Golisano back on the political trail
Tom Golisano's Responsible New York is back in action.
The political committee run by the billionaire owner of the Buffalo Sabres has mailed thousands of fliers to the Assembly constituents of Sam Hoyt of Buffalo, Francine DelMonte of Lewiston and Susan John of suburban Rochester assailing recent votes enabling the "sweep" of $500 million in New York Power Authority funds to balance the state budget.
Steve Pigeon, the former Erie County Democratic chairman, who is Golisano's political point man, said the committee has spent about $50,000 on the mailings -- and there's more money where that came from.
"Tom indicated when he was in Albany that we will be a year-round organization, and this is just a piece of that," he said. "He is outraged at what is happening in NYPA."
The budget sweep created a major controversy last week when The Buffalo News reported that the authority was planning upstate rate hikes after the funds were directed to the general budget. The authority has since backed away from the idea.
Pigeon said Golisano resurrected his political operation to call attention to the move among all voters of the three Assembly districts -- not just Democrats. All three targets of the mailings are Democrats.
The Buffalo News placed a call to DelMonte seeking her reaction, but she was reported on the floor of the Assembly voting on budget bills and unavailable to comment.
Golisano spent more than $4 million of hs own money in last year's legislative elections, mostly on behalf of Senate Democrats.
-- Robert J. McCarthy
