Downtown should welcome extra traffic

[Unregistered]

Why is The News so concerned about traffic congestion? Why should Memorial Auditorium remain empty because of it? Wouldn't it be nice to see traffic congestion downtown? Buffalo had traffic congestion in the past and it was wonderful. Now we have a ghost town, and it looks like 63 percent of the people love it that way. Traffic congestion means money for the city, which this city needs.
I am all for more family activities, cultural activities, architecture tours and churches, but let us begin to collect taxes from these non-profit groups and maybe we won't need the casino.

Why should Niagara County share anything with Erie County? The Seneca Niagara Casino has contributed to Niagara Falls. Casino Niagara in Canada has contributed to that area. And a casino in Buffalo will contribute to Buffalo. Do the 63 percent opposed to this have any suggestions?

The Convention Center makes $50 million a year, but not for long. Once Niagara Falls has two casinos, it will build a new convention center, and who will want to come to Buffalo?

Why is there fear of a casino? The News says Buffalo is a nice family area and it should stay that way. Ask people from the suburbs if Buffalo is a nice family area and they will all say different. The school system is a mess. Businesses are moving out. The sensational News reporting of anything that happens in the city makes everyone afraid to come downtown. The News should report crime, but sometimes the reporting is over the top. No one has anything good to say about Buffalo because of this kind of reporting.

Let's see if this 63 percent will vote to have churches and non-profit organizations pay taxes. We need everyone's help, not just layoffs in the schools and Police and Fire Departments. Why not close some of the administrative offices in the City Hall? It is too big for such a small city, and I do mean small, in every sense of the word.

PAULINE RAMSEY
Buffalo

www.buffalo.com

[Unregistered]

Before you lay off one fireman or police person, you CUT all pay of politicians and administration cost throught out WNY.

[Cyburbia]

Originally posted by Unregistered

Let's see if this 63 percent will vote to have churches and non-profit organizations pay taxes.

Somewhat OT: I remember years ago someone did a study regarding the amount of land in Buffalo that is non-taxable, and comparing it to the suburbs and similarly sized cities. I don't know the exact amount, but the amount of tax exempt real estate in Buffalo is quite high compared to suburban communities and similarly sized cities throughout the US.

Take a look at how much land in Buffalo is owned by government agencies, the Catholic Church, the school district, charities, and non-profits. How do you get that land back on the tax rolls? What about a user fee, so tax-exempt agencies pay for the services they consume, rather than have those services subsidized by poor local property owners?

[WNYresident]

EVen if non profits paid something... 50% rate ... anything...what a little boost that would add...

[Unregistered]

you're making the assumption that a taxpaying business would be occupying the land that a non-profit currently resides on. based on the number of vacant/abandoned properites available, i don't think that's nesessarily true.

[Allyssa]

Traffic, wether public or private... walking or riding means busy-ness in downtown. People should go "downtown" because they have to, but more should go because they want to, that is... if there was more to offer ... aside from Thursday nights in the square that primarily attracts more of the 'beer drinking / party animal' types than anyone else.

Does anyone remember Waking up Santa at AM&A's? I know the retail store is gone, but PAULINE RAMSEY is right, we need more family oriented things downtown.