Should politicians' names go on signs?

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Politicians putting their names on public assets such as parks, public pools and even snow plows is a very old tradition in just about every town, village and city across the state, including Western New York.

However, a new breed of politician is starting to reject that trend.

One such politician is the newly-elected town supervisor of Lancaster, Dino Fudoli.  He is trying to cut spending and refuses to have his name put on any signs in town parks.

"I don't think it's appropriate for us to be putting our names on public property. We got away like kings 200 years ago and now all of a sudden we've got these politicians running around putting their names on everything like kings almost, above everybody else," Fudoli said.

"It's to keep their name out in front of the public, branding if you will. Name recognition, most elected officials run only once every four years. So for three and a half years, their name is on the signs," said Bob Davis, a former Republican Party Chairman who now runs an advertising agency.

The practice is very common in Buffalo and across Western New York.  Soon after Mark Poloncarz pulled off a stunning defeat of Chris Collins, his name started appearing on signs at county parks, such as Chestnut Ridge.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown's name greets visitors on signs at the Erie Basin Marina, the Centennial Pool, and even the Barkyard, the leash-free dog park in LaSalle Park.

Mayor Brown says it's a tradition that's been going on for around 100 years and is considered a standard practice.

"As a form of transparency, so you can show the public where public money is being invested, what the government is doing and that's why we have continued the practice. The money we spend on signage is pretty minimal," Brown said.

If Lancaster supervisor Fudoli did spend money to revise something such as a park sign, he said he'd have it say, "This park belongs to the taxpayers of Lancaster, New York."  He thinks that would discourage future leaders from pulling that off and putting their own names on the sign.

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