Win #1: Dick Jauron is fired. This ranks as one of Mr. Jauron’s few wins in Buffalo.
Win #2: Buffalo Common Councilman Brian Davis pleads guilty to misdemeanors relating to improper conversion of campaign funds, and there is also an investigation or two going on with respect to the One Sunset debacle (or as I like to call it, Stokesgate). By pleading guilty, Davis has most likely also forfeited his elected office. Win. 
Win #3: The people of the town of Hamburg have voted overwhelmingly to downsize their town board. This is the fifth and largest town to take this action since Kevin Gaughan first began agitating for this sort of reduction in the size of local governments a few years ago. 
As for the overwhelming support for downsizing in Hamburg, as opposed to closer votes elsewhere, it’s amazing what a difference it makes when the supervisor is on board and the town don’t actively thwart the vote.
The Buffalo Record 
Alan, I’m a little confused; Hamburg Supervisor Steven Walters opposed the downsizing vote.
My bad. I was under the impression he was for it, being sort of the Ostrowskiites’ darling, and all. So, I’ll amend my comment to read, “what a difference it makes when the town leadership doesn’t actively thwart the vote”.
Now lets start getting rid of these stupid Villages
WNYers are suckers for the quick, easy fix. If it sounds good in a sound bite, it must be good. Lower property taxes! Run government like a business! Smaller government! Fewer representatives means less democracy. This region is slowly killing itself with this downsizing idiocy. We need more and better government, not undersized, starved institutions that can’t do their jobs properly. Short-sighted egomaniacs like Kevin Gaughan are a menace. We need the county, the towns, the cities and the villages and we need their legislatures and boards at their proper, larger size.
This downsizing effort is one big mistake. People are falling for faux reform that squelches their most powerful voice via local representatives. Local government is not the problem. State and Federal mandates are what is killing the economy. Putting less local people on the ground to attempt to fight this trend is just plain FUBAR!
Mark completely misses the point and so does Mike in WNY.
Boys: THERE HAS BEEN ZERO substantive reform for decades in WNY. We have zero control over state and federal problems. People need a way to vent, a way to show they’re sick and tired of the same ol’ same ol’.
What, you honestly think 5 idiots in Hamburg will be more effective than 3 in fighting state and federal mandates? That seems silly to me.
MORE AND BETTER GOVERNMENT!? Bwaahahahahahahahahah!!
That’s like saying the LA riots were wise because South-Central sucked for decades….
The fact that there has been zero substantive reform for decades is not a good reason to engage in destructive behavior. Â
Democracy took a hit in Hamburg yesterday. In a growing town such as Hamburg it is silly to decrease the representation. In a dying city like Buffalo, it does make sense. I agree with both Mark and Mike in WNY. I’ll bet Kevin Gaughn can hardly contain the bulge in his pants. Does he actually work for a living?
Just asking.
Jesus H. Tap-Dancin’ Christ!!! Let’s first be happy about another in a very long line (with damn few exceptions) of shit-eatin’ Bills head coaches getting the boot. Ralph has a talent for picking shit-heads to run his club. Take away Saban, Knox and Levy, and what do you have? Joe fucking Collier, and many like him.
Brian Davis is an example of how the African American electorate, chickens all, give the rooster the key to the henhouse. They’ve given Byron Brown and Obama a set of keys too—how’s that workin’ out??? Regardless of Party, if you hear a politician say they’re gonna run government like a business, run like hell in the other direction. Governments have no profit motive, and don’t court investors, the citizen’s money is extorted from them. If there is no dividends or surpluses, who gives a fuck? NOBODY. And just like the Ides of March, beware faux/pseudo reform of government.
I can’t believe it but I agree with Mike in wny on this downsizing. But the 5% of the people have spoken !
I don’t get those that think a shrinking region needs more levels of government. If this model is such a smashing success, why are Erie and Niagara Counties stuck in a permanent downward spiral? Do the defenders of the status quo even acknowledge that other regions have embraced metropolitan government and it has worked out for them better than the mess we have here?