Gaughan Calls for Dissolution of Village Governments BUFFALO (wned) - It is, perhaps, the most radical proposal yet from citizen activist Kevin Gaughan. Gaughan told a Rotary Club luncheon in Buffalo yesterday he would like to see Erie County's sixteen villages dissolved.

The Hamburg attorney contends that in this new millennium, village government is a thing of the past

Gaughan says local government is bloated. The Hamburg attorney displayed statistics to prove his point when he compared the populations of several metro areas and the number of governments in those areas, with the population and numbers of governments in Erie County.

"Greater Indianapolis for 863,000, they have 14 governments. Charlotte has eight governments for 752,000. Baltimore, three governments...for 1.6 million people. New York City for 8.1 million people, one government. Just one. Here in Erie County we have 45," said Gaughan.

Gaughan is proposing that Erie County's 16 village governments be dissolved and its duties absorbed by the towns that surround them.

Such a change, according to Gaughan, would not only streamline operations and make them more efficient and more accountable to constituents, it would also save millions of taxpayer dollars.

Paul Becker of Orchard Park told WNED News he thinks the reforms are long overdue.

"We need reform badly...we're still living in the past and I think it's time to reformulate our governments. It won't happen overnight. It's going to take a lot of thoughtful discussion," said Becker.

The 400 rotary members and guests who attended yesterday's Harbour Club luncheon at HSBC Arena gave the Hamburg attorney a standing ovation after his 45-minute presentation.

Kevin Gaughan talked about his idea Thursday afternoon on WNED's Forum program. Click the LISTEN icon to hear the program.

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