Editor:
I know this is the Snow Belt but the recent letter printed in the Hamburg Sun on Oct. 15, 2009 by Town of Boston Republican Party Chairman Karl Simmeth Jr. is nothing more than a snow job that needs to be exposed for the sake of the taxpayers of the town of Boston.
First, I like it to be known that I am not, in his words an, “experienced politician.” This is complete fiction. Like the entire rest of the present Town Council of Boston, we are community members who have regular jobs, are raising families, attending churches, live in neighborhoods, shop at North Boston Market, volunteer on committees, are fans of the Bills, pay taxes and are growing old here. We work hard for this town because we are part of this town. Your tax money and services received are the same taxes and same services we all have. What happens in this town affects all of us as well as our families, just as it does all of you.
The second point made was regarding the cancellation of the summer buses for the Boston Recreation Summer Program. This statement again is incorrect, there is still bus service, for many aspects of the recreation program, such as field trips, summer school transportation, between sites and swim lessons. The town board only cancelled the under-utilized daily morning and afternoon buses, and saved close to $30,000, thus keeping the program within budget for all town residents. We also were able to establish an afternoon and morning latchkey program to accommodate recreation parents’ schedules and to insure no child goes home alone to an empty house.
Please note: we have not received one complaint from the families of recreation participants on this bus change in the recreation program.
Mr. Simmeth and the Republican opponents continue to make promises of huge tax savings. They plan on doing this by cutting the small salaries of the present councilmen. The most they could save if this issue was ever passed in a vote, would be $11,000. What they are promising to do with that small sum of money is impossible [restoring bus services, fixing drainage problems]. Your present town council members have not voted themselves a pay increase in the past four years. The last time there was a vote to increase the elected officials pay was when the Republican party was on the town board.
Again, more promises and fuzzy math!
The present town board has not raised taxes in four years. Again this year, after endless hours were put into the preparation of the budget for 2010, if approved the budget will again not have a tax increase. There will be no raises to town employees except for the highway workers due to their highway contract. Cuts were made and plans were put into place to prepare for the expected huge state increase due to the New York State Retirement System expected in 2012. You have common sense budgeting here. Fair balanced budgets that we all have to pay in taxes with no important cuts in your services.
I would also like to remind the public that the present Town Board is not a political party. We never discuss politics, we don’t vote on party issues, we hire employees on the basis of their experience not on their party affiliation.
I have been endorsed by the Democratic, Conservative, Independent and the Working parties. This means those parties have faith in my ability to continue the work I have been doing in the town of Boston. I have promised them nothing for this endorsement. Besides being a resident, I have donated endless hours as a volunteer- coaching soccer and football. I have 20 years experience working for the DEC­ ­— teaching hunting and bow safety courses. I helped build the new playground at the North Boston Park and volunteered on the Boston Planning Board.
Where have Karl Simmeth, or any of the Republican candidates running for office, been when important and much needed volunteer work in our town needs to get done? I only hear only false statements and incorrect facts about the present board members. I don’t hear them say anything about what they plan on doing or accomplishing. We only hear them saying they want to run the town like a big business. What does that mean? Big Business always runs over the little guy and the average worker is the first to be affected! I also see signs that are all over town in favor of tea parties. What does that mean? Tea bags in 18 Mile Creek! Believe me, that won’t help the major drainage and flood problems I am trying to help fix.
I believe this negative, trash talking campaigning is call dirty politics.
People are sick of dirty politics. They want things to get done, and promises to be kept. They want the real facts, they want equal consideration and they don’t want to be treated like a big business.
They want the town officials to be available to everyone and to listen to every issue. This is what this board tries to do now!
You have my pledge as well as the rest of the town board to continue to work hard to keep Boston a small town, with a country atmosphere — the community we live in, with the lowest taxes possible and good services for all.
Dave Ruzzine
Town of Boston Councilman