David Swarts
Encyclopedia
David Swarts was the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles
, in the Cabinet of Gov. David Paterson
. He was appointed to this position by former Gov. Eliot Spitzer
on Dec. 21, 2006 and took office on Jan. 1, 2007, when the Spitzer Administration took office. He continued in the Paterson Administration after Gov. Spitzer resigned from office amid a sex scandal
on March 17, 2008.
On January 13, 2011, the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens Society Inc. announced that Swarts will serve as the new president/chief executive officer. He will be responsible for administering and overseeing daily operations. In addition, he will implement the newly created Strategic Plan. His annual salary is $89,000 in this role.
Swarts is a former County Clerk of Erie County, New York
, a position he held for 20 years. He was first elected County Clerk in 1986. He was the unsuccessful Democratic Nominee for Erie County Executive in 1983 and unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for Erie County Executive in 1995. In 1988, he unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. House of Representatives. As County Clerk, he was in charge of receiving court filings, recording and preserving land transactions, issuing passports, overseeing the distribution of various permits and serving as the county's motor vehicles agent. In his as the county's motor vehicles agent, Swarts administered all DMV activities in Erie County on behalf of the Department of Motor Vehicles. While County Clerk, Swarts focused a lot of attention on the ending of tolls
on highways surrounding Buffalo, New York
.
In September 2007, Swarts and Gov. Spitzer developed a plan
to issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. The plan was the subject of much debate on the state and national level, and was ultimately scrapped.
Department of Motor Vehicles
In the United States of America, a Department of Motor Vehicles is a state-level government agency that administers vehicle registration and driver licensing. Similar departments exist in Canada...
, in the Cabinet of Gov. David Paterson
David Paterson
David Alexander Paterson is an American politician who served as the 55th Governor of New York, from 2008 to 2010. During his tenure he was the first governor of New York of African American heritage and also the second legally blind governor of any U.S. state after Bob C. Riley, who was Acting...
. He was appointed to this position by former Gov. Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Laurence Spitzer is an American lawyer, former Democratic Party politician, and political commentator. He was the co-host of In the Arena, a talk-show and punditry forum broadcast on CNN until CNN cancelled his show in July of 2011...
on Dec. 21, 2006 and took office on Jan. 1, 2007, when the Spitzer Administration took office. He continued in the Paterson Administration after Gov. Spitzer resigned from office amid a sex scandal
Eliot Spitzer prostitution scandal
The Eliot Spitzer prostitution scandal began on March 10, 2008, when The New York Times reported that Democratic New York Governor Eliot Spitzer had patronized a prostitution service called Emperors Club VIP...
on March 17, 2008.
On January 13, 2011, the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens Society Inc. announced that Swarts will serve as the new president/chief executive officer. He will be responsible for administering and overseeing daily operations. In addition, he will implement the newly created Strategic Plan. His annual salary is $89,000 in this role.
Swarts is a former County Clerk of Erie County, New York
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
, a position he held for 20 years. He was first elected County Clerk in 1986. He was the unsuccessful Democratic Nominee for Erie County Executive in 1983 and unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for Erie County Executive in 1995. In 1988, he unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. House of Representatives. As County Clerk, he was in charge of receiving court filings, recording and preserving land transactions, issuing passports, overseeing the distribution of various permits and serving as the county's motor vehicles agent. In his as the county's motor vehicles agent, Swarts administered all DMV activities in Erie County on behalf of the Department of Motor Vehicles. While County Clerk, Swarts focused a lot of attention on the ending of tolls
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
on highways surrounding Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
.
In September 2007, Swarts and Gov. Spitzer developed a plan
Eliot Spitzer drivers license controversy
On September 21, 2007, Governor of New York Eliot Spitzer issued an executive order directing that state offices allow illegal aliens to be issued driver's licenses effective December 2007. The measure was introduced three times...
to issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. The plan was the subject of much debate on the state and national level, and was ultimately scrapped.