Herkimer Legislature votes no to proposed solution
By: Chelsea Rarrick
Updated: January 18, 2012
A group of Legislators in Herkimer County wanted a stronger voice, but their plans were voted down.
4 Legislators were in favor of the solution, and 12 were against.
The solution presented was in regards to having a minority party on each committee.
Democrat Legislator, Helen Rose says the Republican Chairman, Vincent Bono, placed four of the legislators who did not vote for him on just one committee.
However, Bono says this was not true.
Rose says the minority legislators don't have enough voice among the committees.
She says the minority leader, John Brezinski, was taken off an important committee.
"We are the four that were given only one committee assignment, even one of his Republican legislators. We think that a view of the minority should always be considered, and we want that opportunity to present itself in a voting capacity," said Rose.
"There's a hierarchy that you work up as you become a legislator, and certainly some committees are not more important, but carry more weight, and you work your way up to those committees," said Republican Chairman, Vincent Bono.
Bono says they are newer legislators, and his reasoning for putting Mr. Brezinski on the Natural Resources Committee is due to his district deals with a sewer plant.
4 Legislators were in favor of the solution, and 12 were against.
The solution presented was in regards to having a minority party on each committee.
Democrat Legislator, Helen Rose says the Republican Chairman, Vincent Bono, placed four of the legislators who did not vote for him on just one committee.
However, Bono says this was not true.
Rose says the minority legislators don't have enough voice among the committees.
She says the minority leader, John Brezinski, was taken off an important committee.
"We are the four that were given only one committee assignment, even one of his Republican legislators. We think that a view of the minority should always be considered, and we want that opportunity to present itself in a voting capacity," said Rose.
"There's a hierarchy that you work up as you become a legislator, and certainly some committees are not more important, but carry more weight, and you work your way up to those committees," said Republican Chairman, Vincent Bono.
Bono says they are newer legislators, and his reasoning for putting Mr. Brezinski on the Natural Resources Committee is due to his district deals with a sewer plant.
