March 28, 2011
I am at the latter half of my seventh decade and have developed some simple political views. I believe open government and good management, cognizant of the lessons of the past, trumps all ideology. For two years, I have watched with growing alarm the dedicated ideology of County Executive Chris Collins that usurps representative government and disregards our heritage and history.
The Holding Center fiasco exposed an extreme side of this when Collins initially blamed “liberal elements” in government for the problem. Actually that was nearly a high point as we lost reputation in expensive and mostly unsuccessful litigation wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars, with the county finally surrendering to the state and federal agencies.
Now I witness with alarm Collins’ stealthy, noxious intent to destroy the library system, our cultural life and environmental work that decades of citizens and lawmakers assembled for our knowledge, culture and health.
In a purely political move, he appointed a person with no education or experience as commissioner of Environment and Planning. Then he cynically maneuvered his own chosen representatives to replace her in an elective office to allow him more control in the Legislature.
Meanwhile, he manipulates budgets and dismantles the Department of Environmental Compliance and the County Environmental Management Council and abandons a rich cultural heritage carefully assembled in good times and bad.
I think citizens should demand a stop to this and usher the county back to where we can take pride in and honor our institutions, and enjoy quality of life along with money management.
Art Klein
Tonawanda