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Thread: Can someone finally just answer this?

  1. #1
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Can someone finally just answer this?

    Instead, SanFiilippo launched a "Waste Fraud & Abuse" Officer (Atty Darryll McPherson).

    Any abuses in the impact team pale in comparison to SanFilippo's six-year-long cover-up of his top aide Tony Farina living in Niagara County as he was illegally paid over $1/2 million in salary & benefits. The penalty for non-residency is termination. But not for Farina, who has suffered no consequence.

    It will be interesting to see what SanFilippo & McPherson recommend for Buyers.
    Yes or no.

    Was Tony Farina breaking the non-residency rule... just a yes or no. I don't need any excuses, reasons or that the rule is bad.. Just yes or no.

    Is the penalty for non-residency termination... just a yes or no...

    Is Tony Farinia even working for buffalo anymore... If not, even if it was wrong to begin with, it's time for Kern to drop it unless SanFilippo still allows people to get away with it.

    We all saw Byrons quote.... that taxpayer will be dealt with the fullest extent of the law... The same goes for government workers.... wouldn't you say

  2. #2
    Member CSense's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WNYresident
    Yes or no.

    Was Tony Farina breaking the non-residency rule...
    Was - Yes

    Is - No (my understanding is that he lives in a city apartment)

  3. #3
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    So then in all honestly kerns hounding corrected an issue that shouldn't have been allowed to begin with?

  4. #4
    Member CSense's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WNYresident
    So then in all honestly kerns hounding corrected an issue that shouldn't have been allowed to begin with?
    He did not move in becuase of Kern. In fact he (Farinia) was living outside of the county all the time dickie was here. You think he decided to move in becuase Dicks throwing darts from Minneapolis? Think again.

    It is my understanding that he moved in for other reason (personal).

  5. #5
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    SanFilippo's election lomed

    The most likely Farina finally moved intot he city is because his main job is taxpayer-funded in-house campaiugn manager.

    Farina had engineered SanFilippo's 'unanimous' re-election with no public review of SanFilippo's uninspired record. Farina long-living in Niagara County at 244 Brentwood in a house that previous Comptroller Nanula co-funded could have finally turned into an embarassing scandal.

    After having earlier used 3 fake city apartments, he finallty allegedly moved into two more city apartments as the4 election approached, one on Bailey Ave & the other in N Bflo.

    His city address is still 'secret' because he is not registered to vote in Erie County . . as he is an "election consultant" (for Joe Mesi, the girlie club owner Rick Snowden, etc) in his spare time.

    Its not a pretty picture of ethics & accountability in government, but its standard for Bflo.

  6. #6
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Quote Originally Posted by CSense
    He did not move in becuase of Kern. In fact he (Farinia) was living outside of the county all the time dickie was here. You think he decided to move in becuase Dicks throwing darts from Minneapolis? Think again.

    It is my understanding that he moved in for other reason (personal).
    So all the time while Richard was complaining about the issue Tony Farina was breaking the residency law. I'm only refering to time all this was going on and when Richard was in Buffalo.

    So now the question is why was he allowed to break the rules?

  7. #7
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    The most likely Farina finally moved intot he city is because his main job is taxpayer-funded in-house campaiugn manager.
    Isn't that a no no?

    Tax payer money shouldn't not go to someone's campaign.

  8. #8
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Quote Originally Posted by kernwatch
    The most likely Farina finally moved intot he city is because his main job is taxpayer-funded in-house campaiugn manager.

    Farina had engineered SanFilippo's 'unanimous' re-election with no public review of SanFilippo's uninspired record. Farina long-living in Niagara County at 244 Brentwood in a house that previous Comptroller Nanula co-funded could have finally turned into an embarassing scandal.

    After having earlier used 3 fake city apartments, he finallty allegedly moved into two more city apartments as the4 election approached, one on Bailey Ave & the other in N Bflo.

