County. It is estimated that the COR Development project will generate an additional $2 million in sales tax annually once it reaches full occupancy. With this estimate the project would provide an additional $1 million to the County in local sales tax revenue. The estimated economic impact of this specific project is 25:1; meaning that for every dollar of tax relief the company will invest $25. If this project can come anywhere near these projections it would be a tremendous return on investment for the County.

The GCEDC Board has made a “Unique Facility / Services” determination for this project in order for it to be approved, which means that they feel that the predominant purpose of the project is to make goods or services which would not be, but for the project, reasonably accessible to the residents of the municipality where the project is located. I am comfortable with the Board’s analysis, determinations and approval of this specific project. I have also found that the GCEDC has participated in very few retail projects and chose not to participate in several potential retail projects including the McDonald’s project under development on the City of Batavia’s east end near the AG park.

Marianne Clattenburg, incumbent, District 8: I do not support the COR Development tax breaks for one reason: I believe they are unfair to existing retail stores in the City of Batavia. I am very concerned that this will negatively affect the small businesses that have served our residents for many years. I believe the board should have considered this before they voted to approve COR’s request. 

William Fava, challenger, District 8: In this particular situation, I do not support the tax break for assisting construction on something that we already subsidized a few years back. To support this redo plan is basically using taxpayer money paid by our merchants (the ones that have remained in the city..ie., Barrett’s Sporting Goods)  to help them be put out business by the big box retailers. The EDC should have approached this redo with more thought and creativity and at the same time operate within the guidelines set forth by the state.

Ed deJaneiro, incumbent, District 9: I do not support tax breaks for major retailers. I believe that giant retail stores will locate here, if they think there is money to be made, with or without tax breaks.

Bob Bialkowski, challenger, District 9: It is unfortunate that all businesses aren’t treated equal. Basically I am against these types of discriminatory practices but I did not make the rules for the EDCs. What we have in New York now is a system where everyone is competing against each other for the same piece of the action. This is why New York placed 49th in economic development. I would push for a more equitable system of tax incentives to help all business in the county. This would be a difficult but not impossible battle. At the county level some relief and assistance could be given to already existing businesses.

Andrew Young, candidate, District 4: I believe each project needs to be judged based on its individual merits. If after careful consideration a project makes sense for our community, we should support it.

In regard to your specific example of COR, it is important to note that like nearly all GCEDC projects, no outlay of taxpayer dollars (cash) was given, no checks were written. The County simply agreed not to take as much of the increased tax revenue that results from additional capital investment. This is done to incentivize investment and is done only for a period of time.

Even with the unfortunate departure of Lowe's, the Batavia Towne Center facility produced more than $1 million in local sales tax revenues this past year. Our county’s sales tax revenues have increased considerably because of this retail center.

In 2013, the Batavia Towne Center (COR and Target) will pay some $314,000 in local property taxes. If that site was still a trailer park, its property owners would have paid roughly $40,000 in local property taxes. And by the way, that amount paid by COR and Target increases substantially each year going forward until it is on the tax rolls for 100% of its value at which time the owners will be paying in excess of seven hundred fifty thousand dollars each year in local property taxes. Again, instead of $40,000.

The most recent COR project applies only to new/additional capital investment. It will drive an additional $18 million into our community, all of which does not exist today and much of which will further increase the local property tax paid, immediately and to a greater degree over time. It will also generate a considerable net increase in sales tax for our local municipalities.

Frank Ferrando, incumbent, District 7: I appreciate that the GCEDC recognizes the importance of all business. If new jobs can be created and additional revenue streams developed for our municipalities, those are good things. Our tax base will be expanded over time and sales tax kicks in at the onset of business. Should we let the land sit idle? That option, in my opinion, would be bad business.

District 1, Raymond F. Cianfrini: Howard, I think most of us on the County Legislature have established our position regarding GCEDC. Why not ask the new candidates where they stand? Also, I think it's way too premature to be getting into these issues now. Why not wait for the election season? Also, what is this going to establish with those of us who have no opposition? Finally, I have to ask by going into these issues if you are reporting the news or trying to generate news?

District 2, Robert J. Bausch: Howard, I appreciate your questions and they are valid. However the questions will be more appropriate in the fall after all the tickets have been established.

