By: DANIEL MEYER
SUN EDITOR

July 15, 2009

Since we are now knee deep into all that is good when it comes to summertime in Western New York — anyone else stuff themselves at last weekend’s Taste of Buffalo until you thought you were going to burst? — I thought it would be fitting this week to share with you some of the “fan mail” I’ve received in recent weeks as I once again take some time to clear off my desk, empty out my notebook, clean out my e-mail inbox and respond to messages left on my voice mail.

The following are just a few of the messages I received either via e-mail or handwritten letter regarding items previously discussed in this space. Enjoy:

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“I wanted to let you know that I appreciated your piece on WBEN 930 AM and the cutback in local programming. I am a huge Ron Dobson fan and was disappointed to hear his show was cancelled. I feel that the 7 to 10 p.m. time frame is perfect for local radio and I will miss that show. There is a time and place for some national syndication, I suppose, but I firmly believe that Ron filed that time slot perfectly. We are all at a loss. His show was great!

Thanks for highlighting this issue. I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one that misses the program.”

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“Dear Mr. Meyer, I agree that the bums need to be thrown out. One of your quotes was ‘Great leaders motivate us to want to do better. Let’s hope that someone steps up to the plate.’ Government servants should never ‘lead’ anyone. Government exists merely to provide a framework for the protection of the right to own property”

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“Daniel, I read your column entitled “State Senate’s Paralyzing leadership struggle a joke” in the Akron Bugle and appreciate your comments. I’m behind you 100 percent.

Send your message to the State Senators where it will do most good — I have. I wish we had a no confidence vote like they do in Canada to get rid of the lot of them and start over. Better yet, reinstitute dueling and let them take each other out!”

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Hey Dan, I hope you choose to write something in the next few weeks about the great work that Erie County Comptroller Mark C. Poloncarz is doing in his office.

I’m sure you heard, but a recent investigation that was recently undertaken by his division of audit and control found a county employee falsifying time records and staying at home instead of working.

Poloncarz’s office received an anonymous tip from their waste, fraud and abuse tip line system, which I personally think is a fabulous idea. The employee’s department eventually terminated the employee based on the evidence that was obtained.

The telephone and e-mail tip lines to report possible waste, fraud or abuse in government is something that all local governments should have in place. I’m just happy Erie County has an independent taxpayer watchdog in that office. It’s about time someone fixed what’s been broken for years.

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“I read your column and you are absolutely correct that we have allowed these clowns in Albany to make state government a laughing matter. These totally incompetent and arrogant political fat cats need to be thrown out.

The more serious problem is we have no one competent who wishes to toss their hat in the ring and stand to make any changes. New York State has no leadership whatsoever and that begins at the very top with governor David Paterson — notice I did not capitalize governor because in his case it is not deserved.

senators — also without a capital S — Dale Volker and Bill Stachowski have turned into insignificant blow hards who have neither the clout nor the backbone to stand up for their constituents in Western New York. I plan to call Volker’s office to voice my unsolicited and unabridged opinion. Thanks for your column’s opinion.”

(Daniel Meyer is a columnist for the Weekly Independent Newspapers of Western New York, a consortium of 18 community-based weekly newspapers with a combined paid circulation of 75,000 homes. WIN provides collaborative advertising and editorial support for member publications. E-mail any comments on this column to: meyersmusings@gmail.com. Opinions expressed here are those of the author.)

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