    His city address is still 'secret' because he is not registered to vote in Erie County . . as he is an "election consultant" (for Joe Mesi, the girlie club owner Rick Snowden, etc) in his spare time.

    Its not a pretty picture of ethics & accountability in government, but its standard for Bflo.
    So can anyone tell me what Tony Farina actually does for the tax payers of Buffalo? Is he in sanitation? Is he a laboror? What does he acutally do?

  9. #9
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    First off I have to disagree with you on San Filippo's uninspiring record. I don't really know the guy, but he is definitely more qualified to be comptroller than Joel Giambra ever was and probably more than most of his predecessors since Robert Whalen.
    He has been in that department for almost thirty years and came up through the ranks. He was not a politician when he first got the job and only became one in order to keep that one position. I don't think he has any aspirations for higher office and as far as him being uninspiring, well Presidents, Congressmen and Senators inspire. Supreme court judges inspire. Comptrollers keep the books and I have seen no financial scandals since he has been in office. I don't think that's a bad thing.
    I do think that the Farina situation stinks. I am given to understand this has been resolved, he has moved in the city.But on the whole what he did, while wrong, is not isolated. Many city workers defy the law of residency. While some employees are exempt, such as myself, I think everyone who is employed by the city should live in the city, like myself.
    Many who don't and aren't exempt use city addresses. They either own property or use the address of a friend or relative. They register to vote there, have the address on their drivers license, and get much of their mail sent there. In other words, they go through great lengths to perpetuate the farce.
    A few years ago Masiello hired a residency inspector and set up a residency hotline. They got so many calls the guy couldn't keep up. he found it immpossible to follow each and everyone to and from work a few times each, which is the only way to prove the allegation.
    Of those he did follow, some turned out to be political untouchables. When one of Massiello's own top people (the city treasurer) was found to be in violation the whole issue was dropped and the residency inspectors position was removed from the budget.
    It Stinks, it's wrong. It's illegal.
    It also almost virtually uninforcible in a fair and unbiased mannner.
    "If you want to know what God thinks of money just look at the people he gave it to."

    By the way, what happened to biker? I miss the old coot.

  10. #10
    Member citymouse's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WNYresident
    So can anyone tell me what Tony Farina actually does for the tax payers of Buffalo? Is he in sanitation? Is he a laboror? What does he acutally do?

    He is paid out of the comptrollers office an has some position on his staff. Deputy Comptroller maybe? Chief of staff? I don't really know, but if you can get a copy of the current city budget I am sure you will see it listed.
    But I can assure you he is not in Sanitation or anywhere else in public works. I don't think he is holding a union position. I think he is a an exempt appointed non competitive civil service position. Another words a political appointment of the comptrollers office.
    "If you want to know what God thinks of money just look at the people he gave it to."

    By the way, what happened to biker? I miss the old coot.

  11. #11
    Member winfield31's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WNYresident
    Yes or no.

    Was Tony Farina breaking the non-residency rule... just a yes or no. I don't need any excuses, reasons or that the rule is bad.. Just yes or no.

    Is the penalty for non-residency termination... just a yes or no...

    Is Tony Farinia even working for buffalo anymore... If not, even if it was wrong to begin with, it's time for Kern to drop it unless SanFilippo still allows people to get away with it.

    We all saw Byrons quote.... that taxpayer will be dealt with the fullest extent of the law... The same goes for government workers.... wouldn't you say
    just a "point" of interest , I believe Farina was put in front of the Civil Service Board (three members) regarding his residency while kern did live here & was found "no cause for action"...........I guess here in America it's still "innocent until proven guilty"............PLUS Andy is a great guy , good for the city in general...........
    Nothing gold can stay...............

    www.onlinebuffalo.com

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    Between re-election campaigns Tony Farina is SanFilippo's 'media man', but he has filed merely three press releases in the past year. He is paid about $80K annually, including benefits.

