CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. - Erie County Comptroller candidate Mark Poloncarz calls on the Erie County Legislature to take action against patronage within the Giambra Administration. The March 3, 2005 budget amendment prohibiting any re-hires or filling of vacancies without legislative approval has not seemed to deter Joel Giambra from continuing his friends and family hiring plan. The rehiring of Giambra’s brother-in-law Salvatore Campobello to the City Parks Division is just the tip of the iceberg.

Giambra’s friends and family plan is costing Erie County hundreds of thousands of dollars. The recent illegal re-hires include family friend Cheryl Murphy, Republican political strategist Michael Beeny, and Dan Neaverth, Jr. as the Strategic National Stockpile Coordinator. In addition to the illegal hiring, the patronage continues with the legislature approved re-hire of Erie County Parks Director and Tonawanda Republican Chairman Anthony Sedita’s wife as his own personal secretary on May 9, 2005.

“Clearly Giambra won’t stop the patronage,” said Poloncarz. “If the legislature is to regain its credibility with the citizens of Erie County, the members must enforce the hiring freeze. There is no point in enacting a hiring freeze if no one is going to abide by it. We need leaders who will step up and do what is in the best interests of Erie County, not what is a politically motivated action that only benefits the friends and family of Joel Giambra.”

As a truly independent comptroller with no ties to the Giambra Administration, Poloncarz will not tolerate patronage within county government. As part of his ten point action agenda, Poloncarz pledges to perform monthly reviews and report on all proposed County Legislature and Executive appropriations. If the legislature or county executive seeks to spend county funds in an inappropriate or reckless manner, Poloncarz says he will refuse to sign the checks.

Mark Poloncarz is a business and finance attorney in the private sector with a vision of new leadership for Erie County. He is endorsed by the Democratic Party, the Independence Party and the Working Families Party. For more information about his campaign, please visit www.markpoloncarz.com.