Martino mailing/ common council

[sbGUY27]

I recieved a mailing the other day. It was from Mary Martino.
It was concerning new business opening on Abbot road. Seems people don't like tattoo parlors on the corner of their street instead of an empty building and are now empowered to keep any business they choose out of the neighborhood.

Now is this a crock of you know what or what ? Why does everyone in this city have a vendetta against small business. The premise that tattoo parlors bring a certain kind of element to the neighborhood is no longer a relevant one. Tattoos are a trend for all now and bring not just bikers to them. That line was for you 55 to 80 year olds that went to Martino about this very thing. Shame on you. Do a little looking into things.

Oh this is probably about the adult store in the old Forest city lot.
Good for this guy he took a 3 billion a year industry and plopped it right in the middle of a s#i7 hole part of the area. Who can complain about that. Have a business occuping a building or rats.
*******es in the city always prefer the latter.

BUF FAM so much for your seneca street rally. If someone dosen't want a business there they can block them now. No matter what.

[Allyssa]

May I have permission to reply/agree with you to this thread?

[Curmudgeon]

You don't need anyones permission. You can say whatever you like. Just be prepared to be called to the carpet of you say something self-serving, rediculous, or irrational. That is called "public debate" and is the purest form of first amendment rights. Here's a demonstration. I shall now say something:

I beleive that famous film actor Johnny Depp was the one on the grassy knoll the day John F. Kennedy was assasinated. I also believe George Bush was working with him by driving the getaway mo-ped.

Now, you are free to respond however you like to that comment. I truly believe Mr. Depp was the shooter and got away with his crime. And, if you say he wasn't even born before 1964, I'll consider you part of the conspiracy.

[Allyssa]

Do I detect a bit of humor there Crum? :cool:

Topic:

Mary Martino's "rezoning" of busnesses is immorrally wrong. I can somewhat see the point of not having a "tattoo parlor" directly across the street from an active church; but it is however, wrong to try and rezone her entire district from businesses that don't suit her specific ideals. Also, I question the attraction to this business on Sunday mornings. I highly doubt it would appear to be comparable to a "biker bar" on a Friday night.

Had she of made an appeal to this business owner to reconsider a site maybe just a block down; then things would be different because a new business would have opportunity in a non-prejudicial society. But she chose a more discrimative manner to shut-out small business that she sees as "unfitting to the neighborhood".

I have to admit, some tattoos I've seen are far better than the "art work" displayed at the Albright-Knox. And sbguy is right, tattooing and/or body peircing is trendy; fashionable and no longer carries the name "trouble" with it.

BTW- I personally look this info up online to verify that JD couldn't have been the shooter because he was born on June 9, 1963 in Owensboro, Kentucky.... yet I haven't nailed down George's where-abouts on that day.

[buffalofamily]

What other types of businesses are Zoned out?

[Allyssa]

Buff Fam,

I think taverns and eateries will also be excluded in this business rezoning.

It's almost as shaddy as Mary Martino "handing" off part of her south district to Lovejoy just because she feared the notion of a canidate that (was rumored almost a year ago) "might" run against her in this election. She agreed to allow the section be included with Lovejoy district because this particular area would have all voted for the (rumored) opponent.

Now, this person reconsidered on running in South District and Mary Martino is at another lose with the people in South Buffalo.

[buffalofamily]

Martino should have included rent to own stores. The are legal loan sharks for appliances. They take advantage of lower income working class neighborhoods (like S. Buffalo)

BF

[sbGUY27]

Did you guys recieve this letter?

I states that residents have say in what business goes up in the neighborhood. Rezoning is another thing, but when someone can say not to Mexican food just because you don't eat tacos and would not care for a mexican resturant on your block,can say no,have it banned just by protesting to the common council.

That is my concern.

[buffalofamily]

If we have such a say, why do we have so many rent to "Ripoffs" around here. Most residents don't want them.

BF

[Curmudgeon]

If we have such a say, why do we have so many rent to "Ripoffs" around here. Most residents don't want them.

yes! I agree! we need to be protected from those people! We need a commission of smart people to tell the rent-to-own people what they can charge!

Nobody ever forces anyone to buy their stuff.

The reason why the cost is so high is so many people in the area DEFAULT on the loan agreement. It's rent-to-own or nothing at all - take your pick.

[WNYresident]

Gotta agree with curm on this one. No one is forcing them go to those places

[Allyssa]

Actually, this is an issue pertaining to all new coming businesses in the South District.

Eateries like pizza joints, consignment shops, tattoo & peircing places... and etc. are being pushed/phased out of the neighborhoods along Seneca, Abbott and South Park through a "rezoning" plan. The haulting of these small business types only leaves the market open for establishments such as the "rent-till-you-buy-it" outlets.

