BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - The county's top fiscal watchdog faced off against his challenger in the upcoming election.

CPA Phil Kadet's TV campaign for Erie County Comptroller has the familiar ring of County Executive Chris Collins' former campaign.

But incumbent Mark Poloncarz accuses Kadet, who spent 33 years in public accounting, of being Collins' hand-picked candidate.

Poloncarz said, "The County Executive shows up at all of his fund raisers and says this is the man I need in the office of Comptroller. So he can say he's independent, but how independent can he be?"

The Poloncarz ad, now on his website but soon to be on television, touts his independence.

But Kadet says Poloncarz is too close with the Erie County Democratic Party .

Phil Kadet, a candidate for Erie County Comptroller said, "Not only is (he) politically connected across the board but actually occupies, as I understand it, a seat on the Erie County Executive Committee for the Democratic Party."

Kadet's accounting firm helped detect a huge Erie County deficit in the 1980's.

Kadet said he is prepared for today's challenges as well.

"We need to bring fiscal discipline to local and state government," he stated.

Poloncarz said Kadet's firm did not predict the deficit as big as it became and Poloncarz took credit for Erie County's improved fiscal situation on Tuesday.

"We have restored fiscal discipline to Erie County," Poloncarz stated.

He also said his audits have saved taxpayers millions of dollars and that the county's credit rating has improved to just below an A.

Ricky Donovan, Vice Chair of the Independence Party in Erie County said political operative, Steve Pigeon is behind the Kadet candidacy.

The Kadet campaign said Kadet never met Steve Pigeon or talked to him.

The State Independence Party is supporting Kadet.

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