Legislative District 12: Incumbent Bob Reynolds

Bob Reynolds was elected to the Erie County Legislature in 2006, in the wake of the budget crisis. He worked for Ford Motor Company for 30 years. He is running for a third 2-year term.

Regionalism has turned into a four-letter word, but independent studies show it as the best way to save costs, encourage growth and plan smartly. Do you favor a regional metro government, and what areas would it cover?

We have a regional government already established but very few people realize this. The Association of County Governments meets monthly and passes resolutions and forms active committees. They send representatives to state level organizations as well. I believe this organization needs to take a much more active role on the regionalism issue if it is going to take hold here in Erie County. I currently am working through this organization to look at “Watershed Districts” being established in Erie County – this would be a great first step to towns working together across town lines…

What about a unified school district for Erie County, but preserving/returning to neighborhood schools?

School districts should be forced to use a more BOCES-type organization structure in New York State. We could use them (BOCES) for administrative and backroom office matters as a good starting point. I like neighborhood schools as the norm.

What is your opinion on downsizing the county legislature? Would you include term limits? Would you support extending terms from 2 to 4 years?

I voted for the downsizing and the four year term – so I am supporting it. As for term limits, we need more discussion on this matter since the commission set up to review us did not support term limits…

What is your opinion of Kevin Gaughan’s push to downsize other town and village legislative bodies?

We have taken an initiative in the village of N. Collins and the Farnham to downsize the village into the town – it will take a public vote to see if it happens. We need to be careful on how far we go to three people running government, if it happens in the Town of Hamburg – the council people will be representing 56,000 – even divided that is 28,000 residents each for a part-time representation.

It’s not the money that mandated, but the services. How would you go about reducing the cost of providing county services that are mandated by the state?

I would like to see what is the total cost to run the program and find out what New York State and federal aid are brought into the program and its breakdown for the public to see. We can use the SIX SIGMA approach but it must be done properly. Reduction can only be achieved where the County share can be eliminated in each program where there is no matching funds or as County Executive is doing now stop offering the program.

In 2007, Erie County residents voted in favor of charter reforms that included implementation of performance-based budgeting. Would you push for that?

We are always pushing this item; we have many reports that are required to be given to the Erie County Legislature from our ECRAB organization and other organization that we fund through the budget.

Looking forward, should redistricting be done in a nonpartisan way, avoiding gerrymandering?

To stop gerrymandering we need to set up stronger rules on the breakup of large towns and Election Districts, that is where it occurs.

Give me two big ideas you’d like to promote while in office. Ideas that have the potential to fundamentally change WNY.

I am already working on change; the foreclosure process, county-wide housing court and third is watershed districts

Democrats: Two things about Chris Collins administration that you like. Republicans: Two things about Chris Collins administration that you don’t like.

The Budget director and support of the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors’ Bureau.

Quick questions:

a. Consolidate IDAs? Not sure it solves the problem

b. Creation of a professional regional planning entity with the authority to enforce its decisions? Have to change home rule law first – state issue…

c. Expansion of rail service to the airport/suburbs? To the Ralph? All ready have the rail road tracks, need a bridge over the buffalo river to get to the southtowns – about 25 – 40 million dollars.

d. High speed rail: to Albany, or to Toronto? Which is more important and why? Toronto – it would be the first step to regional high speed rail between our countries and would be a better economic engine for the area…