Niagara Reporter-
The rest of the story: the mayor’s veto of council health insurance ‘ordinance’
Niagara Falls – Due to the nature of today’s subject matter we suggest you read this column very carefully as it deals with the mayor’s vetoing of the council’s attempt to modify a city ordinance as offered by well-intended rookie council member Ken Tompkins. The ordinance change would have ended the health insurance benefit for future council members, but Mayor Paul Dyster vetoed it last week after council had approved it by a 3-2 vote two weeks ago. Dealing with Niagara Falls city government is not unlike looking into a funhouse mirror where everything randomly changes shape depending on who’s
Acting DA Hires Former Ch. 7 Anchor Joanna Pasceri
Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael Flaherty who is facing a bruising Democratic primary battle against Tonawanda Town Attorney John Flynn this year, has tapped former Ch. 7 news anchor Joanna Pasceri to become the first public information officer in the history of the office. Flaherty announced the appointment this week, saying in a press release “we are excited to have Joanna join our outstanding leadership team, and welcome her to her new position serving the people of Erie County. She will help the media communicate to the people we serve.” Flaherty is also hoping the appointment of the long-time
Grandinetti offers Planned Parenthood proclamation; city teeters on brink
Here we go again bashing the city council in general and council member Kristen Grandinetti in particular. Well, what else is there to say or do when Niagara Falls is in the condition it’s in and the councilwoman crafts a resolution/proclamation honoring the outgoing chief of Buffalo Planned Parenthood? Ms. Grandinetti’s slim piece of lawmaking will recognize Karen Nelson, the outgoing CEO of Planned Parenthood of Central and WNY, at the February 8 council meeting as Ms. Nelson moves moves to the Maryland Planned Parenthood office. And this has importance for city residents, how? One would think the councilwoman would have
Did Dyster’s veto of council health insurance resolution exceed mayor’s powers?
Niagara Falls Mayor Paul A. Dyster recently vetoed a council resolution that would have ended free health insurance for all future council members. However, did the mayor violate the separation of council and mayor powers by issuing that veto? Informed sources have shared their thoughts on this matter with the Reporter. It does appear that it could be fairly interpreted that the mayor has indeed stepped beyond his powers as mayor when he put pen to paper and struck down the council resolution, a resolution that passed 3-2 several weeks ago. That now moribund resolution is presently on the February
It’s in the Stars: Your Weekly Horoscope: Feb 4 – Feb 11
Aries: (March 21 – April 19): Someone sends you an instant messages – with a baseball bat. Good news. You’re not dyslexic; just really, really stupid. Your spouse and you were happy for twenty years. Then you met. People who know you are jealous of all the people that haven’t met you! Taurus: (April 20 – May 20): Skeletor called, he wants his You always go the extra mile. The restraining order says you have to. If you had a dollar for every person that found you unattractive, they would eventually find you attractive. Waking up means the best part
Will Dyster roll, roll, roll the heads at city hall or won’t he?
Six weeks ago the Reporter broke a story as to how Mayor Paul Dyster had served his department heads with letters requesting their loyalty in writing along with an updated resume. The department heads had to submit the resume if they hoped to keep their job for 2016. Other media outlets picked up the story we broke. The Niagara Gazette wrote two editorials on the matter with their second editorial recently calling upon the mayor to retain the current corporation counsel, Craig Johnson, city controller, Maria Brown and police chief, Bryan DalPorto. The mayor initially announced that he would have
Complaints about Goat Island parking mount; Resentment of State Agency builds among local residents
It’s the tourist off-season, and that means the restrooms at Devil’s Hole and Whirlpool State Parks are closed, Three Sisters Islands have been gated off and, as we reported to you last week, parking discounts for seniors in the Niagara Falls State Park are not in effect. Our story struck a chord with one of our readers, who contacted us the following day to relate her own frustrating experience trying to park on Goat Island, undoubtedly shared by scores of other discount parking permit holders on a regular basis. “This happened to us just last week. Went to
Only in NT: Historic Preservation benefits select few in NT
In 2005, during the administration of North Tonawanda Mayor David Burgio, the Common Council passed a Historic Preservation Ordinance creating a Historic Preservation Commission. The subsequent Commission hasn’t focused on preserving historical sites with actual historical status but has enabled wealthy carpetbaggers to get tax credits for “historic” buildings. Why is there still no attempt at designating for historic status the Niagara Falls Power Transfer Station on Robinson, Sweeney Cemetery, the area known as Black Hannah’s Woods, the Erie Railroad station on Oliver Street, entrance to Pine Woods Park, the Hungarian church building on Oliver, Niagara Power building on Webster, Evening
The Reporter has consistently led the way on train station coverage and analysis
It seems that the Reporter has become – maybe it always was – the Rodney Dangerfield of news reporting. Especially political news reporting. And this in spite of the fact that this paper consistently covers, breaks and editorializes on the uncomfortable issues that are routinely ignored or wished into the cornfield by other media outlets. Casino taxpayer dollars going out the window, city taxpayer dollars unaccounted for as discovered by the NYS Comptroller, non transparent bidding and public projects featuring seemingly endless work change orders are just a few of the the subjects the Reporter has examined. News that some
Dyster’s claim that health care benefits are necessary to attract council candidates is ridiculous
Last week the Reporter broke a story detailing how Niagara Falls Mayor Paul A. Dyster had vetoed the recently passed council resolution ending the perk of taxpayer paid health insurance for future council members. While the mayor’s killing of the cost saving resolution has puzzled reporters and the general public alike no one has dared to go beyond the highly suspect veto and seek an answer to the question: Why did the mayor veto a perfectly fine, though rare, cost cutting council resolution? On the face of his veto the mayor would have us believe that the health insurance benefit
The Right Side By J. Gary DiLaura: ‘WHY AMERICA?’
God blessed America with the greatest natural resources in the world! We have more coal, more natural gas, more fresh water, and more oil than any other country. We have enough natural gas to provide electric power for 100+years; enough oil to provide all our refined petroleum needs for 100 years and probably more! We have uranium, gold, silver and copper and the safest nuclear technology in the world! It’s easy to see why countries like Russia and China and many more would love to “own” America! Some people are too stupid to understand why it is
Keep an eye on Chemours Closing: Excuse to treat frackwater, hike taxes, water rates
Niagara Falls -Keep an eye on the Chemours closing. Chemours plans to close its Niagara Falls plant by the end of this year, eliminating about 200 jobs at the Buffalo Avenue factory. The Niagara Falls plant makes reactive metals for specialty chemicals industries such as pharmaceutical, pulp and paper and others. It is a DuPont spin off. With the loss for both the city in taxes and water board in water fees, expect Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster to cite the loss as an excuse to raise taxes and for the water board to cite the loss as a reason