I was just sitting here paying bills and wondered

[WNYresident]

How far in debt are we going to allow the elected officials take us? You do realize we "the tax payer" are the ones that will pay what ever contracts, pensions, etc they dole out.

If i wasn't mistaken didn't are long ago leader have an issue about taxation without representation? I get the feeling that is what is going on here.

Thoughts?

[Allyssa]

WNYresident,

On any basic gas or electric bill for residents, I've noticed that the amount in "delivery" for these serves is higher than the total in what's actually used.

And on average, there's about $5 added up in taxes to be paid as well. The telephone company is no different.

I'm sure these prices are considerably higher for businesses.

Taxation without representation, I have often found myself wondering about this too. The fighting against unlawful taxation from England became the stepping-stones of America.

Has society allowed us to be unlawfully taxed without representation from our fellow American's within?

[Unregistered]

I have thought about this very quote and how it applies in Buffalo, yes it is a form of taxation without representation when you consider these facts.......

I pay 1/8 the property tax here in Colorado that I would in Buffalo at this time based on information I gotr from a Buffalo homeowner recently, yet I get more in the way of bette scholls, better infrastructure improvements and many other things, plus the ecomomy and job climate here is far better.

So those in Buffalo pay a huge chunk more and get less for it, both in direct gov't services and related benefits like a healthy economy etc.

So the vast difference is going Where? if you had more or better benefits, there may be soma dditional representation or other value in the extra you pay there, but you get less.

Therefore the way I see it, the excess you pay there you are not getting any representation for.

The best answer is, if you can do it, is look elsewhere to healthy economies where the lifestyle is good and move like I did. It was not easy but NYS can no longer reach deep into my pocket, all the while I fight a loosing career position and live in a region that is just plain depressing.

I loved Buffalo growing up in the sixties and seventies but I love Colorado more now and I never plan to return, life here is just plain too good. We no longer even return to buffalo for visits, our memories of when it was a vibrant area are far better than seeing the dump it has become live and in person.

If you can, move, it is not going to turn itself around, it has gone too far. Read article in todaysonline Buffalo news about the city Auditor, who explains that soon the city will be in a 100 million dollar hole and a $291 million dollar budget cannot be cut emough to make it up....they can't tax people more to make it up, they would force out the last remaining producers and I think that reality has finally dawned on them.

There is nothing happening there to draw a significant economic expansion that could possibly employ enough people, pay enough taxes and redevelop things to the point as to put a dent in the dump Buffalo has become or to warrent it as a possible choice to build a career and support a family.

Move if you can, it's not easy, but man it is worth it.

[sethtriggs]

In the modern global economy, the only way Buffalo can resurge is to:

1. Crush unions
2. Accordingly, crush worker protections, refuse to honor OSHA and Worker's Comp, etc.
3. Cut taxes and public service to ensure no safety net. (This way people will be forced to work for less)
And 4. Refuse to honor the minimum wage laws.

That's the only way I see this even remotely working out.

-Seth

[TDoran]

I moved after a quick one year return to the area. I don't plan on returning again.....I knew things were foul......but not that foul.

Good luck to anyone who remains there.

[KMT]

Oh honey- ever hear of Mother Jonoes?

. Crush unions
2. Accordingly, crush worker protections, refuse to honor OSHA and Worker's Comp, etc.
The idea of organized labor has unfortunately been deep-sixed here.

Remember folks- most of our ancestors in this fair city counted on representation and survived only because of unions.

OSHA and worker's rights are as important as they have ever been!

Though unions do not hold the leverage they once did, it is no reason to abandon the idea OF EQUAL PAY for equal work.

[sbGUY27]

People have to stop hanging on to dinosaur ideas like unions.
Yes once upon a time they were nessecary. Now there are special intrestgroups like The aclu and such that will take up the fight for osha and work place hazzards. Lets not forget the lawers. Unions have done nothing but price the american worker out of the market in the last 25 years. Why pay an american working a press at Chevy 25 an hour when a mexican will do it for 50 cents ? Now if the unions were smart they would be telling mexicans about strikes and sit downs for more pay. But you don't here of that because diniros aren't worth crap.

