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Swartz Backers Turn Out for Council Hopeful

Council hopeful Joseph Swartz with mentor Tim Demler.

The party may not have been lavish, but Swartz and friends made up for it with good spirits, good food and some singing. At right is entertainer Tony Scricco who sang for the group a selection of his favorite standards.

Wheatfield Republican candidates Karen McKernan and Tom Larson.

Over at the Frederick F. Cadille Post of the American Legion at the City Market Side, at the same time as the Fruscione event, was a fund-raiser for Joseph Swartz, 23, who has referred to himself as the "gay" Democrat.

Swartz was joined by former Wheatfield Supervisor Tim Demler, who Swartz acknowledges is his mentor, along with former Niagara Falls Council member Candra Thomason, County legislator Jason Zona, attorney Johnny Destino, Councilmember Robert Anderson,  and Niagara Falls zoning board member and professional entertainer, Anthony Scricco who, in fact, provided musical entertainment.

Also in attendance, along with a host of others, were candidates for Wheatfield town supervisor and council, Tom Larson and Karen McKernan.

Larson, a Republican who plans on running in a Republican primary against incumbent Robert Cliffe, works at the office of medical computing at UB. He was wearing a Swartz for council t-shirt. Of his own race, he said he is running because, in Wheatfield, tax increases and town expenditures are "out of control."

McKernan, also a Republican, agreed, "I think there is corruption [in Wheatfield]. There have been a lot of friends and family, patronage positions given out and lying about full time positions. They are spending money like it is going out of style."

Swartz told the Reporter at his event; "I've been traveling around the city, meeting people, and the general response from people is that they are fed up with city government and that it is time for a change.... I think I can work well with the council majority (Chairman Glenn Choolokian, Sam Fruscione and Robert Anderson) to bring about the needed change and provide an effective check to the Dyster administration."

Of Council members Kristen Grandinetti and Charles Walker, Swartz said, "They let the mayor do whatever he wants to do and he knows he has two sure votes. He is a typical tax and spend liberal. He is not even a Democrat. He gives Democrats a bad name. ... We're losing business left and right and we're losing people left and right. If we don't start lowering taxes we are not going to have a city....

"I believe the money government has is not their money but belongs to the taxpayer. We have to guard that money and spend it wisely and that's what I am going to do once I am elected to the City Council. Reduce the tax rates so the city will be an attractive place to live in and invest."

 

 

 

Niagara Falls Reporter - Publisher Frank Parlato Jr. www.niagarafallsreporter.com

Apr30, 2013