Niagara Reporter-
Now that the casino cash has flown the coop the chickens are coming home to roost
And so it begins. As the reality of the city debt and deficit sinks in – combined with the fact that the casino revenue is currently exhausted and dwindling for the coming years – city hall is frantically searching for ways to stem the tide of rapidly rising red ink. Parking meters that will cost more to administer than return in profit are on Mayor Paul Dyster’s drawing board for an installation by Memorial Day. The parking plan cost over $100,000 and the bare minimum installation charge for the first wave of meters will cost at least $350,00. To this
![State Parks Plan to Rebuild Bridges to Goat Island; say they will follow environmental regulations [for a change]](/media/04ceeec20b8b575eeef3856f.webp)
State Parks Plan to Rebuild Bridges to Goat Island; say they will follow environmental regulations [for a change]
An October, 2015 Design Report/Environmental Assessment document jointly issued by the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) and the New York State Dept. of Transportation (NYSDOT) outlines the steps the two agencies will take to obtain the myriad regulatory approvals necessary to move forward with the construction of two new bridges in the Niagara Falls State Park. Steps that State Parks has deliberately, repeatedly and illegally ignored in its pursuit of massive projects it has undertaken here recently, in violation of state and federal law and international treaty obligations. For example, the $50 million Niagara Falls State
Mayor’s parking plan stalls as key questions go unanswered at council meeting
Niagara Falls Mayor Paul A. Dyster had hoped to push through his parking meter installation plan at the February 22 council meeting, but an unusually vocal group of residents pummeled the council and mayor with questions regarding operating costs of the parking plan. As a result the plan was voted down, 4-1, with councilwoman Grandinetti being the lone yes vote. Both the [Mayors Irene] Elia and [Vince] Anello administrations installed parking meters in the downtown and both of those plans ultimately, for different reasons, failed. Will parking meters operate more successfully under the Dyster administration than they did under the
Blocking Off Part Off The Falls Again?- Be Very, Very Careful!!!
The Right Side By J Gary DiLaura In January 1985 a massive Ice Jam was caused in the East Upper Niagara River by the Power Authority. A week after the Ice Jam, at a meeting of 500 people in Amherst, the then Army Colonel Hardiman “declared” that the Power Authority did “everything right”. I challenged the Colonel to produce the study he must have conducted to arrive at such a conclusion. When he said they hadn’t conducted any study and he just “assumed” they followed their protocol. I demanded that the Corps conduct a study comparing what they should have
The seven dead-on repairs for the city’s deadly fiscal sins
There’s two major differences between the seven point finance plan presented in this column and the finance plan recently offered by the council’s Financial Advisory Panel: The Reporter’s plan is both easily understood and easily implemented. No buzzwords. No double talk. Just straight forward remedies for the city’s sick fiscal picture. Complete financial transparency: Nothing less will do. Immediately post the entire city budget on line in real time. Other governments do this and it’s time for the city to end the secrecy with taxpayer money. A live budget allows every resident with access to a computer to monitor their
Cuomo losing interest in City of Niagara Falls? Projects stalled,Progress at a Standstill
Over the past two years Governor Andrew Cuomo has promised tens of millions of dollars of economic aid for the city of Niagara Falls. So far, the city has received none of it. Not only that, but after having been a regular visitor here, it now appears the governor is distancing himself from involvement with the city and its political establishment. On August 8, 2014 at a press conference in the Niagara Falls State Park, Gov. Cuomo announced that Uniland Development Co. had been selected to construct “Wonder Falls” at the site of the long-defunct Rainbow Centre Mall. According to
Niagara Greenway to Fund Sanborn Parking Lot
The dark and disturbing novel “1984” introduced into everyday language such terms as “Big Brother” and “Orwellian” (after the author, George Orwell). In the book, an all-seeing, all-knowing totalitarian government controls its citizens through various bureaucracies such as the Ministry of Truth (in charge of propaganda and censorship), the Ministry of Peace (which wages perpetual war) and the Ministry of Love (which carries out beatings and torture). It was precisely these absurdly-named government agencies, turning the meaning of those words on their heads, that we were reminded of when reading a press release last week from State Parks concerning the next round of
Only in NT: Kudos and musing about NT
Kudos to Mayor Arthur Pappas and his wife Linda for continuing the Mayor’s Snowflake Ball begun by Mayor Robert Ortt and his wife Megan to assist nonprofit organizations in NT. This year’s selection to be the recipient of the proceeds, the Nor-Ton Red Jacket Club, is a hidden diamond in the forested area along the Erie Canal at 1601 Sweeney Street. The Club has provided low-cost camping and outdoor recreational opportunities to Western New York area children and youth since it took over the former Girl Scout Camp in 1986. An all-volunteer organization with no paid staff, its members raise
Quinn Leads $100,000-plus Earners at ECC
If there’s a financial crisis at Erie Community College, as certainly appears the case, there’s no sign of it if you take a look at the salaries at the college headed by President Jack Quinn at $192,500 even though he spends many days away from the institution on outside paying assignments as far away as California. The recent state audit of ECC told the story of unauthorized pay raises and bonuses handed out by the Quinn regime to senior staff even as the burden of carrying the college was being shifted to students with a steady diet of tuition hikes
Flynn Endorsement Expected Saturday; Flaherty Vows to Fight On
As we have been reporting for the last several weeks, Tonawanda Town Attorney John Flynn appears to have locked up the Erie County Democratic Party’s endorsement for district attorney, and he is expected to officially get the nod at the Executive Committee’s meeting on Saturday (Feb. 13). Sources say Flynn, a Tonawanda political heavyweight and former town judge is the first choice of the party over Acting DA Mike Flaherty and former assistant district attorney Mark Sacha, a strong critic of former DA Frank Sedita who Flaherty served as first deputy. The job of district attorney is one of
Paladino to Speak at Verel Installation Feb. 24
Carl Paladino will be the guest speaker on Wednesday, Feb. 24, when A. J. Verel of South Buffalo, a member of the martial arts Hall of Fame, will be sworn in as the 52nd president of the Judges and Police Conference of Erie County at DiPaolo’s Restaurant on South Park Ave. in Blasdell. The Judges and Police Conference was established in 1932 by Erie County Sheriff Charles A. Freidberg and was formed to provide a forum for interaction between the judiciary, law enforcement, and others engaged in related fields within the criminal justice system. Verel now works full time
Sincerity of finance panel’s call to stop irresponsible spending is questioned
It’s growing increasingly difficult to follow the bouncing ball – or hot potato – as the members of the city Finance Advisory Panel appear periodically in front of the council to lecture (chuckle) the council on fiscal integrity and the need (smirk) to suddenly begin counting the pennies and dimes after the $100 plus million casino revenue cow has fled the barn. The review panel appeared at the February 8 council meeting in what was presumptively part two of their ongoing lecture series on fiscal integrity. Their most recent lecture prior to February 8 took place – conveniently – only