David Mongielo

716-625-6125                                               

 Seeking Town of Lockport Supervisor Position

 Hi my name is David Mongielo,

Let's be honest: No town wants to go through this …

Once upon a time, we had a mall, a cinema and more choices on where to shop. Today we have fewer choices, less

competition and higher prices.  We’re witnessing the end of grass roots growth in the Town of Lockport and the rise of the cost of living, loss of businesses, loss of students and the loss of jobs.  My name is David Mongielo and I know we can do better. This isn’t about politics, it’s about getting down to business - and that’s why I’m running for Town Supervisor.

Is there a problem?  What do you think?

- After three-maybe four years, still no Walmart.

- Record number of lawsuit’s agents the town. Was it right for the town to overlook 41 laws to allow Walmart to move? The town ignored many zoning laws to allow McDonald’s to move and build a new restaurant.

- Hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars wasted on town attorney fees created by ignorant decisions and zoning laws.

- Record number of business closings in the past six years.

- The cost of living going up thousands of dollars each year because of the town’s elimination of competition. New zoning laws make it impossible for small independent business owners to start and/or survive.

- Wasted engineering plans on projects, for example, to build a median down Transit Road that would cause congestion, increase travel time and cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars in maintenance.

- A proposed new nature preserve that the town still does not know the cost of maintaining. Or do they? Saying the town is not going to put a parking lot next to your new home and then just a year later proposing a plan for the parking lot, ignoring the will of residents, is wrong.

- Why spend thousands for 100 acres of property with no creek and no lake to open a nature preserve when the town already owns 190 acres of land with a lake and running stream?

- Why hire a town attorney who can’t even take a case to trial and argue the case so the town has to pay extra for a trial attorney to do the job for him?

- Why waste tax dollars trying to paint the sidewalks white around town hall?

- Why are town meetings and open house events not on town web calendar?

- Lack of sidewalks and walking paths. Children and baby strollers are forced to walk down the side of Ernest and Day Road to go to the new town park. Cars and trucks going 45-sometimes-55 mph pass within inches of pedestrians. All that’s needed is an 800-foot stretch of walking path , yet the town wants to install more than 3,000 feet of path in the new nature preserve. Isn’t the safety of our children more important?

- Waste of money constructing and maintaining two soccer fields in the town park when we have five pre-existing fields hardly being used next to the county golf course. The county already maintains and cuts the grass with no extra cost to taxpayers. Why make two new soccer fields in the new town park when there are four around the block? Plus, the county is cutting the grass. Why didn’t the town even consider street hockey and volleyball not all kids like soccer ?

- The town supervisor high-rolling it to Las Vegas at taxpayer expense, to promote businesses to come to Lockport? Come on, Starbucks can’t even survive here.

- More wasted money designing and maintaining a website called Transit North, making false statements that include, “business can make one billion dollars in sales here.

- IDA, county, school and other sales tax breaks to a few select businesses putting more of a burden on local residents.

- Spending $1.5 million on a Robinson Road town building worth only $250,000. They could have built a new building for $350,000.

- Bragging about bringing Yahoo here. Did we really need to give a billion-dollar company free school, county and a $12 million sales tax break and $101 million dollars in electric power for free? All for 120 employees who probably won’t live here? When local business that have been here for over 30 years employing more than 100 people get nothing?

And these are just some examples.

The Town did a lot better without this current administration. We had more selection of business better communication with residents  and less spending.

How I propose to fix the problems?

#1 Listen to the people through polls, paper or Internet

#2 Educate the people about local issues by newsletter, Internet and no secret meetings

#3 Promote local new and existing business and promote honest healthy growth

#4 Encourage attendance at town meetings and create healthy two-way communication

#5 Lower the cost of living in the town by controlling grants that create a tax burden.

I will work to reduce town spending through efficient management of resources and I will cap annual spending increases. All services will be preserved and improved to meet changing needs. No town employee will lose his or her job.  I will work to change zoning laws to help existing businesses, attract new businesses and generate good jobs.  I will work to low taxes.  I will work to protect and preserve your real estate value through planned development, while preventing traffic congestion and maintaining sound growth.  The new Lockport will have fewer laws and be more efficient. We need to get leaner, greener, and smarter.  I will use my knowledge and experience to manage a citizen-friendly government in a cost-effective manner.  I am not a career politician and thus, carry no political baggage and am not big-money influenced.  I’ve been in business in Lockport for over 20 years. We’re a family-owned and operated business. Nothing was handed to me. I’m a proven businessman. It was tough to start a business - and to this day, difficult to survive in the Lockport market.

In the past 25 years, 28 auto repair shops have closed because of the tough climate, yet I’m still here because of integrity, knowledge and affordable prices.  I’m driven by our community, which needs a passion to restore growth and prosperity

My business and professional background are extensive as a customer service specialist and in vehicle mechanical repair, home and commercial plumbing, masonry brick laying, concrete flatwork, blacktop paving, building, roofing and siding, drywall, electrical commercial and residential, sewer septic installation, heating & A/C installation, forced air, in floor radiant heating systems, architecture, including knowledge of building, wiring, site and plumbing plans and as a heavy equipment operator (bulldozer, backhoe, excavator, loader and forklift). 

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Times have changed, not only with the town, but also with the world. We need to cut spending and be smarter with choices.  We need new ideas and we need elected officials to embrace new ideas.   Lockport can be a better place to live.  Let’s give the town back to the people but to do this we need help and money

David Mongielo

Use www.mylockport.com

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