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| West Seneca Petition Heroes |
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Here's a list of our Heroes of West Seneca. By carrying petitions door-to-door, these citizens made West Seneca the first town in New York State's history to use the petition process to let people decide the size and cost of their local government.
Our community's deep gratitude and esteem goes to each of them.
| Joe Bremer | Dennis Mavromatis |
| Fran Canorro | Rene Moawad |
| John J. Canorro, Sr. | John Moscato |
| Craig Ersing | Tony Peluso |
| Catherine L. Gavin | Al Petko |
| John Golumbek | Cynthia Petko |
| Erin Grosstephan | Linda Robbins |
| Eugene Jarczyk | Fred Rich |
| Bernie Jacobson | Linda Rosenhahn |
| Christian Lafferty | Doug Smith |
| Michael E. Lafferty | Ron Starzynski |
| Rachel Lafferty | Ann Tworzydlo |
| Jim Lawson | Tom Tworzydlo |
| Ryan Mackey | Kathy Vail |
| Mike Machnica | Dave Weitzel |
| Bill Malczewski | Charlie Zernentsch |
| Joe Malczewski | |
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While researching ways to change government and improve our future, I discovered a little-known and never-before used state law that gives citizens the right to force downsizing referenda through petitions. (NYS Town Law Section 81(2)(c). Like many laws authored by our state legislators, this one is poorly drafted and difficult to follow. But its intent is clear, and the power it grants to citizens, important.
Working with West Seneca residents, I chose their town to be a test case in the power of petitions due to its size (our county's fifth largest town), economic decline, and large resident interest in change.
Finally, by taking the West Seneca town board's legal effort to stop a public vote through the court system, we now have a judicially-sanctioned petition form that will withstand any future legal assault from politicians seeking to deny citizens their right to decide.
If you would like to carry a downsizing or dissolution petition in your town or village, please be sure to click on join our cause and let us know.
Kevin
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