Local businessman and Erie County executive candidate Chris Collins is calling on his opponent, Jim Keane, to return the nearly $30,000 Keane has taken in political contributions from Erie County Water Authority employees and contractors.  Last Friday Keane called the Erie County Water Authority (ECWA) a haven for “perks and patronage,” saying the ECWA should be substantially reformed. 

“Voters need to beware of career politicians like Jim Keane who will say anything to get elected,” said Chris Collins.  “Now that Jim Keane has shaken down employees and contractors at the Erie County Water Authority for political contributions, he is now ready to talk about reform.  If he wants to be taken seriously, he should return the contributions related to the water authority immediately.”

According to reporting by The Buffalo News, on September 7, 2007 ECWA employees contributed $18,300 to Jim Keane.  A review of New York State campaign finance disclosure filings by Keane show that he took almost $10,700 more. 

Keane’s own official campaign website boasted that two authority commissioners and its executive director hosted a $500 a head fundraiser for Keane on Monday, August 27, 2007. 

“It is outrageous that Keane tapped top water authority managers to collect thousands of dollars for his campaign and now expects voters to believe that he wants to change the system,” said Collins.  “During his 12 years as part of the Gorski-Keane administration, Keane failed to stop the patronage in County Hall and the water authority,” added Collins.  “In fact, current executive director Robert Mendez was appointed by the Gorski-Keane team.”

“With Jim Keane acknowledging that these positions are nothing more than political patronage, he owes it to the taxpayers of Erie County to give the money he has taken from these people back,” added Collins.  “Anything short of that just exemplifies that under career politician Jim Keane, it will be business as usual in Erie County.”

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