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Thread: Is it Feasible on ANY Level to Continue going to The Ralph?

  1. #16
    Member Linda_D's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by grump View Post
    Actually, it would almost certainly be unconstitutional for a municipality to do what IDA's do...that's why the legislature created them. As for the Amherst IDA salaries, if one looks at their cost vs return and compare to the cost vs return of ECIDA the result is laughable. This can be easily documented by reviewing the annual IDA report prepared by the state comptroller. But what do IDA's have to do with a once in a century snowstorm affecting the viability of the Ralph?
    IDAs, of course, have absolutely nothing to do with once in a century snowstorms ... or with the Ralph, either.

    Somebody brought up IDAs, so I gave my opinion, which I will stand by. IMO, the model of quasi-governmental "authorities" that is so popular with NYS governments is an expensive boondoggle and nothing more than a conduit for political patronage. Whenever the govie and the legislature want to create more cushy jobs for pals and insulate those jobs from public scrutiny, they create another "authority" to manage this or that. I worked in state government for a decade and saw this bull manure go on under both Democratic and Republican administrations. Nothing that "authorities" actually run or manage can not be done by existing governments except for a few regional entities like the transit authorities that run mass transit across county lines, especially those in the NYC and Albany metros. The Thruway Authority, for example, does NOT have to exist as a separate, independent entity; it could simply be the Thruway Department under the executive branch of state government just like Corrections, the State Police, Mental Hygiene, Health, EnCon, Transportation, Parks, etc.

    The OP has an agenda, and I have mine. I happen to think that allowing the OH to revert back to a more "natural" area used for recreation rather than developing it would be best for Buffalo and Buffalonians. In a future where more and more people will be crowded together in dense urban areas, having a spit of land nearby where people can bike or fish or just sit and watch the water will become priceless.
    Your right to buy a military weapon without hindrance, delay or training cannot trump Daniel Barden’s right to see his eighth birthday. -- Jim Himes

  2. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Linda_D View Post
    IDAs, of course, have absolutely nothing to do with once in a century snowstorms ... or with the Ralph, either.

    Somebody brought up IDAs, so I gave my opinion, which I will stand by. IMO, the model of quasi-governmental "authorities" that is so popular with NYS governments is an expensive boondoggle and nothing more than a conduit for political patronage. Whenever the govie and the legislature want to create more cushy jobs for pals and insulate those jobs from public scrutiny, they create another "authority" to manage this or that. I worked in state government for a decade and saw this bull manure go on under both Democratic and Republican administrations. Nothing that "authorities" actually run or manage can not be done by existing governments except for a few regional entities like the transit authorities that run mass transit across county lines, especially those in the NYC and Albany metros. The Thruway Authority, for example, does NOT have to exist as a separate, independent entity; it could simply be the Thruway Department under the executive branch of state government just like Corrections, the State Police, Mental Hygiene, Health, EnCon, Transportation, Parks, etc.

    The OP has an agenda, and I have mine. I happen to think that allowing the OH to revert back to a more "natural" area used for recreation rather than developing it would be best for Buffalo and Buffalonians. In a future where more and more people will be crowded together in dense urban areas, having a spit of land nearby where people can bike or fish or just sit and watch the water will become priceless.
    Linda, I don't believe that one can simply turn public authorities into depts of state government due to the constitutional limit on the number of executive departments. Moreover, the recent history suggests that doing so would make a bad situation worse. NY used to have a Temporary Commission on Lobbying. The "good govt" groups, eg NYPIRG, Common Cause, the League of Women Vultures, shills for the Democratic party all, whined and bitched so Client 9 changed it from an independent body to a part of the dept of State which he controlled. Of course when Client 9 came under scrutiny, his new agency COPI, launched an "investigation" of its own. The head of COPI used this as a vehicle to report to Client 9 on the status of investigations against him. But that's old news. The reason for public authorities is to avoid the constitutional requirements regarding the state incurring additional debt eg, public referendum. Also, I oppose IDA's because they distort the economics of development. That said, the Amherst IDA is one of the most, if not the most effective IDA's in the state. Compared to it the ECIDA is a chump. Don't believe it? Look at the state comptrollers annual review of IDA's for the last few decades. Let's save taxpayer millions and eliminate county government.

  3. #18
    Member cheekman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by NY The Vampire State View Post
    Rome is burning!



    I haven't seen anyone who is opposed to to a new stadium, just those cognitive of who's going to pay for it. In fact, the "new idea" that you mention would be to let the Bills, The NFL and Terry Pegula stand on their own feet. Having the taxpayers foot the bill for stadiums is more of the same old same old contributing to our outrageous tax burden in WNY. Get the footballs out of your ears. Like others around here, your lust for the NFL prevents you from making a rational thought on the subject.
    right on with this put the stadium where ever pegula wants( good luck if there is a snow storm in the city) he pays and the nfl. not the taxpayers of the city or EC.. Pegula got a 37 million dollar tax break for his castle harbor center. he is no different than any other owner in the nfl you fund it I take the money to the bank.
    God must love stupid people; He made so many

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