"yes! I agree! we need to be protected from those people! We need a commission of smart people to tell the rent-to-own people what they can charge!"
(Crum, I really can't tell if you're being sarcastic on that statement.)

However,
you said:
It's rent-to-own or nothing at all - take your pick. It's funny, that seems to be the same mindset our current common council representative has... because she's opting to disallow new commerce in her area to watch the "rent-a-centers" move in one by one.

[Curmudgeon]

Eateries like pizza joints, consignment shops, tattoo & peircing places... and etc. are being pushed/phased out of the neighborhoods along Seneca, Abbott and South Park through a "rezoning" plan. The haulting of these small business types only leaves the market open for establishments such as the "rent-till-you-buy-it" outlets.

What the hell are you talking about? Is this a new zoning classification where only "crappy businesses" are allowed to occupy storefronts?

Show us documentation on this. I just don't believe it. I'm temped to scream "put down the bong" but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for now...

[Allyssa]

What the hell are you talking about? Is this a new zoning classification where only "crappy businesses" are allowed to occupy storefronts?

yep, that's exactly what I'm talking about! Or at leaset the storefronts will remain empty. You saw the pictures Buff Fam posted in the "Seneca Street Business" thread. You can see the business decline from each image. The images aren't isolated buildings; few and far between, many of them are side-by-side with another empty business.

I'll work on getting "documentation" as per the doubts you have in what I'm saying because this rezoning scructure is still in it's "planning phase".

[Curmudgeon]

I'll work on getting "documentation" as per the doubts you have in what I'm saying because this rezoning scructure is still in it's "planning phase".

OK. You say that this alledged "resoning structure" is still in its "planning phase" yet you also say businesses "are being pushed/phased out of the neighborhoods along Seneca". How can established businesses be "pushed out" if the zoning has yet to be implemented??? You can't enforce laws that don't yet exist.

Please clarify this obvious conflict in statements. And don't spill any bongwater on the carpet.

[Allyssa]

How can established businesses be "pushed out" if the zoning has yet to be implemented???

Areas of Seneca Street, Abbott Rd. and South Park have always been zoned as a business district; but as most of the business have closed up (due to various reasons; cost, death and etc) there haven't been any incentives and/or motivations for a new business to reopen in that, or any other storefront. Hence the amount of abandoned buildings and storefronts.

Just a few months back, our Common Council rep. began trying to "rezoning" some of the new businesses looking to set up shop in the neighborhoods. She's looking to exclude many establishments that "she" feels aren't welcoming to South Buffalo. And as a result, new business is being "phased-out" because of the plan.


You can't enforce laws that don't yet exist.
I'm not doing that. I'm simply stating that this is what's being planned for our area.

[Curmudgeon]

Eateries like pizza joints, consignment shops, tattoo & peircing places... and etc. are being pushed/phased out of the neighborhoods along Seneca, Abbott and South Park through a "rezoning" plan. The haulting of these small business types only leaves the market open for establishments such as the "rent-till-you-buy-it" outlets.

I've got news for you: there is NO POSSIBLE way one could exclude "good" businesses and allow "bad" (ie. tattoo joints) ones.

And, any zoning change has no effect whatsoever on established businesses.

...feels aren't welcoming to South Buffalo
please explain what this means.

[Allyssa]

I've got news for you: there is NO POSSIBLE way one could exclude "good" businesses and allow "bad" (ie. tattoo joints) ones. Her plan is to disallow the types of businesses like tattoo places, food places and etc. These would be considered "good" businesses as compared to "no" businesses. It appears she's using her own personal prefrences to say what type of businesses can or can not be opened along the main drags of South Buffalo.

And, any zoning change has no effect whatsoever on established businesses Correct, but when an established business closes, moves or etc. there are no incentives for another new business to reopen at that particular location.

*****************

Another thing (which I'm not 100% sure if in effect as of yet) is that once a residencial (homebased) business closes, that specific location can never be reopened as a business.

Ex: A house converted as an antique store would close for whatever reason, a person 5, 10 or 20 years later can not open it's own business at that address.

[Curmudgeon]

Her plan is to disallow the types of businesses like tattoo places, food places and etc.

OK. Now you are making no sense at all. Please "take it from the top" and explain exactly what you are talking about.....

[sbGUY27]

Once again this is up to the residents not martino. If a resident dosen't want a hand car wash in the building next to said residents house, said resident can go to the common council and ask for the refusal of the business permit. It is entirel up to the residents to complain, this is all because of the tattoo parlor that moved into an empty store front across from a CATHOLIC CHURCH .

[buffalofamily]

SB SAYS


this is all because of the tattoo parlor that moved into an empty store front across from a CATHOLIC CHURCH .

