North Tonawanda’s two districts followed the city trend and offered large victories to the Republicans, but the Niagara County Legislature as a whole will soon have a very different look.
Common Council veteran Russ Rizzo and longtime incumbent Legislator Peter Smolinski, both running on the GOP ticket, cruised to easy victories in the Legislature’s 9th and 10th districts respectively. The Republican-led Majority Caucus still maintains its stronghold on the chamber as a whole, with the two parties trading victories in Niagara Falls, but not changing the GOP’s 14-5 advantage.
The other big issue decided by voters on Tuesday — whether to decrease the size of the Legislature — came with an equally lopsided decision from voters.
Across the county, voters overwhelmingly approved a proposition that called for the size of the Legislature to be trimmed from 19 members to 15. Unofficial results from the Niagara County Board of Elections show the measure received overwhelming support, by a vote of 19,118 to 3,973.
As a result of Tuesday's vote, legislative districts will be re-drawn based on population data from the upcoming 2010 U.S. Census. Members of the new-look, 15-member Legislature would be elected for the first time in 2011.
The move will trim four legislative salaries from the county budget. Lawmakers currently earn $15,075 per year.
Supporters of the downsizing plan hailed Tuesday’s vote as an indication that residents are ready for a smaller, more efficient county government.
“I think it’s the right thing to do,” said downsizing supporter and Legislature Chairman Bill Ross, C-Wheatfield. “You’ve got to show people that you are willing to do more with less. If you don’t set an example for your employees, you’re going to run into difficulty.”
Critics of the downsizing initiative were troubled by the lack of details associated with this particular plan to reduce the size of county government. Minority Leader Dennis Virtuoso, D-Niagara Falls, who voted in favor of a resolution calling for the downsizing plan to be presented to voters, had second thoughts about the idea leading up to Election Day.
“People generally support smaller government,” Virtuoso said. “I knew all along it would pass. I’m just worried that the voters weren’t given the information they needed before they voted.”
He campaigned against the measure, suggesting it was being pushed by Republican leaders in the county who were looking to eliminate seats in Niagara Falls, a city where the majority of voters are Democrats and one that will likely see a significant drop in population once the new Census figures are released.
Back in North Tonawanda, Smolinski defeated political newcomer Democrat Katie Rich by a vote of 1,018 to 762 for the 10th district seat.
In the 9th District, a seat vacated by GOP lawmaker Andrea McNulty earlier this year, Republicans were able to hold on, with Rizzo defeating another first-time candidate, Democrat Christopher Perna 1,226 to 1,014. Rizzo is a registered Independence Party member who ran with Republican support.
In the county’s 11th district, which rounds out the North Tonawanda delegation, Republican Paul Wojtaszek, brother of county GOP Chairman Henry Wojtaszek, ran unopposed.
Eric DuVall contributed to this report.
Contact reporter Mark Scheer at 282-2311, ext. 2250.
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