Giambra has a Hissy Fit

Erie County Executive Joel Giambra has announced he will not seek another term.

His current term runs through 2007.

It can't come soon enough.

Giambra made the announcement at a news conference Thursday afternoon, during which he blasted several county legislators in the wake of last night's budget deal.

Among others, Giambra publicly criticized democratic legislator Al DeBenedetti, who serves as the legislature's budget committe chair. 'Al has a personal vendetta against me,' Giambra said. 'He's a very bitter man.'

When asked about five republican legislators who refused to vote to increase the county sales tax Wednesday night, Giambra called them 'cowards.' "

Fiscally conservative? Cowards?

To Joel Giambra, it's tomato, tomahto.