The News’ Exposes Collins’ Chief of Staff Skirting County Time Keeping Rules
Parade Organizers Tell Campaign No Politicking, Does it Anyways
Erie County, NY—When it comes to current County Executive Chris Collins, the rules seem to apply to everyone but him.
Recently, the Buffalo News uncovered that Chris Grant, the county executive’s top political aide, does not use the County’s new electronic time keeping system that Collins himself instituted to prevent abuse of County time by employees.* Later, The Buffalo News Editorial Board showed their outrage at Collins’ refusal to hold his own employees to the same standard as other county workers in an editorial published on Sunday, June 12, 2011.**
Also on Sunday, the Buffalo News published a Letter to the Editor from West Seneca Memorial Day Parade organizer James E. Manley, who was upset that, despite making it clear to Chris Collins’ campaign that politicking was not allowed, Collins refused to follow the rules, again, and had his staff “pass out political literature on a day when America mourns its dead.”***
Campaign Manager Jennifer Hibit said, “Why does the county executive’s top aide not have to account for his time by swiping in and out of work each day? When your salary is paid with taxpayer dollars, you should be accountable for how you spend that time. Collins’ government staff should not be above following the same rules that every other county employee must follow. It also appears Collins doesn’t think any rules apply to him while campaigning either, because it appears he instructed his staff to politick at a Memorial Day Parade even though they were told, a number of times, not to.”
“It has become increasingly clear that when it comes to Chris Collins, he believes there are rules for his friends and inner circle, and there are rules for everyone else.
“Mark Poloncarz doesn’t believe anyone is above the rules or that having the right connections gets you preferential treatment. As County Executive, he will never forget that he is there to serve the people of Erie County, not rule over them.”
_____________________________________________
*Spina, Matthew. (2011-06-02). Top aid to Collins gets break on job rule. Buffalo News: http://www.buffalonews.com/city/article441041.ece
**News Editorial Board. (2011-06-12). Collins aide needs to swipe. Buffalo News: http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial-page/buffalo-news-editorials/article452168.ece
***Manley, James E. (2011-06-12). Parade aims to honor sacrifices of veterans. Buffalo News: http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial-page/from-our-readers/letters-to-the-editor/article452212.ece