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Posted: Tuesday, 03 November 2009 11:22PM
Hamburg Supervisor Race a Landslide, OP Race Too Close to Call
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It was a tale of two races in the Southtowns Tuesday night. In Hamburg, a landslide win for incumbent Supervisor Steven Walters, while in Orchard Park, it's too close to call.
Walters says his election "is a validation of the hard work my administration has put forth to lower spending, cut taxes, and downsize the town government while at the same time improving services the town offers." Walters is focusing on a number of projects including the transfer of the town's water department to the Erie County Water Authority, which he says will save taxpayers $1 million. "Then we have to continue to take a close look at our departments and find ways to improve efficiency, and thereby, giving us the opportunity to cut the cost of government.
Walters believes his margin of victory over challenger Patti Michalek is also voter backlash for negative campaigning. "We ran a positive campaign," says Walters. "While my campaign focused on talking about the positive things that occurred, my opponent's campaign focused on a smear campaign and I think voters are tired of that thing," contends the Supervisor.
Meantime, in Orchard Park, the race to succeed Mary Travers Murphy as supervisor was so close it could not be decided Tuesday evening. Janis Colarusso had a slim lead over Patrick Keem at last count.
Keem told WBEN late Tuesday night, "it's a little stress and tension" as he awaited the final numbers. He anticipates a recount because it's triggered when the margin is less than one percent. He's also waiting for the absentee ballots. "I believe they have to wait to count them," says Keem, who was told there were more absentee ballots than the deficit. "We're not conceding, why would we?" notes the retired dentist.
Keem says win or lose, he was glad he gave voters a choice in this year's election.
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