I have established a public record on the issues and have received questions about my position on various occasions so the public knows my positions.  

District 3, Annie M. Lawrence: Your timing is premature on this issue. Play fair, when all parties have endorsed for Genesee County Legislature, then I will be able to answer your questions.  (Note: This came in from Lawrence before the Democrats had announced their candidates. However, once the candidates were announced, we received no further e-mails from Lawrence.)

Press release:

After an interview process conducted by the Genesee County Democratic Committee three candidates were endorsed for the Genesee County Legislature.

Ed DeJaneiro is a five-term incumbent legislator representing District 9 in the City of Batavia and a former City Councilman. Ed works as a sales consultant for an area distributor. Bill Fava, an Iraq War veteran, Genesee Region Boy Scout leader and former City Councilman, is running in District 8 in the City of Batavia. Political newcomer, Earl Funderburk is the candidate endorsed in District 5 in Le Roy. Earl is an enterprise architect for Hewlett Packard and owns the historic Jell-O factory where he owns and operates a document management company called Upstate Document Management.

The committee is excited about the prospects of a successful campaign with three highly qualified candidates who bring a wealth of leadership in business, service to community and service to country. They look forward to engaging in the issues that effect Genesee County small businesses, working men and women, senior citizens and youth needs, infrastructure and job development as well as other key components of county government.

The committee also continues to accept candidate queries for the other districts in Genesee County. Please contact the Genesee County Committee at geneseedems@gmail.com as soon as possible as balloting time restraints are in place.

"Liberty is local" was a recurring theme of speakers today at the inaugural convention of the Genesee County Libertarian Party.

Some 60 people gathered Homestead Event Center in the Batavia City Centre to ratify the party's charter and nominate the party's first two candidates for office.

Jim Rosenbeck and Lisa Whitehead will be on the November ballot as candidates for at-large seats on the Batavia City Council.

"The Genesee County Libertarian Party is going to represent trust, transparency and truth," said Phil Ricci, party chairman. "We're not going to tell you what to think. If you disagree with our position, we will try to educate you on why we believe what we believe. The Republicans and Democrats will tell you that we're on the fringe, but we will show people we're on the local level, we're here to represent you."

Guest speakers included Drew Beeman, Greater Rochester Libertarian Party chairman, attorney Paul Wolf (first inset), and Mark Axinn (second inset), chairman of the New York Libertarian Party.

Beeman congratulated the Genesee County Libertarians for coming together with an energy and numbers that is unique to the region.

His group represents all of the counties surrounding Rochester and he said he would welcome more counties breaking way and forming their own parties. It will take that kind of energy, he said, to reverse the trend statewide and in the nation to constrain individual liberty.

"Gary Johnson got 1 percent of the vote," Beeman said. "Are you going to have a Libertarian Party president anytime soon? Probably not. But we could have a Batavia City Council member. We could have a school board member. Liberty is local."

Picking up on Ricci's comment about the propaganda of the major parties to portray Libertarians as on the political fringe, Beeman noted that when you sit down and talk with people about their views of individual liberty, they actually believe what the Libertarian Party believes.

"The Libertarian Party is for people who don't want to push around others nor be pushed around themselves," Beeman said.

Wolf is an expert on reinventing government. He's registered as a Democrat, but Ricci said after reading his Web site, he told him, "No, you're a Libertarian."

There are three themes local Libertarian candidates can run on, Wolf said: That there is too much government, that there is wasteful spending and there is a culture of secrecy.

Wolf was critical of New York's layers of local governments -- villages within towns, authorities and agencies covering overlapping jurisdictions.

Mentioning a consultant's report in the City of Batavia that faulted local residents for having negative attitudes, Wolfe said, "Isn't it funny that the study said it's the attitude of citizens that's the problem. I think it's the attitude of politicians that's the problem."

On wasteful spending, he was critical of the Genesee County Economic Development Center's tax subsidies to COR Development for Dick's Sporting Goods, mocking the perception that the GCEDC board declared Dick's a tourist destination (the board didn't do that). He also questioned the $240,000 Steve Hyde, CEO of GCEDC, earned in 2012.

