Michael Smith on the air for WGWE-FM. Photo from Facebook
Michael R. Smith, a member of the Seneca Nation, is running for mayor of Salamanca, New York. Smith, a Democrat, was the first tribal member to serve on the common council in Salamanca. He hopes to be the first Seneca to lead a city that's located entirely within the boundaries of the Allegany Reservation. “If there was any other candidate I probably wouldn’t be” running for office, Smith told The Salamanca Press. “But I’m so sickened by the laughable candidates running for mayor … you have truly no choice.” The current mayor is Carmen Vecchiarella, a Democrat who is running for re-election. Smith claims Vecchiarella pays no property taxes to the city because he lives on land owned by tribal members. The other candidate is Ronald Ball. He's also a Democrat but he's been endorsed by the local Republican party. Smith manages WGWE-FM, a tribally-owned radio station, where he is known as "Smitty." He hopes to improve relations between the tribe and the city. Native Americans make up about 17 percent of the population in Salamanca, according to Wikipedia. Get the Story:
‘Smitty’ making run for mayor (The Salamanca Press 10/1)
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