Hardwick vows to make Recall a Reality

Although incumbent Legislator Michele Iannello campaigned on term limits for county offices, she only voted for longer terms, declared Erie County Legislature candidate Kevin Hardwick. Hardwick noted that Iannello proposed term limit legislation after first being elected four years ago, but nothing has come of it. Either she was insincere and didnt push for it or she was ineffective and unable to convince her colleagues in the Democratic majority to support it, concluded Hardwick.

His comments come on the heels of the Democrat-controlled Legislature adding an extension of their terms from two years to four years as part of the ballot measure to downsize the Legislature from 15 to 13 members. While Hardwick would like to see the two issues voted on separately, he says a recall measure is also needed and would give citizens the power to remove a "clunker" from office.

"Recall is a way of firing an elected official before their time," Hardwick said in a video released on his Web site, kevinhardwick.com. "You should absolutely not even consider it (four-year terms) unless you have recall in the county charter."

Recall would allow voters a chance for a do-over should the candidate turn out to be unqualified or corrupt. While recall should be an option, according to Hardwick, it is something that should not be easy and done with much thought and consideration. As a member of the City of Tonawandas Charter Revision Commission in 1995, Hardwick successfully fought to put a recall provision in Tonawandas charter.

Ironically, Hardwick's opponent was once a proponent of the recall idea, yet like term limits, the idea went nowhere. Hardwick criticized Iannello for not seizing the opportunity presented this past summer when everyone was discussing possible reforms and all we got was token downsizing and longer terms.

The opportune moment was there, and it's passed," he said. "I hope to be there to take advantage of the next opportunity, because I take reform seriously."

Hardwick, the former host of "Hardline with Hardwick" on WBEN-AM 930, has been a political science professor at Canisius College for 20 years. He lives in the City of Tonawanda with his wife of 30 years, Deborah. They have four children and two grandchildren. Additional information can be found at www.kevinhardwick.com.

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