SanFilippo’s #2, Tony Farina moving into Bflo 4 years late?

[kernwatch]

The latest Census estimates again place Bflo as one of the poorest US cities for both household income (3rd lowest, after Miami & Cleveland) & persons living below poverty (26.9% of city population, but much higher in Fillmore, Ellicott & Niagara Districts).

Meanwhile the City In-rem auction looms in October, currently listing 3170 foreclosed parcels for sale, often to destructive flipper-speculators. That is on top of about 1500 properties dumped several years ago by the city to the incredible new state entity MBBA, most now needing demolition after gross mismanagement by MBBA-designated JER.
Clearly ever-shrinking Bflo urgently needs more citizens with assets to support a virtually bankrupt city government.
The recent well publicized “Old Home Week” was a creative effort to entice more middle income folks back to Bflo.
However, one obvious self-help tool to increase middle income taxbase, enforcement of residency on city workers as required by the new city Charter passed under Masiello, has been a farce.
The city’s most dramatic & highest ranking residency scofflaw is Tony Farina, #2 in the Comptroller’s Office for about 4 years, paid over $80K in salary & benefits, while residing in his longtime home at 244 Brentwood in Niagara County.
Instead of enforcing residency on his employee as required by Charter, SanFilippo recently intervened in the casino debacle as a strong advocate of the casino as a development tool, placing him at odds with almost all urban & economic experts. SanFilippo’s controversial statement even prompted his former boss, 14-year City Comptroller Robert Wahlen, to write a strongly critical “My View” submission to Buffalo News.
See: http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial...sp?PFVer=Story
Ironically, Farina who serves as a newly created & dubious ‘public relations’ aide to SanFilippo (Farina actually serves as taxpayer-funded ‘campaign chair’ for SanFilippo, who is preparing for a new run next year, his smiling face long on Illuzziletter.com where Farina is a ’senior writer’). Farina had written only one other press release for the Comptroller in all of 2006, the audit of towing fees on parking tickets imposed by one rogue cop. The second posting is advocating the casino as SanFilippo’s other best thought for 2006.
SEE: http://www.ci.buffalo.ny.us/Home/Lea...Press_Releases
Meanwhile, the longest-lived residency scofflaw, City Youth Counselor Richard B. May, who owns 8-10 investment houses in Bflo, claiming to live in last city home on Beatrice where his tenants have repeatedly disrupted the neighborhood, has lived in Tonawanda since 1977. He recently re-mortgaged his Tonawanda house for $120K, as May is regularly delinquent on his city taxes on his investment properties.
And SanFilippo covered-up longstanding dramatic staff residency irregularities at BMHA in his long-delayed BMHA audit, clearly impeded by the “Farina factor”.
This now in from a reliable source:
Farina allegedly has his suburban home is up for sale and has only 1 furnished room at the this point. And, allegedly, he has an apartment in the Bailey area and is actively looking for a place in North Buffalo.
Is this true?
I can see no evidence that 244 Brentwood, which had been deeded to Nanula last time I checked, is for sale. (a friend drove by #244, confirming that it appeared to be empty, but lacked any for-sale sign)
Where is Farina’s “Bailey Ave area” apartment?
Since Farina historically lied & filed three fake city addresses with the Board of Elections & has lived illegally outside the city for his entire time as a Bflo city employee, he is believable only if producing compelling proof.
I will post any reply from SanFilippo, Bflo’s so-called “fiscal watchdog”, who has never responded to any question about residency enforcement in his office (or at BMHA).

Dick Kern (in Mpls)

[kernwatch]

OOPS!

I just checked Farina’s three fake addresses registered with the Board of Elections, beginning with a free room at 521 LaFayette Avenue with Gerhard Yaskow dated 4/2000.

SEE voter registration forms at:
http://www.kernwatch.com/cityhallwatch59.html#farina

That means that Farin has lived illegally outside Buffalo (in another county) for well over 6 years.

[citymouse]

OOPS!

I just checked Farina’s three fake addresses registered with the Board of Elections, beginning with a free room at 521 LaFayette Avenue with Gerhard Yaskow dated 4/2000.

Gerhard Yaskow is the guy who bought Gene McCarthys Tavern on Hamburg street in the Old First Ward. It was a neighborhood institution. Now the regulars, mostly retired scoopers and dock workers, grain mill workers, railroad men and city workers almost all of Irish heritage, don't know what to make of the guy. He is a bit odd by Ward standards.

[joe d.]

Gerhard Yaskow is the guy who bought Gene McCarthys Tavern on Hamburg street in the Old First Ward. It was a neighborhood institution. Now the regulars, mostly retired scoopers and dock workers, grain mill workers, railroad men and city workers almost all of Irish heritage, don't know what to make of the guy. He is a bit odd by Ward standards.

YASKOW ALSO OWNS 2 OVERPRICED HOUSES ON A SINGLE LOT AT THE FOOT OF BUSH ST...in BLACK ROCK off of AMHERST ST right across from HABITAT FOR HUMANITY RESALE STORE.(WHICH IS UP FOR SALE ON LOOP NET) He bought this property as "residence" in the 6th DISTRICT when he TRIED A SORELY SHOWN attempt for the COUNTY LEGISLATURE. HE has NEVER LIVED THERE. Just another RUSE by a MORALLY BANKRUPT individual to become ANOTHER CROOKED POLITICIAN . HIS ACTIONS TO FOOL THE SYSTEM HERE SHOWS HE HAS THE EQUIPMENT AND MORALS TO BECOME ONE OF THEM. IRONIC that he is involved in this FARINA exploit!! BIRDS OF A FEATHER...

[BuffaloEMT14216]

See as a city resident/taxpayer I have no sympathy for these city workers who cry foul about residency issues. I believe if you work for a municipality, you should have to live within it's boundaries. No if's, and's, or but's.
The reason that their is no city residency clause for Buffalo Police/Fire was the fact that back in the 1960's they had a difficult time attractiing new recruits. Therefore they opened the floodgates allowing anyone to join.
This is true of the FDNY/NYPD which allows members to live in the outlying New Jersey, Connecticut, and Long Island suburbs.
However, I think time has come to make it a fact of policy. Buffalo Police should live in the city, Buffalo fireman should live in the city.
If I want to work in Kenmore as a cop, I HAVE to be a RESIDENT!
I even attempted volunteering, yes volunteering with the Kenmore Fire Department. I was turned down since I live a few blocks into the "evil" city. I believe firmly that if you work there, you should live there. Amherst, Tonawanda, and every other municipal government makes damn sure their workers live within their boundaries. Time has come for serious reform.