HTN: Collins Blasts Paterson's Labor Agreement

Governor Paterson announced over the weekend an agreement with the Civil Service Employee Association and the Public Employees Federation. The deal reduces the state's workforce by about seven-thousand through attrition, buyouts and eliminating vacant positions. The unions will also support the governor's proposed new tier of pension benefits. The program requires newly-hired employees to continue contributing three-percent of their salaries toward pension costs for their entire careers, rather than just up to ten years of service. When the agreement is fully adopted, it will save taxpayers an estimated 440-million dollars over the next two years.

Erie County Executive Chris Collins is blasting that agreement. Collins, who promised to bring a "leaner" government to the county, says Governor Paterson caved-in to unions by saving their jobs and offering early retirement buyouts. Collins also says things like downsizing town boards does little to save money and detracts from larger financial issues. He's currently touring the state talking to several groups about the problems he sees in state government. Colls has been trumpeted as a possible Republican candidate for Governor.

Hometown News: Collins Wants Opponents Ousted

Erie County Executive Chris Collins wants more support from county lawmakers, so he may be willing to help pay for campaigns to unseat his opponents. Collins is said to want to oust the Democratic Comptroller and two Democratic legislators. The County Executive has called Comptroller Mark Poloncarz and Legislators Robert Reynolds and Michele Iannello obstructionists standing in the way of his reform agenda. Collins says he may dig into his own deep pockets to fund candidates he supports. He says that voters overwhelmingly elected him for reform, and hopes they will support like minded candidates in the upcoming elections.

HTN: Collins Wants Three Dems Ousted

Republican Chris Collins wants three high-profile county Democrats out. The Erie County Executive wants to unseat Comptroller Mark Poloncarz and Legislators Michelle Iannello and Robert Reynolds Jr. Collins wants them replaced with presumable Republican candidates more attuned to what he calls his "reform agenda."

Hometown News: State of the County

Erie County Executive Chris Collins talked about creating jobs in his state of the county address today. He said that believing in Western New York will help attract jobs and investment.