Buffalo NY population 900,000

[WNYresident]

Here's a good topic for the week

Why don't we make Erie County "Buffalo, NY" with the population of 900,000

Remove all duplication of services no matter who is related to who or who belongs to what party.

One ethical IDA for Buffalo NY.

I don't give a **** I live in Cheektowaga. I tell people Buffalo NY when talking on the phone. No one out of our area knows where Cheektowaga is. Cheektowaga's charm was lost when Benderson turned it into strip mall alley. You drive threw anytown now in Erie County and they all look the same for the most part.

What power would we gain with a population of 900,000 versus little thiefdoms doing their best to keep their "familes/friends" employeed?

[yokes]

so what do you do when people continue to flee the "new City" becasue the services they have grown to expect, want and pay for arent being delivered anymore?

[WNYresident]

Why would they stop?

You would have one buffalo school district versus every town having one.

You would have one police department versus how many?

You would have the combined efforts of 900,000 people versus little towns all competing against each other.

One IDA. <<<<<< That right there is worth it.

I'd rather be a larger community competing against other communities and globally.

[300miles]

I'd support it.

I think we should start from the core towns. Get Buffalo Amherst Cheektwowaga and Tonawanda to combine services first. If that can be done, then the rest of the county would be easy.

[Anotherview]

What would be the costs for property taxes? Would they be equivalent to Buffalo or the suburbs? I am all for consolidation.

[WNYresident]

We would have to really figure it out and put it on the front burner. Any politician who was just trying to protect their thiefdom would have to be dealt with swifty. Once started anyone who stood in the way has to go. Look at the **** that is shoved on us from Albany. Couldn't ask for a more currupt group of people leading the way.

I hate to say this because I really do respect people and what they do. BUT we have a few people on the county legislature who are dumber than a box rocks. They are only hindering us.

Lenny L and company.. You heard him.. His job is to get Dem elected. Apparently resumes and qualifications have very little to do with it.

Oh I wish Lenny would register.. Hi Lenny..

[Save Us]

Here's a good topic for the week

Why don't we make Erie County "Buffalo, NY" with the population of 900,000

Remove all duplication of services no matter who is related to who or who belongs to what party.

One ethical IDA for Buffalo NY.

I don't give a **** I live in Cheektowaga. I tell people Buffalo NY when talking on the phone. No one out of our area knows where Cheektowaga is. Cheektowaga's charm was lost when Benderson turned it into strip mall alley. You drive threw anytown now in Erie County and they all look the same for the most part.

What power would we gain with a population of 900,000 versus little thiefdoms doing their best to keep their "familes/friends" employeed?

Rez,, don't you think it's a little early to start hitting the sauce for today

Such an idea would fly in the face of the prime directive,, and that is class?

"The purpose of government is to employ people". as chanted in unison by a class of second graders.

To answer you question just look at Louiseville, toronto and other metro areas that have saved costs by doing that... too bad the right people refuse to look at that.

[WNYresident]

To answer you question just look at Louiseville, toronto and other metro areas that have saved costs by doing that... too bad the right people refuse to look at that.

Get rid of the "Right" people. They don't care about you or me. They only care to keep their jobs.

[yokes]

Why would they stop?

You would have one buffalo school district versus every town having one.

You would have one police department versus how many?

You would have the combined efforts of 900,000 people versus little towns all competing against each other.

One IDA. <<<<<< That right there is worth it.

I'd rather be a larger community competing against other communities and globally.

Not saying they would stop. I'm all for it actually, but realistically how do you do this?

Cops - What pay scale? COB or Burbs? If you take the burbs higher pay and roll that out to all police the cost goes up. what about officer to citizen ratio? Try getting the unions to agree to taking everyone down to the lowest paid.

Fire Protection - All paid or volunteer or combinaiton?
Sanitation - Same question
Roads bridges etc.

It makes sense when you start out, however with the entrenchment how long until any real savings is realized? How long does it tke to pay back what it costs to do the initial consolidation?

How can you build enough of a consensus among what people want out of their services? Most people live where they do because of a specific reason, can you maintain their perceived Standard of Living though consolodation without losing population further?

Lots of questions, not a lot of easy answers, and realistically is it what the citizens want?

[dgrzeb]

Kevin Gaughan & Joel Giambra & many others have been on their knees praying & pleading for this "Metro" regionalism for years...........between the politicians & unions & Albany , it's always been stopped cold............they don't care that as "one" we could save millions via consolidation of services or the complete elimination of many services...........it's a very tough "lobby" to beat , I'm a gov't worker & I'm ALL for "Metro/consolidation" , just think it's too hard to get past these knuckleheads that run our gov't............BTW , "they" don't see how consolidating would save millions & also make Buffalo (which is what ity should be called as it's the most widely known of ALL in the country) one of the top 20-25 "cities" in the country , that may make many companies & businesses around the whole world take notice & think about our area when looking to place their sattelite companies.............

