By Mark Scott
Albany, NY – Local Republicans are celebrating several key victories in Tuesday's elections. Three GOP challengers defeated Democratic incumbents in the Erie County Legislature. And the Republicans had a clean sweep in Amherst where Barry Weinstein won the Town Supervisors race while his three running mates were elected to the Town Board. Other incumbents either lost or were re-elected by slim margins elsewhere in New York.
Governor David Paterson, who faces a difficult race of his own next year, says voters are clearly angry with the high spending ways of their elected leaders.
"You can't spend money you don't have. We're going to have to cut our spending. I think the Republican party has been championing that," Paterson said. "That's the point we've been making, too. My administration has cut $30 billion in the past 19 months, which is higher than the five highest annual deficits the state ever had."
Paterson made his remarks on Wednesday's Capitol Pressroom, heard exclusively in Buffalo on WBFO. Paterson will hold a series of economic town forums in the coming days that will be televised on public television outlets across the state.