[Curmudgeon]

Right said...

Are you saying that areas that aren't union-infested aren't policed by OSHA? The only benefit a union worker has is the promise of organized extortion of the employer. In many cases, it turns into extortion of the EMPLOYEE, as in low skill unions like the grocery store unions and nursing home unions. Those unions don't do anything except take money from the employee.

"Remember folks- most of our ancestors in this fair city counted on representation and survived only because of unions"
That was a long time ago - unions are superflourous now.

"it is no reason to abandon the idea OF EQUAL PAY for equal work"
That really depends on who's defining the word "EQUAL". Sounds like a euphimism for "AVOIDING ACCOUNTABILITY" to me.

[WNYresident]

define equal pay for equal work... or is it more

i put in 8 hours doing what ever and i want the same pay he makes on his 8 hours doing what ever. I hope that makes sense.

The main issue is there are other people willing to do the same or better job than who we have now in positions. THeres no guarantees that anyone shoyuld have a job. WHen you were born, the doc didn't slap on your butt a sticker that said, give this one anything it wants.

You earn it.

It's called competition.

[Allyssa]

WNYresident,

At what percentage do you think our electric bills are going to increase due the recent blackout?

Do you think we'll all have a little extra will be added on to our electric bills to make up for whatever repairs and/or staff NM needed to get everything back on?

[WNYresident]

I dont know... We don't charge our clients on items like that. You can't, it's not thier fault, but then again we are not only driven by profit. If they lost 1 days of profits would they zig the resident.

Acutally I dont know what one days of revenues would be.

[Unregistered]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Curmudgeon
[B]Right said...

Are you saying that areas that aren't union-infested aren't policed by OSHA?

No actually I had manufacturing job at certainteed on walden. And we had to abide by OSHA rules and regulations. OSHA polices everyone, I mean everyone.

[WNYresident]

Osha is a good thing.... Dont take anything thing wrong that way. BUt you do get to a point where too much is too much too. It seems you get a few people in a group and they all become little dictators.

I'm still surprized they haven't outlawed cars etc, they cause a lot of deaths. A bit of a stretch but you get my point.

[Unregistered]

did you know who have to keep a book of all chemicals used at your business. From ink used in a xerox copier to the 409 cleanser you keep to clean the bathroom. OSHA rules and regulations. Even if you have never had OSHA in your business to go over their rules you are still responsible for them.

[WNYresident]

see my point exactly. Its just stupid. Yes someone might swallow 409 or someone might get the hives from a cleaner but you get to the point of just silliness.

Now i totally agree if you are using items like pesticides, acids etc you should log perhaps the amounts. Small business are over burdens with stupidiness.

[Unregistered]

You don't understand. What is someone finds out that they are alergic to a chemical you use at your place of business? You need to make that work enviroment safe for the one worker. That worker has rights to be able to work in a healthy enviroment.

[sbGUY27]

No i understand. That is why unions are useless. You also need to know what is was incase of ingestion. I know all about this I have took many OSHA classes, for every factory job I had came with one (mandatory for the class acts, non mandatory for the ones that don't want you to know the existence of such an org.)

[Unregistered]

If it wasn't for UNIONS you wouldn't have the level of service you have in WNY. Go look at other states, most other services you want you have to go find.

[sbGUY27]

Well duh,

And then you are free to choose the one that fits you best. What you subscribe to is up to you. So you and only you determine the pay someone gets by how much you are willing to pay for a service.

[WNYresident]

Bravo SB guy. I like to pay for the service i need, not suppliment services for others to a point.

[sethtriggs]

Originally posted by WNYresident
Bravo SB guy. I like to pay for the service i need, not suppliment services for others to a point.

On that note, maybe the "movement tax" is a good idea then, that way you pay for only as many roads as you use! You don't have to pay for the roads used by those other, 'lazy,' 'other' people.

-Seth