Everything you need to know about the Special Election for NY State Assembly can be summed up in one issue: where each candidate stands on Andrew Cuomo's terrible idea of moving hundreds of Children from the West Seneca Developmental Center to a facility with adults. Anyone with any type of common sense opposes this idea. Here is what candidate Erik Bohen had to say about it this week...
As a teacher who works with special needs students, I unequivocally oppose the move of children from the Western New York Children’s Psychiatric Center to a facility with adults. We don’t educate children with adults, we no longer incarcerate children with adults, so why would it be acceptable to house and treat our most vulnerable children with adults? The answer is simple: it is not acceptable, which is why I do not support the Governor’s plan and I will fight to overturn it.
The Western New York Children’s Psychiatric Center is among the best facilities for children in New York State and, other than Governor Cuomo and Mental Health Commissioner Sullivan, there is no other New York State official that agrees with this move. If elected, my first act will be to ask Speaker Heastie to move on overriding Governor Cuomo’s veto. This is about the safety of our children, and the community support to keep the Western New York Children’s Psychiatric Center open is overwhelming. This shouldn’t be a hard decision by the State.
So we know where Bohen stands but where does Patrick Burke land on this issue? He's been completely silent. I believe his plan is to do whatever Andrew Cuomo tells him to. If you see Patrick Burke, please ask him to publicly oppose this move. If he refuses to do so, then that tells you all you need to know about his independence, or lack thereof. I know many hundreds of families signed petitions this past summer opposing this ridiculous plan. If I'm wrong and he publicly opposes it, I will print an update and stand corrected. However, it seems like Burke takes his orders from the local Democratic Part honchos and not the residents. This was evidenced when he voted for the Party Chairman's choice this past week for the Commissioner of the Erie County Water Authority (some party hack who has donated lots of money to the Democratic Party). #rubberstamp. #takingordersfromHeadquarters
Even if this issue is not important to you personally, it reveals a great deal about the two candidates. One is independent. The other will do whatever he's told by the people pulling his strings. We need people who are going to represent us, and not the likes of Andrew Cuomo or read you the latest talking points from his political party. We know where Erik Bohen stands on this issue, but we have not heard anything about it from Burke. The issues he brings up (microbeads, conversion therapy) are not controversial at all. While these issues are important to a select few and most people agree with Burke on them, he's not taking any unpopular stances. They're no-brainers. Here's an opportunity for him to really stand up to the governor on an issue many more people care about. Let's see if he does. All one has to do is read up on Erik Bohen, lifelong community leader and the independent voice South Buffalo, Lackawanna, West Seneca, and Orchard Park needs.
