Collins learning how to play politics

   Love him or hate him, just about everybody acknowledges we've never had a county executive like Chris Collins.

   The rookie politician, a Republican, was swept into the 16th floor of the Rath County Office Building last November in a landslide. And he did it by challenging the area's political status quo, casting himself as a "chief executive not a chief politician," and promising to run Erie County like a business.

   But today's story in The Buffalo News outlines the evolution of the millionaire businessman into at least a semi-politician. Critics say he has ignored his campaign promise by diving into the political pool, flexing his muscles in races for the House of Representatives and the Assembly.

   Others say he is an elected official, for heaven's sake, and has to play the politics game … at least to some extent.

   In any event, Collins the politician is a new and interesting side of our county executive, and is a story with a long way to go before it plays out.

   What do you think of how Collins is conducting himself as county executive?

   -- Robert J. McCarthy

Comments

[Phil]

Chris Collins, Mike Hook and Jane Corwin represent the type of people who can turn around this pathetic area. Mike Hook is only interested in keeping his job and even if he speaks well so what. He never worked a real job a day in his life and we will never benefit from keeping a guy like him in office.

[udontknowme]

Aww come on people, Chris will run Erie County Like a business!! His own business that is. He will do whatever benefits him. Ask him how to create jobs when he has laid off his own people!

Rich Chris, giving to His rich friends political enrichment!

Chris...when are all of these changes supposed to happen? When are we going to see tax Breaks?

When?
when?
Never!

[joe shmo]

Why do we keep hearing "run like a business" garbage? It's not, it is more like a non profit agency, there to provide sevices. Business' bottom line i sprofit, nonprofit bottom line is service. Collins is a wolf in sheep clothes, he's actin glike he's doing this and that for the people, taking away trinkets like phones, then no one will ask when he really starts getting down to business like the republicans have in washington...How do these people sleep?

[george washington]

chris collins was overheard talking about his belief there was never menat to be a middle class, that the Founding Fathers had in mind a country of rich and poor. No middle class, he said "it gets in the way".. Nice. Here we go...get ready folks. Another crook, another liar, another BushHaliburtonCheney-ite scum

[proudcharterschoolmom]

he's a politician just like the rest of them I never bought that run it like a business crap that so many others did.

[lanres]

Mr.Collins is just learning to survive in his new Politicaly Hostile environment. Dont blame the player - blame the game ! Trim the "patronage" fat to the bone! The Dems are just mad their boy is not in there hiring more "Good Old Boys ! -

[Atticus Finch]

Maybe Collins should get him money back from Mike Hook. After all, Hook's involvement with Jane Corwin has been an abyssmal failure. She was completely ill-prepared for the endorsment meeting for the Assembly seat she is trying to caputre. Mike Cole put a thumping on her. Hook should be embarassed for taking any fee for running her campaign.