[Save Us]

Not saying they would stop. I'm all for it actually, but realistically how do you do this?

Cops - What pay scale? COB or Burbs? If you take the burbs higher pay and roll that out to all police the cost goes up. what about officer to citizen ratio? Try getting the unions to agree to taking everyone down to the lowest paid.

Fire Protection - All paid or volunteer or combinaiton?
Sanitation - Same question
Roads bridges etc.

It makes sense when you start out, however with the entrenchment how long until any real savings is realized? How long does it tke to pay back what it costs to do the initial consolidation?

How can you build enough of a consensus among what people want out of their services? Most people live where they do because of a specific reason, can you maintain their perceived Standard of Living though consolodation without losing population further?

Lots of questions, not a lot of easy answers, and realistically is it what the citizens want?

you follow successful models that have been empolyed in other states and areas. but you at least look and go from there.

I think consolidation should be shoved down peoples' throat because the population is not intelligent enough to realize the cost savings, and the employees would fight that tooth and nail.

also capping taxpayer funded positions wether it be councilmen or cops at x dollars for everyone, yet all these people are rejoicing for the capping of private ceo pay that got fed dollars, tax dollars.

Merging and the above will fly here when hell freezes over.. personally we need a tax revolt to force it.

[WNYresident]

Not saying they would stop. I'm all for it actually, but realistically how do you do this?

You market the idea and the benefits and vote on it. I'd vote for it. Power in numbers.


Cops - What pay scale? COB or Burbs? If you take the burbs higher pay and roll that out to all police the cost goes up. what about officer to citizen ratio? Try getting the unions to agree to taking everyone down to the lowest paid.

Average it out. You are going to remove lots of dead wood. Union or not. They don't like it they can leave.

Fire Protection - All paid or volunteer or combinaiton?
Sanitation - Same question
Roads bridges etc.

Paid and volunteer. Some areas really just don't need a paid fire service. A all steel frame building with equipment in it. You don't need party halls.

It makes sense when you start out, however with the entrenchment how long until any real savings is realized? How long does it tke to pay back what it costs to do the initial consolidation?

Savings would happen instantly if you just did as it should be done. SImple as that. Look where you work. What do they do with a division which is under performing and losing money? How long do they pump money into a losing situation? That's what we are in right now with being competative. I hate to say this but each government employee is a number to me. Yes they are all people but community first...

How can you build enough of a consensus among what people want out of their services? Most people live where they do because of a specific reason, can you maintain their perceived Standard of Living though consolodation without losing population further?

You keep mentioning loss of service. Why? Do you really need 4 crew chiefs per garage? Do you really need multiple superintendants for erie county? Do you need multiples so politically connected people have jobs for their familes and friends?

Lots of questions, not a lot of easy answers, and realistically is it what the citizens want?

WHen it comes to going broke or not a lot of people will want it.

[Dougles]

I think the "new city" would have great possibilities. However i think their would be a lot of things that would need to be done that would get a lot of flack. I think we should CLEAN out the east side and the downtown area. Nothing is more depressing when leaving a Sabres game and driving through the projects, weather your driving south by michigan or north by the water front. Buffalo would have to consolidate ALL of it's public housing and tear down the WHOLE eastside and force all of those to move!

Portland did a great thign to combate Urban sprawl. The county it's in litterally said you can't build unless you build in the City, not the burbs. With this they provided a clean space (ie the east side once it's demolished) for great biz and cultural areas. The eastside/university heights area could have such potentional, plus it has great access (main st, the 290, the 90, 33, walden/Baily) and it surrounded by Amherst/Check/Lancaster/Depew and close to Downtown!

[WNYresident]

Is Federal Aid based on city population? Like why is there no school tax sort of in buffalo but we have horrendous school taxes in the burbs?

[300miles]

I think the "new city" would have great possibilities. However i think their would be a lot of things that would need to be done that would get a lot of flack. I think we should CLEAN out the east side and the downtown area. Nothing is more depressing when leaving a Sabres game and driving through the projects, weather your driving south by michigan or north by the water front. Buffalo would have to consolidate ALL of it's public housing and tear down the WHOLE eastside and force all of those to move!

Would it be OK if we moved all of them to your neighborhood in Amherst?