Brian, Brain, Brian. Vhat the Vacker?

[Nicolas II]

Perhaps they should have offered to add some slot machines to the plant's cafeteria....might have paved the way.

[LHardy]

Mouse I am not laying the entire blame on him. I am laying a good deal of it on him though. The man just walked out of negociations with the NYPA. He injected himself into this position by his "visable anger". He fully intends to look into this. He started throwing blame around as if he was a power broker in Washington.
OK, If you are going to talk the talk. Walk the walk! Brian!

As far as a specific entity and no leverage. He seemed to have plenty when negociating the last deal with the NYPA for erie county and Niagara county. Two specific entities.

Albany does not give two , you know whats, about WNY. It is his and our other reps that get the blame. If Brian is going to grab up Media time to show his disgust and anger. He had better do something with it. He has not. If he can help the situation he should close his lips and let someone else tell us about their anger. SSomeone who actually could have done something. Notice we havwe not heard from Renoylds or Slaughter. They know better.
We are Albanys B-AHTCH!

[citymouse]

I haven't heard him making very many comments on this. I did not know he was actively involved in the pursute of this company locating here.
What comments has he made on it? Reynolds and Slaughter have had nothing to say? Even though it is more a part of their respective realms?
As far as the Power Authority deal for Erie county and Buffalo goes he was the only one to raise the issue. He took on some powerful advasaries there too. Probably made some powerful enemies along the way. Patacki for one. Not to keep from repeating myself, but Naples would have stayed status quo on the deal and we would have had a missed opportunity.
All the representatives from the U.S senate down to the county and city legislatures (and the local media) jumped on the band wagon well after Higgins brought the issue to the forefront. An issue that he started bringing up in his early years as a state asemblyman.
I don't know what you expected him to do on the Wacker issue.
The leverage he used to bring the Authority around was the threat of publicity on things like private jets and fleets of cars, forty thousand dollar a year patronage jobs with complete medical coverage and state pensions for tour guides. He also questioned their travel expenses.
Patacki couldn't have this in the spotlight ( The ultimate responsibility falls on him) with his presidential ambitions. They suddenly came around very quickly.
He also got Hevasi to perform an audit. I haven't heard any results yet. I doubt we will. Democrats and republicans in Albany don't want to rock the boat because they need patronage plums like this to perpetuate their power.
Higgins put the ball for reforming the power authority squarely on Albany lawmakers, where it belongs. Give it time. It's not over yet.
In the meantime, as far as Wacker goes we were one of many places in the U.S. and Canada trying to woo Wacker. Power wasn't their only consideration. It's likley we would never have gotten them here no matter what.
To say Higgins failed us because Wacker has chosen not to come here because Albany and the power authority couldn't get their act togather is giving Higgins far more credit than he deserves.

[citymouse]

Originally posted by LHardy
. If he can help the situation he should close his lips and let someone else tell us about their anger. SSomeone who actually could have done something.

I have to ask, who might that be?

[CindyLocklear]

Originally posted by buffy
did anyone see Mark Schroeder on the news? reporter asked HIM what went wrong and why didn't WNY delegation speak up at the State level to voice an opinion for the region...he gave a skirmish smile, shrugged and said "yes, i probably could have done more" ...arggg, go figure

This is exactly what 'fried my chaps' on Saturday. Here are Tokasz, Schroeder, Hoyt, and Peoples, indignantly demanding the sharing of the sales tax over the past ten days, while NYS cavalierly shuns the opportunity to lure new industry and productive jobs to WNY. This was obscene. Wrong priorities, wrong thinking, small thinking. Typical of what we always seem to do wrong here.

Interestingly, not one of them addressed this point when I voiced it at the meeting. Shameful.

Cindy

[crlachepinochet]

Is the issue really dead though? I mean, I know we're off their "short list", but if we came back and offered a better deal, is it really so outlandish to think that we could be put back on the list? Like citymouse said, there are other considerations beside the tax/power deal that they get, but I find it hard to believe that the company would turn down a superior offer if it didn't turn up soon enough. Whatever happened to the stereotypical efficient German?

[LHardy]

This is a dead issue in the eyes of the Germans. This is buisness and buisness doesn't stop for governments. Governments stop buisness.
WNY could come back with a deal. Unfortunately they have not a deal to come back with.
Assume Albany et al, knew they could not afford to let WNY have more cheap electric. If any of the negociators, had better sales skills, they would have presented a counter offer. One that would carry more weight then the electricity issue. What that might be? I would say tax incentive. What else does NYS have as chips?
Not much.
Maybe we never would have obtained a new company and jobs for WNY...... Maybe.

Coming in #5 is not going to cut it. Nor is it OK because "At least we had a chance.".
No! We need to win these deals and not let opportunity pass WNY bye. Simply due to the lack in leadership from the state and local represention.
WNY has to take on Albany if change is going to happen.
It looks more like WNY is using Albany instead to impose higher taxes onto its' people.

These are not good signs!