The city of Tonawanda, population around 17,000, has what we believe is going to be one of the closest races this election season.

In fact, it should be so close that less than 200 votes may separate the two candidates in November.

The current Tonawanda mayor, Alice Roth is retiring. And, after the charter revision reduced the number of council members from 9 to 5, and changed the city from a strong council to a strong mayoral form of government, two of the City’s highest vote getting councilmen will give up their seats and seek the office.

The Republican candidate is Ronald Pilozzi, a hulking 6'4 inches or so, and 300 lbs of quiet presence. During the last 8 years, Pilozzi has been the 3RD Ward councilman, and, consistently, a high vote getter. The council positions - which are part time -pay about 7k per year.

Pilozzi, who is soft-spoken, and sophisticated, and a decorated Vietnam combat veteran. Pilozzi works at General Motors, where he started years ago with the Union and later was tapped to join the management team. For the last eight years, he has been President of the Town of Tonawanda Development Corporation.

If elected, Pilozzi would keep his job at GM and claims the city does not require a full time mayor - as evidenced, he says, by the fact that the position pays only around 30K. Pilozzi hopes to use his business skills to bring jobs, and improved recreational opportunities to this aging and graying city.

His opponent is Democrat Jack Gallagher, a retiring school teacher with 30 years (and a pension) with the Tonawanda School district. He has been the 2nd ward council member for about 8 years. If elected, Gallagher says he will be a full time mayor. An early riser, Gallagher said he will be at city hall at about 6:00 AM daily. Gallagher is a marathon runner, about 55 year old; tall and lean, he is soft spoken, gentle in appearance and manners, a clearly educated man. He has proudly sought and was endorsed on the Liberal line as well as the Democratic in past elections. Gallagher is an ex-Marine and Chairman of the City’s Zoning board.

So how to choose between them?

Both men are extremely, one might say inordinately, active in community affairs - as their long list of memberships in local clubs and organizations on their bios attest. They are among the city’s best known residents. Both are highly respected and, happily, respect and like each other.

We expect a pleasant and positive race and, most likely - a rare event in politics- we expect to hear not one derogatory comment made by one about the other.

Both are competent, and successful outside of politics; both are mature, both have multitudes of friends and supporters in the city, mutual friends in fact. Many of the residents of this close knit community will have to make the hard choice on election day between two men whom they consider to be their friends.

Either way the city will be well served, and this race should be a model one to watch: Two closely matched men in a race that will be so close that a handful of votes may separate them, and, yet, a race where, in all probability, we will not hear one disgraceful word said by one about the other.

Funny isn’t it? That two small time politicians in a tiny city have more class than the president of the US and the former Vice President. It shows, perhaps, that the common man has a dignity lost on the power-hungry and vain glorious. Gore and Bush (and men of your ilk) take a lesson please: keep an eye on Pilozzi and Gallagher. It will make you better men, I suspect. (I’d rather be served by a hard toiling GM worker, or a well tempered school teacher, than an effete millionaire’s son or an oil baron’s brat.)

Indeed, although it is said, "Status is everything, oh, King"; it is not power that makes the man. No indeed. Character is everything.

Indeed, Tonawanda has something to look forward to.