Golisano-Hoyt 2010: The rematch

   One of the wonders of Erie County politics is that it knows no season and has no boundaries.

   So it makes all kinds of sense that Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, D-Buffalo, is already raising funds for 2010. And it also figures that he went all the way to Manhattan to stage his latest fund raiser.

   Indeed, Hoyt reports his campaign took in about $30,000 at a breakfast event held earlier this week. It featured a guest appearance by Sen. Chuck Schumer, while Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney and former state Comptroller Ned Regan dropped by too.

   Hoyt finds himself in an "all fund raising, all the time" mode after he was targeted last year by billionaire Tom Golisano and his Responsible New York political committee. The Buffalo Sabres owner spent about $500,000 in an unsuccessful attempt to knock him out of the Assembly.

   Now Hoyt is already blaming Golisano and "disgraced former party boss Steve Pigeon" in a letter he recently sent to supporters. He said Golisano has already funded a mailing criticizing recent votes, and he expects more of the same.

   "It would appear that next year's campaign has already begun," Hoyt said in the letter. "As a result, I am gearing up for what no doubt will be another expensive and nasty campaign."

   Let the games begin.

   -- Robert J. McCarthy

Comments

[dannymiamibeach]

the people need to run this Golisano guy out of town...and take Quinn with him.

[Mark]

I was looking for Sam Hoyt on the side of a milk carton, turns out he is hiding downstate, must be some pretty parks to create. Expecting his senority to amount to leadership obviously amounts to expecting too much. Not happy with the idea of a Golisano buying the way to change but when there is such a huge lack of leadership vacuum out there, the first one who steps to the plate is going to own it. As I have posted before, if we send the same troops back to Albany next year and expect a different result, we the voters are the fools.

[City Taxpayer]

Mark - do you really think it will be different if Boss Golisano and his sidekick, Steve Pigeon field and finance an opponent to Hoyt?

Really?

You might want to go back and check Pigeon's record from his days as local Democratic party Boss. Not too pretty!

Oh, and BTW - Pigeon was on Byron Brown's payroll and still is supporting the mayor.

As for Golisano - he should spend his money on building a competitive hockey team and stay out of politics.

I find it intersting that he's not meddling in his hometown - Rochester's politics as much as in Buffalo's.

What's up with that? Could it be he was told to keep his nose out by Rochesterians?

[frquarter]

Danny..stay in miami....Hoyt hasnt done a thing here for years..but approved higher taxes spent taxpayers money for his pals and patronage...the guy has been a waste...along with many other career politicians .....western ny is a failure for years because of the same politicians...they just spent 160,000 on a punch drunk boxer who doesnt know beans about develoipment,,,,and a broad who raises taxes..doesnt know beans about economics and now going to counsel dysfunctionals....danny go to the beach and collect some shells.....why did you move to florida didnt like the highest taxes and fees in the country....danny you must be real loyal lmao u moved to florida....

[Mark]

No, I don't think it will be dramatically different, read the last post. I do know that expecting Hoyt to change is just a waste of time, I would rather see someone brand new run. The problem with that is unless we as voters take the process back, a realistic campaign against Hoyt would cost Joe Average at minimum several hundred thousand dollars. Joe Average doesn't have that kind of clout, Joe Mesi, Sam Hoyt and Steve Pigeon do and that perhaps is the sad part of the equation. If change doesn't occur to the process, those of us who are left will be paying all the freight, ask the local liqour store owner about their May 1 surprise bill. Tom Golisano thinks he is filling a vacuum, we need others to get their first, not those who have been part of the process or an office holder or in the case of Mr. Hoyt, a second generation office holder.

[gary]

So why would an assemblyman from WNY be having a fund raiser in Manhattan?? Is it that no one locally is dumb enough to give him money or is it because that's where his loyalties lie? I think we now know who Hoyt works for - NYC.

