Vince Horrigan of Bemus Point is running for District 17 of the Chautauqua County Legislature representing the town of Ellery, the southeastern portion of the town of Chautauqua and the village of Bemus Point.
Endorsed by the county Republican and Conservative parties, Horrigan is running for the seat held by Dick Babbage, who has announced his retirement from serving on the County Legislature after 20 years of service.
Horrigan returned to his Bemus Point family home in May 1998 with his wife Barbara, following his 27-year career and retirement as colonel in the U.S. Air Force. Over the past 10 years, Horrigan has assisted the citizens of Chautauqua County as executive director of the local American Red Cross Chapter. Horrigan has served four elected terms as trustee for the village of Bemus Point as well as held leadership positions on numerous Chautauqua County not-for-profit boards and the Rotary Club of Jamestown.
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Vince Horrigan
"I am running for the County Legislature to represent the citizens of Ellery and southeastern Chautauqua who are frustrated with ever-increasing property taxes and the condition of Chautauqua Lake. We have many seasonal and full-time property owners who want a portion of their property tax dollars to go towards the maintenance of Chautauqua Lake,'' Horrigan said. "If elected my focus will be to ensure that we provide our citizens with quality basic services, economic growth initiatives, a well maintained and healthy Chautauqua Lake, and a persistent search for good ideas that result in efficiencies through shared services and partnerships. Of course, I will remain engaged with our county and state elected leaders to roll back the oppressive mandated unfunded services that are strangling our quality of life here in Chautauqua County. The key to our future success in Chautauqua County is to find innovative ideas and solutions that come from building trust and mutual respect among political parties, the young and old, business and government, and our geographical divisions that so often get in the way of real progress.''
Horrigan and his wife Barbara have two married children who live in the Florida panhandle and are the grandparents of four young granddaughters.
Fact Box
Election 2011