"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have"
Thomas Jefferson

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Stealth Campaign

Village of West Carthage Mayor Scott Burto has yet to announce or publicly acknowledge his campaign, but he is in high gear.

He has recently been endorsed by his local Republican committee in the town of Champion and he has sought out Watertown City Mayor Jeff Graham for the Independence line.

Graham leans left in the campaign for county clerk because of a belief there is more to be gained by warming up to a party that appears to be in control, but a source from the left says there is a long line of patronage paybacks for Democrats and Graham is unlikely to cut the line.

The candidates for a county wide race for clerk will need an organization and volunteers to run a campaign and will need plenty of finances to run a county wide race and these nuts and bolts of a campaign are amplified on the rudderless Republican side of the race. A county wide race will cost in the neighborhood north of $100,000, that is a lot of jingle to raise in this economy.

Candidates best be vetted and prepared go through a process before getting too far ahead of themselves. Endorsements are part of the process, not part of the preparation.

Whomever the candidates are; be prepared for a long campaign, that requires a lot of time and hard work from the candidate and volunteers and one that cost money to run also. 

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey IV...how come you have been completely silent about the gay marriage bill and the massive property tax raise in the Jeff Co. Budget??? You were ripping everyone else for being silent on the budget even when they weren't.

City Watch said...

Perhaps you need a reading retention course 9:42

And massive property tax raise, where? I do not believe that exist.

Visit Here

Anonymous said...

No reading retention problems here. You take no position on the legislation, you merely slam the governor and Senate, which is common practice here.

And from the WDT: "The budget increases the levy, or amount raised by property taxes, by 7.9 percent."

Don't even act like you would not try to spin a levy increase as a property tax increase if the Dem's were in power. That again is common practice in politics.

hermit thrush said...

i'd also like to know piv, what's your stance on same-sex marriage?

City Watch said...

You just proved my point.

the massive property tax raise in the Jeff Co. Budget???And from the WDT: "The budget increases the levy, or amount raised by property taxes, by 7.9 percent."The latter is the City of Watertown budget.

This is my last response to you, I do not have patients enough for people like who think they possess knowledge but do not.

Danny M. Francis (Eyepublius) said...

Whoa! Off topic there guys... back to the post at hand:

You say it could take somewhere in the neighborhood of $100,000 to run an effective County Clerk race?

Nice neighborhood, I retort.

"All-righty-then" (said with Ace Ventura/Jim Carrey voice over).

Say I put in $100,000 of my own dough - does that then make me a viable player in this race?

Not about the money, right?

Right...

Name, fame and fortune = on the national scale and now locally, too?

And, who says we can't compete in the bit league!

~ dmf

John Peck said...

Dear Mr. IV
The town of Champion Republican Committee on Monday the 20th decided to nominate Scott Burto as our candidate for county clerk pending his firm decision to run. Mr. Burto's nomination was initiated by the committee members, motioned and seconded, and approved unanimously. It is getting late in the prepartion season for this year's election cycle for the Republican Party not to have a candidate and Mr. Burto's name is the only one that has been mentioned. I have been made aware of two other individuals that may be interested, but until we have their names, which haven't been made aware to the Champion Republican Committee, we can't consider them. We need people that are going to step forward and be willing to run and you are correct that this is going to be a tough countywide race. However, it is not prudent to criticize someone who is trying to get his affairs in order. The fact that we have shown support should be a welcomed sign, not cause for criticism.
Sincerely Yours,
John D. Peck
T/O Champion Rep. Committe Chairman

Anonymous said...

Is it new to the campaign process that people start talking before they make a interest in running public. How about the years leading up to the past election and the Hillary Clinton campaign?

Anonymous said...

What's the difference what personal opinions are on gay marriage? Kerm, you claim it is inevitible. You're probably right.

Rejoice.

It doesn't matter what the people want. It only matters what judges and media want.

Again, celebrate.
Opinions don't matter.

Anonymous said...

As a Republican, I will not support Burto.

His position as Trail Coordinator, through the Jeff. Cty. Soil & Water, is nothing more than a patronage position. He has done little to earn that pay check.

Anonymous said...

Do you know anything he has done? Ask around he has done a lot to help communities and recreation groups in the area. He also has done everything asked of him by the board.

Anonymous said...

It doesn't matter what he has or has not done. The republicans just keep putting the good ole boys on the ballot and keep getting beat like a drum. How about some new blood that actually want to be republican in philosophy not just to have an R behind the name? As far as the gay marriage; check the republican assembley person from Gouverneur stand on it.

Anonymous said...

Why do you consider Scott Burto a good ole boy? Cause of who his uncle is? Scott is new, young and doing good things here in West Carthage. He has disagreed with his uncle and the good ole boys before for what he thought was right for the residents. He stood up to the school district last year for the residents. He would bring new ideas and be new blood for this county. Is anyone else at his age stepping up to try to make a difference in the community.

Anonymous said...

You people do not understand. Just like Will Barkley was not his father. Does not matter in the eye of the voter and that is who is electing people. Remember, it is not the smoke filled back rooms the politicians hang out at that are electing candidates anymore. you must agree the position he holds looks like he is a good ole boy whether he is or he is not.

Anonymous said...

"He also has done everything asked of him by the board" sounds like a good ole boy to me!

What are the property taxes like in West Carthage anyway?

It doesn't matter what he has (or hasn't done) as West Carthage Mayor, save for curing cancer, because he has earned over $120,000 on the backs of the hardworking tax payers of Jefferson County the past three (3) years from the extremely dubious post of "Trail Coordinator". As a Republican, I will not support him for that reason alone!

Anonymous said...

Village of West Carthage tax rate was lowered to $6.60 from $7 per thousand and the tax levy decreased 1%.

Anonymous said...

Everyone wants to bitch and complain about the people trying to make a differnce. Why would anyone want to get involved when people come on here and discredit them for it. Maybe you guys should pick up a petition and see how good you would do.
Question about a good ole boy???
Darrel was elected chairmen by a republican board, that is a pretty good sign he was one of the original Good Ole Boys.

Anonymous said...

Trying to make a difference? or trying to make a living off of the taxpayers??

Anonymous said...

I agree. If Burto is truly "trying to make a difference" (as opposed to just trying to make a living off of the taxpayers), how is he going to make a difference as County Clerk? It is not a job that makes laws or sets public policy.

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