Byron Brown VS Better Business Bureau

[kernwatch]

As a former Bflo City Hall "watchdog", finally driven out of town by DA Frank J. Clark III & his minions, it continues to amaze me how difficult it is to get simple decency in city government.

The Bflo News, Comptroller SanFilippo, & DA Clark have all expressed concern about a rogue cop writing scores of parking tickets seeking shock-&-awe by charging an additional $40 for dubious towing services never provided. Incredibly the Mayor has said than anybody paying the dubious fee, rather than protesting it, is out-of-luck.

Just imagine a local Tops Supermarket clerk adding charges for $40 worth of meat not purchased to about 100 charge customers who signed off on the bill, trusting the store. And Tops saying to all those customers,
"Tough luck!"

What would Better Business Bureau say?

Dick Kern (in Mpls)

Letter to Editor Buffalo News
COPY:
http://buffalonews.com/editorial/20060802/4047999.asp
Brown's view on towing fees speaks volumes about him

8/2/2006

Well, it looks like the people of Buffalo have done it again. They have elected a mayor who thinks it is morally and legally OK to keep money that was paid to the city under less than legal circumstances. (Tows that were never done.)
To add insult to injury, Mayor Byron Brown justifies his actions by blaming the very people whose money the city has taken, by insinuating that these people were too stupid or lazy to file a claim to get it back. No wonder Brown and Long John Silver, excuse me, Sheldon Silver, get along so well. Way to go, Buffalo.

George K. Julias

Sanborn


Buffalo News editorial:
COPY:
http://buffalonews.com/editorial/20060729/1003696.asp
Reimburse cheated drivers


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
City comptroller sees a solution that avoids compounding a wrong


7/29/2006

The comptroller is correct, and the mayor is wrong. The City of Buffalo inadvertently benefited from a dishonest practice and it needs to get right with those it harmed. This is a time for forthright acknowledgment, not fancy footwork.
Moving swiftly, City Comptroller Andrew A. SanFilippo responded to the preliminary findings of an investigation into improperly completed parking tickets and announced his solution: The city needs to reimburse motorists who were charged to have their cars towed, even though no tow truck was ever summoned.

That was the right move. Instead of dragging his feet by waiting another month for the complete audit, SanFilippo came to the obvious conclusion that the city should reimburse hundreds of motorists who were issued tickets that improperly assessed a $40 towing fee. The tickets all were written by a single police officer. Investigations are under way to determine why that occurred.

Mayor Byron W. Brown sees the matter differently. Adopting a legalistic view of the mess, Brown says motorists who paid the fees without challenging them have forfeited the right to refunds. He should reconsider.

The notion that anyone waives the right to challenge an illegal fee is preposterous, except maybe in a Marx Brothers movie. It is the city that did wrong here, not motorists who failed to notice they had been charged an unjust fee. Brown should get on the right side of the issue quickly before an opponent uses it to define him.

The same goes for the city itself. The longer this affair drags out, the more damage it will do to Buffalo's reputation for dealing fairly with those who live, work, shop or visit. SanFilippo is on the right track.

[crlachepinochet]

I think this sort of deal defines Byron. BB is apparently the kind of guy who, upon learning that he has a bunch of money that he shouldn't have, figures out how to keep it instead of how to give it back quickly.

[joe d.]

BYRON BROWN IS A PUPPET FOR THE POLITICAL LEADERS WHO PULL ALL THE STRINGS.
THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF LEGISLATION HE EVER SPONSORED WAS TO RE-NAME A STREET. NOW ..I ASK YOU!! WHAT HAS HE EVER DONE IN HIS CAREER POLITICIAN LIFE TO WARRANT HIS ELECTION TO THE OFFICE OF MAYOR? . HIS SMOOTH MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, TAKE NO POSITION, AND SKIN COLOR WAS RIPE FOR THE PICKIN' AS BUFFALO WAS READY FOR A NON WHITE MAYOR. THE POLITICAL HONCHOS LIKE LENNY THE LAPPER SAW IT. IT'S ALL ABOUT POWER!! THEY COULD CARE LESS HOW BUFFALO EVOLVES. AS LONG AS THIER AT THE TOP. SAD NOTE FOR DEMOCRACY AND IT'S APPLICATION TO THE COMMON FOLK.ANY CANDIDATE WHO HAD A REAL AGENDA FOR BRINGING BUFFALO INTO THE 21ST CENTURY WAS REMOVED FROM THE RUNNING BECAUSE IT WAS CLEAR TO THE PARTY LEADERS THAT THEY WERE THEIR OWN MAN AND COULDNT BE CONTROLLED. ALL BB IS ANOTHER TONY BALONEY...JUST A SHADE DARKER!!

[WNYresident]

He gets two thumbs up today for wanting a contract in writing. Guaranteed who will work there seems a bit much though.

I would not want a hotel.... just a real COOL casino. We already have hotels downtown buffalo. We don't need more...

Get it all in writting Mr. Brown. Any business person worth thier salt would get it in writing.

[WNYresident]

He speaks really well. Like he's giving a speech each time he says something.

[Deerhunter]

It is ok to break contracts. Remember ??? Just becasue something is written in a contract doesn't mean it is a binding agreement to be carried out by both parties. Just get what is good for you and screw the other party.

[WNYresident]

It is ok to break contracts. Remember ??? Just becasue something is written in a contract doesn't mean it is a binding agreement to be carried out by both parties. Just get what is good for you and screw the other party.

thats the WHOLE point to get it in writing

[1964]

Funny ...
Unions are the biggest endorsement to the DNC, yet in WNY, Unions represent less than 1/2 of the workforce, considerably less - nationwide about 8% of the workforce. So why all the Attention to the Unions? If they actually knew what they were doing, they'd vote for the best Candidate, not blindingly idiotic like, vote the party line everytime - just winging in reality. Why did Giambra the Democrat jump ship? Because WNYers really wanted a Democrat but with a different coat on. That is exactly why this area is a mess. No real leadership. Many managers, but no real leaders.

I think the Buffalo Partnership and the current government in WNY is a pathetic failure.

I can't help but blame the people.
You need a big voice.
You all live in these small towns and have NO voice in Albany.
Many have told you the best coarse out of this mess: regionalization.
You reject it.
Why?

UNION PRESSURE...

you all allow entities that employ less than 9% of the total US workforce, the guiding hand to all your decisions. I'm talking unions. They are the ruin of you all.

[citymouse]

[QUOTE=1964]Funny ...
Unions are the biggest endorsement to the DNC, yet in WNY, Unions represent less than 1/2 of the workforce, considerably less - nationwide about 8% of the workforce. So why all the Attention to the Unions?
/QUOTE]


Two reasons.
On the political side, put simply, they vote. They may be a small percentage of the workforce, but they are a large segemnt of the active voters. They are organized and they can work to help a candidate to get out the vote. They also contribute to the campagin coffers. They use this influence for better working conditions and fair wages for all working people through politics and just legislation representing workers rights.


On the side of the business community in this country, they out spend the unions politically something like twenty to one. They do it for the same reasons, favorable legislation. Which in their case also means a lot of anti union legislation. They don't like being told they are responsible for things likesafe working conditions, living wages and don't want to be told they have to treat their employees fairly.
So they pay a lot of attention to discrediting unions.


That's what all the shouting is about on both sides.
The reason the unions get outspent put are still effective is they have the troops. They have enough people who belive in what they represent to work to make a difference politically. All the otherside has is money and money alone dosen't do it.