"This spending is not sustainable and it doesn't make sense," Wolf said.

Government likes to operate with as little transparency as possible, Wolf said. He said he did a study on three years of meeting minutes for his local City Council and found that the council went into secret session at every meeting it held during the three years. Those private sessions lasted an average of 60 minutes, while public sessions lasted an average 54 minutes.

"They're not used to being held accountable, not used to being questioned," Wolf said. "So what you're doing is important."

The message of individual liberty and smaller government appeals to most people, Axinn said, if they're used to pulling levers for Ds or Rs.

"Most people have a live and let live attitude and they need to realize that it works at the government level, too, if they will vote it in," Axinn said.

What is happening in Genesee County for the cause of liberty is important for the whole state, Axinn said.

"We're a small voice in a symphony of bigger government, but the truth is, we're a necessary voice and an important voice and thank you all for being that voice in Genesee County."

In running for City Council, Whitehead said she will hold true to her libertarian values, which includes promoting a business-friendly city and lowering taxes.

"We should be creating an environment that is friendly to business, not crushing it," she said.

"Shouldn't all people be entitled to keep the fruits of their labor," Whitehead said.

Rosenbeck said Libertarians are already making a difference in local politics. The issues have ranged from garbage collection to licensing landlords.

"You will remember, we spoke out to remove the City of Batavia from the garbage tote and trash collection business and they did just that," Rosenbeck said. "Guess what? The sky didn't fall. Somehow everyone's garbage got picked up this week. Freedom and choice is a good thing, my friend."

The Libertarian message opposing retail tax breaks has also resonated with local voters, Rosenbeck said.

"As elections approach in the fall, political insiders will attempt to frame us as a fringe movement," Rosenbeck said. "They will try to marginalize us and dismiss our message. They will patronize us and treat us as if we are just petulant little children. They won't take us seriously because for way too long, it has been all about duopoly. It has been all about two parties defining the message and providing the candidates, but remember we are the voice of reason. Our message resonates in our neighborhoods. We are here, we are engaged and we are on point. It's time to reject the status quo."

Phil Ricci

Jim Rosenbeck and Lisa Whitehead

It smarted, Esther Leadley, when she didn't get the GOP's endorsement for the District 6 seat on the Genesee County Legislature.

The incumbent legislator vowed not to run a primary against the endorsed candidate, Greg Torrey, but that doesn't mean she will give up her seat without a fight.

Leadley announced today that she is running in November's general election.

"I am challenging the endorsed candidate for the District 6 seat on the Genesee County Legislature," Leadley said. "District 6 consists of the towns of Alexander (which includes the Village of Alexander), Bethany and Pavilion. I believe my experience on the Legislature and knowledge of the district and county are of considerable value to District 6 and all residents of the county."

It's been a challenge, Leadley said, to learn the ins-and-outs of running as an independent candidate.

"It smarted when I wasn't endorsed but I never lost my footing and my integrity is intact," Leadley said. "It took several weeks to decide what to do with what had been handed to me.  The outcome of this challenge will be decided at the polls in November."

Leadley also said running primary elections add to county expense and so it's better to run in the general election if she wants to retain her seat.

The new voting machines create an enormous cost because they have to be moved from and back to the controlled storage space," Leadley said. "Staffing at the polls and paper ballots add to the costs. District 6 taxpayers should not have to pay for a political disagreement. The County Board of Elections also sustains large expenses for a primary. Indirectly, those costs come out of taxpayers' pockets at the County level as well. In effect, District 6 taxpayers would pay twice for a primary. I would be irresponsible if I were to force a primary."

David Houseknecht, of Scottville, with his sister Sherry Bateman, of Elba, with his van, which is covered with red, white and blue political magnets of his own design with messages such as "Stand with Rand," "America Needs Another Ronald Reagan" and "Obama and Holder, Fast and Furious Bros." 

All the signs were made for him by Batavia Sign Company, he said.

The van was parked outside Settler's Restaurant this morning.

"America's at a crossroads," Houseknecht said. "We need freedom more than ever. We need to speak about it. We need to talk about it. We need to live it. I ain't socialist and I ain't politically correct, either."

