Hamburg Residents Vote on Downsizing Referendum BUFFALO (wned) - Hamburg residents vote today on shrinking the Town Board from five members to three and in the hometown of downsizing advocate Kevin Gaughan, it has been a tough fight.

Gaughan and supporters had wanted the vote to held on Election Day two weeks ago but town board members delayed a decision and set today as the voting day.

Gaughan says it has been a slow process with politicians fighting against consolidation.

"We weren't succeeding in the old economy here in Western New York and the new one's even tougher and the only way we're going to be able to have any chance of creating a sustainable economy here is to reduce this heavy millstone that is around our neck," Gaughan told WNED News.

In Hamburg, pushback against the proposal has been led by Supervisor Steven Walters who says his town has been working to cut the size and cost of government.

"We have fewer departments today than we did in 2006. We have fewer employees today than we did in 2006. We're spending less today than we were going back to 2004 and we've cut taxes three years in a row," said Walters.

Polls are open until 8:00 pm.

© Copyright 2012, wned