So, is it anti-catholic to have a tattoo? Is it illegal to get a tattoo? Is it illegal to sell tattoo services? I thought these businesses are regulated more these days, making them more legitamate than most businesses. Maybe we can close down the tattoo store and put in a Fredricks of Hollywood. Which would be better at a location across a church? My suggestion is to put a rent-to-own store across from the church. They are like loan sharks, but a legalized form of loan sharking.

BF

[sbGUY27]

Come on now you know how much say the catholic church has in buffalo. The Dioceces can't go more than a week without being on the evening news.

I am sure that St. Tommys chipped into Martino's campaign pot.
with the church becoming more political than it belongs or deserves to be. Gotta have that Irish Roman Catholic Liberal Democrate pointed in the right direction and who better than your local priest spinning tales of indecency and hepetitus C coming out of the sin factory across the street.

[Allyssa]

okay Crum, from the top....

a few months back someone wanted to open a new business in our south buffalo area; a tattoo/peircing place. the selected and available location, which happened to be directly across from a catholic church irritated our CC rep. Yet it never seemed to bother her that a "smoking Joe's cigarette shop" was open for well over a year across from a different catholic church on Seneca. anywyas, the tattoo business sparked her interest to try and "rezone" the business districts of her represented area to propose what and what not can open in the area. (primarily what she sees as fitting for the neighborhoods) This is an issue occuring along Abbott road, but she hasn't batted an eyelash that it's an effect to what's happening to Seneca and South Park more.

There is a list that is becoming longer of "no's" like pizza places, tattoo/peircing places (and not just across from churches), and taverns... being at the top.

You said a few posts back:"there is NO POSSIBLE way one could exclude "good" businesses'
I can assure you, one person can do this, especially when she has the County Legislator backing her on other various "projects" in South Buffalo.

This proposal has to make it's way through several committees before it can be implicated to the neighborhoods; but nevertheless she's doing what she can to push it through. And of course, should she be voted out of her CC seat, this proposal could be cut off leaving the free market open for these types of businesses not only for Abbott, but Seneca and South Park as well. So, we have to do what we can until November, and see if a new CC rep will take her place.

hope this helps.

[Allyssa]

sbGUY wrote in this thread on August 15th, 2003....
The premise that tattoo parlors bring a certain kind of element to the neighborhood is no longer a relevant one. Tattoos are a trend for all now and bring not just bikers to them.

and then this one... on October 10th, 2003
...and who better than your local priest spinning tales of indecency and hepetitus C coming out of the sin factory across the street.

Will the real sbGUY please stand up!
Which is it? Are you for or against tattoo places?
Are you for or against new business in the neighborhood?

[sbGUY27]

do you comprehend english?
Yes I am for the tattoo parlor!

[Allyssa]

do you comprehend english?yes, as a matter of fact, I do comprehend the english language very well, unless of course it's spoken and/or written in a context that seems to contradict what a person says from one day to another.

[sbGUY27]

nothing here cortadicts. You just don't understand context. Or take the first thing you've understood and applied it to the next post.

[Allyssa]

You just don't understand context. Correction... I am having a difficult time understanding "your" context; especially when you contridict yourself.


Or take the first thing you've understood and applied it to the next post. HUH?

[sbGUY27]

where is the contradiction?
Like I said you just don't understand.

Does anyone else have a problem understanding what I am saying here ?

[WNYresident]

Curm.... see the bong comment wasn't needed. :) Anyhow, what if a bong shop wanted to open up in south buffalo? would that be rezoned too ;)

[Allyssa]

Anyhow, what if a bong shop wanted to open up in south buffalo? would that be rezoned too

Probably... though I don't quite think their store sign would read: bongs R us. But if it were more presented as a "Greatful Dead" shop, I would be all for it wether they'd sell bongs or not.

***People keep in mind, I'm not a bong-buyer***
Nor do I support people who do buy to use them. I do, however support new business in the neighborhood as opposed to nothing at all.

[Curmudgeon]

she leases bongs rather than buying them for tax purposes.... :D

[Allyssa]

|wise guy!!!

[WNYresident]

WHat this thread should be is:

Which businesses do resident not want in thier community...

I would say for starters a strip joint in the middle of south buffalo might be unwise.

What business wouldn't a resident want ? remember think openingly seeing there's more than just you living in the area.

[Allyssa]

remember think openingly seeing there's more than just you living in the area.

I am as open-minded as I can be. Take for instance the thread on Wal*Mart, truthfully I don't care for "Wal*Mart" types and yet I'm willing to "fight the fight" to get one in our neighborhood... why? Because I have set aside my personal preference to consider what is needed moreover than strictly thinking of myself.

The same for a tattoo place. I may never want to get a tattoo or peircing and yet I would support someone willing to open up a new shop in the neighborhood.


What business wouldn't a resident want ? I think we all can agree that the XXX store is perfect at the opposite end of the business district where residential property isn't present like Seneca (after crossing Bailey).