County Republicans have announced their slate for the 2013 County Legislature election in November.

There are six incumbents endorsed for the nine seats.

Also nominated were newcomers Bob Bialkowski, Andrew Young and Greg Torrey.

Mary Pat Hancock, longtime chair of the legislature, will not seek reelection and Young was nominated to fill her District 4 seat.

Torrey beat out incumbent Esther Leadley for the District 6 nomination. District 6 covers Alexander, Bethany and Pavilion.

After years of allowing Democrat Ed DeJaneiro run unopposed, the GOP has nominated former Batavia City Councilman Bialkowski to run for the seat.

Members of the City GOP are reportedly upset with DeJaneiro for supporting funding for Genesee County Economic Development Center.

Lawrence Friedman was endorsed for reelection as District Attorney and Don Read received the nod for reelection to County Clerk.

The incumbents endorsed were: Ray Cianfrini, District 1 (Alabama and Oakfield); Robert Bausch, District 2 (Elba, Byron and Bergen); Annie Lawrence, District 3 (Pembroke and Darien); Frank Ferrando, District 7 (wards 1 and 6, City of Batavia) and Marianne Clattenburg, District 8 (wards 2 and 3, City of Batavia).

Press release:

The City of Batavia Republican Committee is seeking City Republicans interested in running for the position of City Council At-Large.

This position is a four-year term on the City Council and is a seat that represents the entire City of Batavia. Letters of interest can be e-mailed to City Republican Chairman Matt Landers at lmlanders@yahoo.com by April 12, 2013.

Here is your chance to serve your community! If you want to get involved in making Batavia a better place to live and work then we want to hear from you!

Press release:

The Genesee County Democratic Committee is seeking and accepting candidate letters of intent for the following offices to be voted on in November 2013; All Genesee County Legislature seats, County District Attorney and County Clerk. Please send your letters to Genesee County Democratic Committee C/O Lorie Longhany 8535 E. Main Road, Le Roy, NY 14482 or e-mail geneseedems@gmail.com.

There are also offices in each town to be voted on. Please check the Genesee County Board of Elections Web site http://www.co.genesee.ny.us/departments/elections/ to see a list of all seats in each town and the City of Batavia that will be voted on in November. E-mail geneseedems@gmail.com and town contact information will be provided. Note, balloting is time sensitive so please make intentions (known) as quickly as possible.

We welcome and encourage the participation in our local government and believe that giving citizens a choice at the ballot box strengthens our democracy at the local level where decisions effect us the most.

Press Release:

The City of Batavia Republican Committee elected Matt Landers as the new Chairman during their meeting on March 5. Matt replaces longtime Chairman Joseph Gerace. The Committee thanked Joe for his many dedicated years of service to City of Batavia Republicans and presented him with a plaque. Matt has been the Treasurer for the City Committee the last seven years, along with serving as the County Republican Committee Treasurer the last six years. In addition, Matt is currently the Treasurer for the Batavia Kiwanis Club. Matt resides in the City with his wife, Melissa, and their two children, Kaitlyn and Benjamin.

Anyone interested in joining the committee can e-mail Matt directly at lmlanders@yahoo.com. The City of Batavia Republican Committee welcomes any new members who would like to get involved in local politics and support the ideals of the Republican Party.

Former Elba Mayor Steve Goff's attempt to regain the seat he voluntarily gave up a few months ago was rebuffed by the Village of Elba GOP last night.

Goff tried for the committee endorsement, but garnered only five votes.

Acting Mayor Scott Schuler won the nomination with 27 votes.

Goff is the proprietor of Elba’s Stumblin’ Inn.

Phil Ricci, upper right, leads a discussion at Coffee Culture among the more than 20 people who showed up to help form the Libertarian Party in Genesee County.

I was only there for a few minutes to get a picture. I'll let Phil, in comments, if he wishes, discuss what went on tonight and what progress was made.

Jeff Allen sent us this information:

Attention political junkies:

I recently won two tickets to the January 21st Presidential Inauguration through Senator Chuck Schumer's office. I cannot attend and would like someone to be able to use them. They are reserved tickets in the Union Square. You will have to provide identification and pass through a security checkpoint. Details can be found at :

http://www.inaugural.senate.gov/

If you can commit to going and would like the tickets, e-mail me at jndallen1@yahoo.com with your contact information. First-come basis. I have the tickets in hand and can arrange to meet.

