Little learned from Dem debate among county executive hopefuls
DAN MEYER Political Columnist
Registered Democrats in Erie County will head to the polls next week to vote in the primary election for county executive, with the three-way race for the Democratic line in November's general election having generated plenty of fodder for discussions inside hair salons, grocery stores and coffee shops throughout Western New York.

The three candidates recently gathered for a debate that was carried live on the local radio airwaves.

What did I learn from the 90-minute discussion? Here are a few of the highlights from the Paul Clark versus Jim Keane versus Jimmy Griffin debate, admirably moderated by Kevin Hardwick, a political science professor from Canisius College:

• All three men believe that government needs to be "reinvented." Gotta love those buzz words.

• All three candidates pointed out how disappointed they are in how county government has operated during Joel Giambra's tenure as county executive. Gee, what a surprise. No one wants to be connected in any way with the man who is perhaps the most radioactive politician this side of Niagara Falls.

• Clark, Keane and Griffin pointed out whenever they were asked, and even stated when they weren't asked, about all of the great things they've done previously in their political careers. I heard all about Griffin's work as mayor of the City of Buffalo, Keane's work behind the scenes as second-in-command when Dennis Gorski was county executive and Clark's ongoing efforts as the top elected official in the Town of West Seneca.

Yes, folks, the work of career politicians such as this trio is the reason why this region has a hustling and bustling economy, reasonable property tax rates and a promising future when compared to similarly sized communities across the country.

Larry, Curly and Moe - um, I mean Clark, Keane and Griffin - all said that "regionalism" can work, but the approach used by Giambra didn't work. That's it guys, keep tossing grenades at King Joel.

Some great quotes were uttered as Hardwick questioned each candidate. Among my favorites was Keane saying county government, when overseen by Republican county executives such as Giambra and Ed Rutkowski, "has been a complete disaster."

I also liked Griffin saying he prefers "cooperation rather than consolidation" and that he would allow municipalities to police themselves when talking about mergers and shared service agreements, but if help is needed, "I'd be there in a flash."

And then there were Clark's little jabs at Keane, saying "old-time politics have failed us" and that he would put an end to the thought that "there's a Keane for every job, and a job for every Keane."

Other topics of discussion included the future of the lease for Ralph Wilson Stadium, the use of county road patrols to police our neighborhoods, the role of the county's control board, race relations and the paid advertisements each candidate is using to promote his candidacy.

So what did I really learn from the debate broadcast? Not much. But it did help me confirm my belief that the lack of a true "fresh face" for the Democrats to challenge Republican Chris Collins in November allowed for these three career politicians to weasel their way into a race that should really have a young, forward-thinking Dem like County Comptroller Mark Poloncarz facing off against Collins.

Clark, Keane and Griffin have all done their fair share as public servants, but to say their time has come and gone would be an understatement, particularly with Keane and Griffin, both of whom have political backgrounds (and also the associated political baggage) that date back to the 1960s.

I'm not affiliated with any political party and therefore can't vote in a primary. After hearing the rhetoric from these three, I'm glad I won't have to head to the polls on Sept. 18.

(Daniel Meyer is a columnist for the Weekly Independent Newspapers of Western New York. For more information on WIN, or to provide feedback on this column, visit our Web site at www.wnynewspapers.com. Comments can be sent to Meyer at: meyersmusings@gmail.com. Opinions are those of the author.)