The Lockport firefighters fully support and endorse Anita Mullane.

You may recently have received a political mailer attacking Mrs. Mullane for her vote on the SAFER grant.  Some people have mistakenly assumed that mailer was sent by the Lockport Firefighters or their supporters. This is untrue. The mailer, which has no information identifying who sent or paid for it was most likely sent by her Republican opponent Maria Updegraph. This anonymous mailer is not only a political dirty trick but it is illegal under New York State election law.

The truth of the matter is that Anita Mullane made a motion to apply for a SAFER grant that would bring back four fully paid firefighters at no cost to the City. This would have been a great savings for a fiscally stressed City. This motion was defeated 4-3 with Alderman at Large Joe Kibler and Mayor Anne McCaffrey voting against it. The Council then passed the motion to apply for one firefighter position. Anita voted against this as a protest. The application for one position was a blatant political move on the part of the administration to apply for the grant due to public pressure but to do the minimum to positively affect the Fire Department or public safety. The City’s high priced attorneys publicly stated that applying for a grant for four firefighters would hurt the City in its court challenge against the fire fighters union.

The Lockport Firefighters fully support Anita’s position and in no way see her vote as being against the Firefighters. Anita is often left standing alone in support of public safety.

What is more offensive is the nerve of Mrs. Updegraph to attempt to use the firefighters to advance her own political campaign and agenda when she applauded the council vote that abolished five firefighter positions. It is one thing to support a cut but it is utterly tasteless to publicly clap when five people lose their jobs.

The Lockport Firefighters ask you to support Anita Mullane and send the message that illegal political dirty tricks must stop.

-- Kevin W Pratt is president of Lockport Professional Firefighters Association Local 963

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