Lockport Union-Sun & Journal Online

Local News

January 21, 2008

CAMPAIGN FINANCE: Maziarz fund tops $700,000

The campaign fund for New York state Sen. George Maziarz maintained a healthy bottom line in the second half of 2007 thanks to an array of donors that included local developers, politicians and a few generous contributors from as far away as California and Florida.

Although Maziarz — routinely one of the top earners in local political circles — spent $380 more than he took in between July and December of last year, records show the Newfane Republican still has a little more than $738,726 left in his campaign war chest.

The senator, who has long been rumored as a potential candidate for higher office, said the size of his campaign fund is not an indication that he intends to leave the state Senate soon. Maziarz, who is most often been linked to the congressional seat currently occupied by long-time U.S. Rep. Tom Reynolds, R-Clarence, said he intends to spend this year’s campaign season working on yet another re-election bid to the state Senate.

“I fully expect that Tom Reynolds is running again,” Maziarz said. “It’s just not an opportunity for me at this time.”

The state’s most recent filing records cover donations made to candidates between July and and early January.

During that time period, Maziarz took in $54,731 from 144 individuals, including a couple of top officials from Niagara Falls Redevelopment, the real estate company that now owns a significant amount of property in downtown Niagara Falls under a long-standing development deal with the city. According to board of elections records, NFR owner and New York City real estate magnet Howard Milstein and the company’s chief executive officer Anthony Bergamo contributed $2,500 each to the Maziarz campaign. Milstein’s brother, Edward, kicked in another $2,500, records show.

In July, the company itself contributed $200 to the campaign of state Sen. Antoine Thompson, D-Buffalo.

Campaign contributions are nothing new to NFR. The company has contributed close to $30,000 to various candidates — both Republican and Democratic — since 1999.

“We contribute to a lot of people,” said NFR Executive Vice President Roger Trevino.

Maziarz’s largest single donation from an individual came in the form of a $9,500 contribution from a woman named Katie Schlesinger of Miami, Fla. He also received $8,600 from Bradley S. Cohen, a member of the board of the Republican Jewish Coalition and the head of Cohen Asset Management, a national real estate investment company that owns an industrial park in Rochester.

The senator’s donor list also included several people active within local politics and the county Republican party, including Niagara County Industrial Development Agency Chairman and Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority trustee Henry Sloma who gave Maziarz $2,500 in November. Since 1999, Sloma has contributed more than $18,000 to Maziarz’s election fund.

Other notable names on the Maziarz’s list include: Samuel Ferraro, commissioner of the Niagara County Center for Economic Development, who gave $100; current legislator and Majority Leader Rick Updegrove, R-Lockport, who gave $100; Legislator Andrea McNulty, a Democrat who cauces with the Republicans, who contributed $99; and former Republican Legislators Mal Needler and Glen Aranow who donated $100 each.

Several lawyers on the county’s payroll also contributed to the Maziarz campaign, including County Attorney Claude Joerg and his colleague Robert Pusateri who gave $100 each, and the Lockport law firm of county attorney, R. Joseph Foltz, which contributed $500.

Corporation and business donations for Maziarz totaled $45,885, including a $5,000 gift from Fashion Outlets of Niagara. Maziarz received another $54,560 in “other monetary contributions” from various political action committees and unions.

On the spending side, Maziarz transferred a total of $56,000 out of his account to the Niagara County Republican Committee’s fund last year. He said such moves help him build concensus on larger public benefit projects, such as the development of the new airport terminal at Niagara Falls International Airport.

“Obviously, I support Republican candidates,” Maziarz said. “I need partners in government that help me to do things.”

Maziarz’s campaign fund dwarfed that of his local colleagues in the state Legislature.

State Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte, D-Niagara Falls, finished 2007 with $27,191 in her campaign account. Records show DelMonte started July with $15,670. She raised $17,750 and spent $6,229 during the last half of the year. She received 20 donations totaling $4,550 from individuals. Notable names included Niagara County Community College President Dr. James Klyczek and Niagara Falls director of economic development Ralph Aversa who donated $150 each. DelMonte’s largest individual donation of $1,000 came from her brother, John. On the corporate side, DelMonte received $4,100, with the largest donation, $750, coming from A-B Recycling Corp. out of St. Louis, Mo. DelMonte raised a total of $9,100 from political action committees and unions, including $1,000 donations from the United Association of Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 22 PAC and the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 463 PAC.

Thompson started the filing period with a balance of $9,719 in his campaign fund. Records show he took in $44,832 and spent $38,249 for a remaining balance of $15,851.

Text Only
Local News
  • LPT 120528 Parade 2 Paying Respect

    May 28, 2012 4 Photos

  • Sense of resignation escorts AES tax pact

    May 24, 2012

  • Town considering WNYLC's request

    May 23, 2012

  • Palace, Hartland get Greenway funding

    The Historic Palace Theatre and the Town of Hartland both were cleared Tuesday to receive Niagara River Greenway funding for improvement projects.

    The eight-member Host Communities Standing Committee voted unanimously to approve funding requests of $151,000 for the Palace and $244,000 for Hartland, which is planning a multi-phase town park enhancement project.

    May 22, 2012

  • Erie Canal photo contest underway

    The seventh annual Erie Canalway photo contest is under way.

    Entries are being accepted now through Sept. 7. Winning photos will be published in the 2013 Erie Canalway calendar.

    May 22, 2012

  • Jobless totals drop slightly

    Unemployment in the Lockport area decreased slightly last month, but it wasn't because more people are going back to work.

    The New York State Department of Labor reported Tuesday about 1,000 city residents were without a job in April, the fifth straight month with over 1,000 unemployed. That was down from the 1,100 it reported in March, however, the number of employed stayed the same at about 9,700 people.

    May 22, 2012 4 Stories

  • 070_Salmon_Kid.jpg Fishing for 'Ultimate' perks

    Olcott teaming up with Ontario town in running for Canadian equivalent.

    May 22, 2012 2 Photos

  • Sprinkler work coming

    Piping in high school fire sprinkler system will be addressed in July.

    May 22, 2012

  • Willow Street victim identified

    The victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Willow Street  on Saturday was identified by Lockport Police as Richard Boye, 46.

    May 22, 2012

  • 120517travelagencies2jpg.jpg Cutting the travel time

    For the most part, there is a lot of planning that goes into traveling. Some like to handle the details on their own, making arrangements on the phone or using travel websites to book hotels, planes, vehicles and so on.

    But lately, working with a travel agent is becoming more popular.

    May 21, 2012 1 Photo

Featured Ads
Front page
AP Video
Beryl Makes Landfall on Florida Coast Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice UN Blames Syrian Forces for Shelling Houla Raw Video: Gay Protest Blocked in Moscow Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium 50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
Seasonal Content
Hyperlocal Search
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Popular Searches
Powered by Local.com
AP Video
Beryl Makes Landfall on Florida Coast Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice UN Blames Syrian Forces for Shelling Houla Raw Video: Gay Protest Blocked in Moscow Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium 50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
Twitter Updates
Follow me on Twitter
Seasonal Content
Helium debate
Helium
Section Teases
Royal Wedding Live