The time might be right for a third party to try to make a difference in Genesee County politics, the way Phil Ricci sees it, so he along with a small group of like-minded residents are working getting the Libertarian Party established locally.

The process involves signing up members for the committee, holding a convention and finding a candidate or two to run for local offices.

"I think this has been coming for a long time," Ricci said. "There's a growing interest in the breakdown of the two-party system. People see either Republican or Democrat and they just don't fit in. I think what the ideology of Libertarian stands for is vastly misunderstood. More people have what I believe are libertarian beliefs and are looking for viable options to the two-party system. They want less intrusive government and people in government who are responsible financial stewards."

Rather than trying get candidates elected to national and state offices, Ricci thinks any viable third-party effort needs to start at the local level where it's easier to build an organization.

And localism fits well with the basic Libertarian tenant of less intrusive government.

"Here's the big thing -- I'm tired of people far away telling people here, where we live, what's best for us," said Ricci, who ran for Batavia City Council in 2009 and is currently a member of the Batavia City School District Board of Education.

"We control were we live, and we do that as an individual, so why does our government, which has no real local connection, even think about telling us what we should do for our local community? We need local ideas, local vision, to fix local issues."

At a minimum, Ricci would like to have Genesee County Libertarians well enough organized by late summer to run at least one candidate for city council, perhaps a candidate or two in village or town elections and maybe the county legislature.

"Our first goal is to allow people who support individual liberty to have a viable choice at the local level," Ricci said.

On Facebook: The Genesee County Libertarian Committee.

Elected officials from national, state and county government were at the Old Courthouse today for both a ceremonial and official swearing in for office.

For Rep. Chris Collins, State Sen. Mike Ranzenhofer and Assemblyman Steve Hawley, taking the oath in Batavia today was ceremonial. But for Sheriff Gary Maha, Treasurer Scott German, coroners Donald Coleman and Karen Lang, along with Undersheriff William Sheron and Deputy Treasurer Matt Landers, the oath was official.

Collins spoke briefly about his commitment to representing the people of the 27th Congressional District, hearing the concerns of voters, especially in Genesee County, and working in Congress to help control spending and bring down the deficit.

"My job in representing this district is that we stand up for our children and grandchildren to get spending under control, to get our deficits down to zero in some reasonable time, like 10 years, and grow the economy," Collins said.

He promised that the people of Genesee County will see him frequently in the county.

Prior to the ceremony, Collins took his wife, Mary, daughter, Caitlin, son, Cameron, and staff members to a no-media lunch at the Pok-A-Dot. Collins has referred to the Pok-A-Dot as a good-luck charm, dining there on election day for the primary and general elections, but when he showed up today, he reportedly told people there that he wanted a chance to enjoy lunch with his family without cameras around.

Sheriff Gary Maha takes the oath, administered by Assemblyman Steve Hawley, as wife Susan Maha holds the Bible.

Above, Coroner Donald Coleman, who has served in the position for 21 years, takes the oath of office.

To purchase prints of the photos in the slide show, click the link in the upper left of the slide show.

The final, UNOFFICIAL voting tallies are in for Genesee County. So far, the votes are:

NY-27:

• Chris Collins -- 11,508
• Kathy Hochul -- 10,758

Batavia City Council

• Brooks Hawley -- 3,559
• Russell -- 2,328
• Ricci -- 2,286

UPDATE 10:29 p.m.: There are 1,300 to 1,800 absentee ballots remaining to be counted in the City of Batavia, according to election officials.

UPDATE 11:44 p.m.:

Here's some additional results from Genesee County.

President:

• Barack Obama -- 8,886
• Mitt Romney -- 13,701
• Gary Johnson -- 348
• Jill Stein -- 97

Senate:

• Kristen Gillibrand -- 11,027
• Wendy Long -- 10,035

State Senate

• Justin Rooney -- 6,185
• Mike Ranzenhofer -- 14,983

State Assembly

• Steve Hawley -- 18,583
• Mark Glogowski -- 1,127