To The Reader’s Forum:

The county legislators representing the City of Jamestown have again shown that they are either asleep at the switch, at best, or just don’t care about the people who sent them to Mayville.

The County Legislature voted on Wednesday to change the formula for disability insurance without any input from the two cities and one village who will pay the bulk of the increase.

Once again, the social club masquerading as elected public officials in Mayville changed a long-standing policy without discussing its ramifications with any municipalities, but especially the two largest having the most at stake: our City and the City of Dunkirk.

When a reasonable amendment was introduced by Democrat Robert Bankowski (D- Dunkirk) phasing in any policy change — and the financial burden — over a two-year period, county legislators representing our city, David Wilfong, Elizabeth Rankin, Billy Torres, and Paul Whitford voted for the amendment.

When the amendment was crushed by the super majority Republican legislature, the original measure with the costliest effect for City of Jamestown taxpayers passed. And who helped to pass it? Republican legislators Wilfong and Rankin conveniently forgot that they lived in Jamestown as did Whitford (and he’s a Democrat!). These three legislators voted against our city taxpayers.

The weak-kneed members of the Mayville set will argue that each represents “all the people of Chautauqua County”. Bullroar! The voters filling in the little circle on the ballot are who our legislators represent — and these are the voters you will answer to on your next election day.

These legislators are more interested in their membership in Club Mayville than making good policy and representing the people who elected them.

Jamestown