    Obviously, it is illegal for taxpayers to pay Farina to run SanFilippo's re-election campaign. But NYS taxpayers paid Casey's full NYS Senate salary to run Byron Brown's campaign, so who will complain?

    Here is Farina's bio from SanFilippo's city website:
    http://www.ci.buffalo.ny.us/Home/Lea...affBiographies
    Anthony (Tony) A. Farina, Executive Assistant
    Tfarina@city-buffalo.com


    Before his appointment as Executive Assistant to the Comptroller, Tony served as communications director in Anthony Nanula's State Senate office. Prior to that, Tony was the chief speechwriter and a communications specialist for former New York State Attorney General Dennis Vacco. Before joining government service, Tony worked for more than 30 years as a newspaper and television reporter in Buffalo, winning numerous honors. In 1991, he won a prestigious Radio and Television News Directors Association first-place award for investigative reporting while working at Channel 7, one of four national winners. He is a former assistant city editor at the old Buffalo Courier-Express. Tony was an English major at Niagara Community College and Niagara University and served four years as an U.S. Navy journalist.
    And the mere three press releases Farina has produced in the past year:

    http://www.ci.buffalo.ny.us/Home/Lea...Press_Releases
    Press Releases

    Comptroller SanFilippo Says Water Bond Costs Down
    May-20-2008
    Buffalo Comptroller Andrew A. SanFilippo announced today that the cost of borrowing on Buffalo Municipal Water Finance Authority bonds has been reduced significantly...

    Buffalo City Comptroller To Launch Fraud Hotline Feb-11-2008
    Buffalo City Comptroller Andrew A. SanFilippo announced today that the Comptroller’s Fraud Hotline will be put into service on Monday February 11, 2008 beginning at noon...

    SANFILIPPO ANNOUNCES MOODY’S JOINS S & P IN BOOSTING CITY’S CREDIT
    Mar-01-2007
    Buffalo City Comptroller Andrew A. SanFilippo announced today that Moody’s Investors Service has followed Standard & Poor’s lead and upgraded the City of Buffalo’s general obligation rating...

  13. #13
    Member CSense's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kernwatch
    Between re-election campaigns Tony Farina is SanFilippo's 'media man', but he has filed merely three press releases in the past year. He is paid about $80K annually, including benefits.

    Obviously, it is illegal for taxpayers to pay Farina to run SanFilippo's re-election campaign. But NYS taxpayers paid Casey's full NYS Senate salary to run Byron Brown's campaign, so who will complain?
    So what's your point?

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    Do ethics matter?

    CSense:

    Do ethics & accountability not matter?

    Actually, I was mistaken. Farina filed only TWO press releases between May 2007 & May 2008. At Farina's approximate $80K annual salary-plus-benefits, that looks like $40K per press release?

    Is that cost-beneficial to Bflo taxpayers?

    Ironically, Farina is an "award-winning" investigative journalist who could really help Bflo by exposing impropriety . . but apparently that is not part of SanFilippo's "PLAN"?

    Indeed, the annual plan of audits filed long ago by SanFilippo appears to be "Audit-lite".

  15. #15
    Member CSense's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kernwatch
    CSense:

    Do ethics & accountability not matter?

    Actually, I was mistaken. Farina filed only TWO press releases between May 2007 & May 2008. At Farina's approximate $80K annual salary-plus-benefits, that looks like $40K per press release?

    Is that cost-beneficial to Bflo taxpayers?

    Ironically, Farina is an "award-winning" investigative journalist who could really help Bflo by exposing impropriety . . but apparently that is not part of SanFilippo's "PLAN"?

    Indeed, the annual plan of audits filed long ago by SanFilippo appears to be "Audit-lite".
    Sure cost benefit means alot to me but you picking on the COB when the enitre state and nation follow the same rules doesn't mean a whole lot. This is not a phenomena unto Buffalo alone, it's works at all levels of government throughout the entire country.

    So why pick on Farina? Did he kick your bike?

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