Glenn Gramigna
April 05, 2012

The re-election of Lackawanna Democratic Chairman Fran Warthling as an Erie County Water Authority Commissioner passed 11-0 with unanimous Republican and Democratic support. The Land Bank bill passed 11-0 with bi-partisan support. Improvements to the Erie County Holding Center according to Justice Department guidelines also passed 11-0.

Only a scant few months ago, the casting of unanimous bi-partisan votes on anything would have seemed unlikely if not unheard of. Yet, here in 2012 such votes have become not just commonplace but routine. How has this happened?

Erie County Legislature Democratic Majority Leader Tom Mazur believes the transformation can be attributed to the downsizing of the legislature from 15 to 11 members as well as a change of personnel on the 16th floor of the Rath Building.

“We have less members now but, I think, we have more cooperation, more ability to work together in a cooperative way,” he said. “The atmosphere is more congenial. There seems to be less friction, less tension between us.”

Does the majority leader think the change from sometimes abrasive County Executive Chris Collins to the more understated Mark Poloncarz has something to do with the change?

“Well, I'll say this,” he replies. “You can't really compare two different personalities, but I would say that Mark's approach is less confrontational, more cooperative and that has really helped.”

Mazur also feels that his own bi-partisan style has played a part.

“I have never operated in a totally partisan way,” he said. “I have always felt that it was my job to work with Democrats, Republicans or anyone else to accomplish what's best for the people of my district in Cheektowaga and the citizens of Erie County. I talk to Legislature Republican Leader John Mills of Orchard Park on a regular basis and we work together constantly to try to come to agreements with each other to get positive things done.”

Meanwhile, Mazur reports that he is also working well with new legislature chairwoman Betty Jean Grant.

“I have had a good working relationship with Betty Jean for a long time, so it has not been difficult to work closely with Chairwoman Grant as majority leader,” he explains. “She is very easy to work with and is also very hard working.”

Okay. But, what is landbanking?

“Landbanking is setting up a non-profit 501c3 corporation to manage our vacant properties throughout Erie County,” Mazur replies. “This is really the brainchild of our commissioner of environment and planning, Maria Whyte, who is a real ball of fire. These days vacant properties are not just a problem in Buffalo. It's a problem in all the first ring communities including Cheektowaga which used to have 400 and now has about 600 vacant properties. Now we will have people who are experts on the subject working to get all of our vacant properties back into productive use.”

Over all, Cheektowaga's representative at County Hall is extremely happy to be doing the work he does.

“I love being a part of a legislative body and getting things done for people,” he concludes. “I would rather do that than anything.”

http://ampoleagle.com/mazur-says-cooperation-is-now-br-common-in-county-legislature-p5810-141.htm