[frquarter]

city taxpayer....lmao....you must be a patronage flunkie,,,,you want the same politicians like hoyt thompson stachowsski etc volker schoeder....give us an explanation what they have done for erie.county beside giving jobs to their families pals and patronage butt kissers main street..no one goes down there after dark other then hockey game...10 years in the making peace bridge ....big project tearing down the aud..this real development most waterfront ..lmao bass pro...loss of population and they brag like lenihan the leader....lmao..most emptiest streets in usa ,,,buffalo ny ...lmao...real development,,,wise up and wake up

[City Taxpayer]

frquarter

Whatever makes you think that I am for Mr. Hoyt?

I am simply pointing out that replacing Hoyt with anyone supported by Pigeon/Golisano will produce the same results.

Same political garbage under different name.

Same political patronage - but dispensed by Pigeon.

So , what is your solution?

Or is lmao the only thing you're good for?

[B.Bellanti]

And these things surprise us? I continually maintain that if the voters did their homework and voted based on who best will have their intersts at heart, instead of voting for a candidate based on how much money they have or get donated, things could be different. If only the candidates for office would get off of their behinds and go door to door, it wouldn't matter how much is donated by the money people, they would have the ear of John/Jane Doe voter. A personal converstation with a candidate, prior to the primary would most definitely encourage me to vote for them. Reaching out to everyone, not just the powerful, is an indication that the candidate is interested in the opinion of the voters. Charging $500.oo and up just to attend a function and "maybe' get the opportunity to speak with a candidate pretty much rules out the majority of the voting public. Personally, if I had the opportunity to speak to incumbents and challengers I could form my own opinion instead of listening to advertisements on the radio and TV or reading a hundred flyers. Who has the most money has never mattered to me. Speaking to someone can pretty much give you an indication of their integrity.

[City Taxpayer]

B.Bellanti

The only way things will be different is when we have term limits and public campaign financing.

Each will eliminate the influence of special intersts and lobbying groups - or at the very least - minimize those who are trying to influence politicians/elected officials.

As for the media - the best role they can play is to provide equal access to all candidates at campaign time and at discounted rates - thus eliminating the need for fundraising by the candidtes.

One final change that should be implemented is a time limit on the actual pre-election campaigning. Say one or two-months prior to the primaries and the time between the primaries and the general election.

This way every candidate will have an equal chance as far as the campaign ads go and, perhaps, the difference will be which candidate takes the time to go door-to-door and actually talk with the people they hope will vote for them.

It works in other places and I believe it is time we make those changes.

There are some rumblings about campaign reform these days, coming from State Senator George Maziarz and the GOP - but, it seems they found their religion when they lost power and control of Albany.

One wonders where they stood on this issue while uncle Bruno ran the State Senate? And why Senator Maziarz didn't bring this subject up when they actually could do something about it.

[Tom Hardy]

I agree with city taxpayer. All we have are do nothing elected bums on the payroll. It's time to get them all out.

Stachowski,Brown,Davis, Thompson,The county Legislator etc

http://senatorantoinethompson.blogspot.com/

[Lloyd Marshall, Jr.]

City Taxpayer says: "As for Golisano - he should spend his money on building a competitive hockey team and stay out of politics."

My response: AMEN!!!!

[jd]

Where's the news story ? This area keeps electing the same year after year.
Look who this area supported for Prez. Our ship of state is being being run by Obama, Pelosi and Reid, can things be any worse ?
When was the last time the Buff. news endorsed anybody but a Dem. ? Mark' the milk carton deal was funny because today I got a quart of milk and Higgins was on it. He comes out of hiding every few months lights a few fires and he's gone.
We're still waiting for a full report on why our gas prices are the highest in the land and what happened to the skyway deal ?
This area will never learn that's why people are leaving like rats jumping off a burning ship.
Just pay your high taxes and highest gas and elecrtic bills in the country and shut up, because nobody will listen.
Take a good long look at who runs our city, our state and our nation, how did we get to this point ? Not one of the above has ever run a business or balanced a budget. The ship is sinking and heading for the rocks enjoy the ride because things will get worse before the get worse. Someone wrote who voted for these bafoons ? You did the bottom 50% of americans who contribute less than 3% of all tax money collected.
The free free free you were promised isn't coming and the check isn't in the mail.