Dear Cheektowaga Voter,

Dan Kollander is an unaffiliated, “BLANK” voter who has taken the initiative to form “People 4 Change” in order to appear on the ballot. He needed 1,500 signatures, and remarkably, he and his team gathered 1,898 signatures, surpassing the combined totals of both the Republican and Democratic parties. This clearly shows that residents are ready for change!

In July, the Erie County Board of Elections disqualified Dan’s entire 102-page petition, but he didn’t back down. On July 24th, his team successfully fought to restore his position on the ballot in State Supreme Court of Erie County, ensuring he will be on the ballot for November 4, 2025. Dan is committed to fighting just as hard for the taxpayers of Cheektowaga, NY.

As a Cheektowaga resident, self-employed and semi-retired, Dan frequently speaks at Town Board meetings. He has volunteered for four years on the Cheektowaga Budget Advisory Committee (CBAC) and is both fiscally responsible and debt-free. Dan has successfully challenged the Cheektowaga Board of Assessment Review for his property and for his senior neighbor. He advocates for reduced spending and improved fiscal responsibility from the Town Board.

Dan has submitted a Wish List to the current Town Board and aims to achieve the following if elected:

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

• Reduce waste and eliminate unnecessary expenses from the Town Board’s annual budget.
• Investigate the Town’s bonding policies and consolidation options to reduce debt and cut interest rates in half.
• Work to secure maximum interest rates on taxpayer funds in bank accounts, similar to those received by Erie County.
• Switch to a more cost-effective health insurance administrator to lower administrative costs for Town employees.
• Establish a policy to maintain and upgrade Town computer software and hardware as needed, rather than replacing them solely due to warranty expiration.
• Review service agreements for cost versus benefit.
• Assess Town subscriptions, such as GPS services, for necessity and negotiate better pricing.
• Create a fund to fully pay for milling and paving roads, avoiding the need for 15-year bonds for projects that occur every 7 to 10 years.
• Establish a fund for purchasing Town employee and police vehicles, with heavy equipment on a 15-year replacement cycle.
• Develop a plan for further assessment reductions for the Walden Galleria and/or consider closing it.
• Consider a Town spending and payroll freeze unless mandated by state or federal law.

ACCOUNTABILITY

• Conduct a forensic audit by an outside firm to identify policy failures and spending irregularities.
• Direct the Town attorney to review all Town laws for compliance with current State and Federal laws.
• Create essential staff positions, such as a Deputy Highway Superintendent in 2026.

TRANSPARENCY

• Post collective bargaining agreements for the five town employee unions on the Town’s website.
• Publish Town employee salary reports and health benefit costs online.
• Add maps used by employees, such as those for snowplow districts and fire houses, to the Town’s website.
• List the inventory of vehicles and equipment owned by the Town on the website.
• Ensure all Town Board meetings are livestreamed, including those of all boards and committees.
• Read aloud comments and questions from residents watching the livestream during meetings.
• Include all public comments in the Town Board’s final meeting minutes, as was done in the past.

FAIRNESS

• Implement Roberts Rules of Order correctly in all boards and committees, ensuring proper use of tabling and postponing motions.
• Set term limits for Town elected officials, similar to those in Amherst and West Seneca, to allow new voices and ideas on the Town Board.

Dan Kollander is PRO-TAXPAYER and understands that the Town relies on property owners for funding. He will run his campaign on a shoestring budget, reflecting his fiscally conservative values. Dan is not part of the establishment and will bring a fresh perspective to the Town Board without being a party player.

 There are 14,300 unaffiliated, “BLANK” voters in Cheektowaga, and we encourage all of you to come out and vote in 2025. We invite any registered Cheektowaga voter, regardless of party affiliation, to vote for Dan Kollander on the People 4 Change line on November 4, 2025!

Sincerely,
Dan Kollander