Our government officials are elected to represent we, the people. Not all of them follow that golden rule.
Such is the case with Assemblyman David Gantt whose 137th district covers Rochester. Gantt has been in the Assembly in Albany so long, he has his salary as a legislator, along with a stipend as Chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee, along with a pension for doing those duties.
Yes, you read that right. Gantt is earning a pension while "serving" and being paid for the same job he has held for 35 years. He "retired" in 2011 and earns $71,000 annually as a pension, on top of his $80,000 plus salary "representing" we, the people.
You would think that a person who hauls in over $150,000 would be more responsive to the people he "represents". As you will be able to watch below, apparently Assemblyman Gantt doesn't feel that he has to report to the people, as he tells the reporter from WROC-TV that "I don't talk to news media". Just so we understood him, he stated it twice.
OK sir. That's your choice not to speak to reporters who pass along your thoughts to the people who may have voted for you. It would be nice to speak politely to a mother who is still grieving the loss of her daughter ten years ago. When you watch the story, it doesn't seem that the elected representative wants to do that either.
Dawn Nappi has been pushing for a law to make it a felony if you are caught driving on a suspended license more than five times. Her daughter was killed by such a driver in 2008, a person whose license had been denied seven times.
It seems like a reasonable law, but the pompous, arrogant lawmaker who makes the big money has no answers for the grieving mom, even implying she is a "racist" at one point when she calmly tries to speak with him.
This story shows what's so screwed up in so many ways in Albany! Here's the full story, with Assemblyman David Gantt in all his glory. If you agree with me, that this is plain wrong, SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS so we can all see what's gone wrong at the state capital, and what arrogance looks like in the halls of Albany.