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Thread: What would it take to dissolve the NFTA?

  1. #1
    Member leftWNYbecauseofBS's Avatar
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    What would it take to dissolve the NFTA?

    Does anyone know? If it can be done, is there a movement to do so.

  2. #2
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    I don't even know why we have an nfta? Is it like another "shadow government" like the power authority and thruway authority?

    All that money to run buses and the airport.

    Did you catch the head of the authority telling us that the deal for water front developement is "very complicated" etc etc..

    Complicated if your only qualfications were scoring the top three on a civil servant test

    Thats a joke... you know... Not to be taken personally by anyone who scored in the top three of a test.

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    You Gotta Be Kidding

    The NFTA, is a politically appointed group of well connected cronies... a MIRRORED IMAGE OF THE E.C WATER AUTHORITY, THE BUFFALO SEWER AUTHORITY, BUFFALO WATER BOARD...should I go on.
    NOW WHERE WOULD ALL THE SUPPORTERS AND HEAVY CONTRIBUTERS TO THE CURRENTLY ELECTED GO?? THERE'S ABOUT A BETTER CHANCE OF YOU WINNING MILLION PLUS LOTTO THAN THESE HEAVIES BEING ABOLISHED!!

  4. #4
    Member leftWNYbecauseofBS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by joe d.
    The NFTA, is a politically appointed group of well connected cronies... a MIRRORED IMAGE OF THE E.C WATER AUTHORITY, THE BUFFALO SEWER AUTHORITY, BUFFALO WATER BOARD...should I go on.
    NOW WHERE WOULD ALL THE SUPPORTERS AND HEAVY CONTRIBUTERS TO THE CURRENTLY ELECTED GO?? THERE'S ABOUT A BETTER CHANCE OF YOU WINNING MILLION PLUS LOTTO THAN THESE HEAVIES BEING ABOLISHED!!

    We all know the odds of something good happening. My question, can it be done. What if there wasn't an NFTA to appoint a cronie to?

    Is there a way?

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    The NFTA, like all authorities, was created by a statute enacted by the state legislature. It can be abolished by another act of the legislature.

    Free Buffalo issued a study calling for the dismantling of all state authorites.

    see, freebuffalo.org

    It's between HUD and the NFTA for worst local government agency and greatest contributor to the decline of Buffalo.

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    Sorry guys, you are WAY wrong on this one. The NFTA is one of the most professionally run organizations you will find, private OR public. The issues I assume you have with them (waterfront development or lack thereof) were not of their management's choosing.

    Besides, who would you want running our transportation system (and Airport security) the elected officials???

  7. #7
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    Could you be a little more specific. And how do you know so much about the NFTA?

  8. #8
    Member leftWNYbecauseofBS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Ostrowski
    The NFTA, like all authorities, was created by a statute enacted by the state legislature. It can be abolished by another act of the legislature.

    Free Buffalo issued a study calling for the dismantling of all state authorites.

    see, freebuffalo.org

    It's between HUD and the NFTA for worst local government agency and greatest contributor to the decline of Buffalo.

    If freebuffalo can take down the NFTA and place it in the hands of the general population, my next question is....

    where do I send a check?

  9. #9
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    Well, I don't know if we can take it down with the current composition of the legislature.

    What I can say is that we have clearly explained why authorities per se are bad and we have used the NFTA as an example of that. They've done many things wrong over a long period of time.

    (My first anti-NFTA piece was published in Business First around 1989.)

    Free New York, Inc.
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    Buffalo, NY 14216

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Ostrowski
    Could you be a little more specific. And how do you know so much about the NFTA?
    I used to do some work for them. Seriously, found their management team to be Extremely conscientious and professional.

    It seemed to me that they were just as frustrated with the waterfront situation, esp. since that wasn't their mission in the first place. Hard to blame that organization since they were the only ones in the last 20 years or better to actually do SOMETHING (Shooters/The Pier). It just didn't work out for the long term. Can't blame NFTA for that if people stopped going there.

    From my perspective, I understand people's negative feelings toward authorities, but if you look at their management teams (Not the politically appointed boards), they are manned with some pretty talented people. Sometimes the "system" created by the politicians bogs them down, but don't discredit them for something they can't control.

    As far as the NFTA, I have since moved on to a human resources position and have used some of the ideas I learned from them in terms of contract negotiation labor relations. They actually created an incentive program with benchmarks to reach certain benefits. This even goes as far as how clean the buses are. If the employees don't do their job to the maximum benchmark, it ends up costing them in the contract. Not a bad system given the current state of affairs in municipal unions.

    Kinda ironic that the Albany politicians are trying to give the NFTA police union binding arbitration (Buffalo News about 3-4 months ago) - See what happens when the politicians get involved.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by LAsurvivor
    I used to do some work for them. Seriously, found their management team to be Extremely conscientious and professional.

    It seemed to me that they were just as frustrated with the waterfront situation, esp. since that wasn't their mission in the first place. Hard to blame that organization since they were the only ones in the last 20 years or better to actually do SOMETHING (Shooters/The Pier). It just didn't work out for the long term. Can't blame NFTA for that if people stopped going there.

    From my perspective, I understand people's negative feelings toward authorities, but if you look at their management teams (Not the politically appointed boards), they are manned with some pretty talented people. Sometimes the "system" created by the politicians bogs them down, but don't discredit them for something they can't control.

    As far as the NFTA, I have since moved on to a human resources position and have used some of the ideas I learned from them in terms of contract negotiation labor relations. They actually created an incentive program with benchmarks to reach certain benefits. This even goes as far as how clean the buses are. If the employees don't do their job to the maximum benchmark, it ends up costing them in the contract. Not a bad system given the current state of affairs in municipal unions.

    Kinda ironic that the Albany politicians are trying to give the NFTA police union binding arbitration (Buffalo News about 3-4 months ago) - See what happens when the politicians get involved.

    All I know is in the 30 years I have been breathing the NFTA has not made the right moves. I live in San Diego and the port authority here has done more in 5.
    I am not attacking the people in the NFTA. All I am saying is if the NFTA can not get the job done, it is time to call in another player.
    Buffalo is so quick to want to change QB's with the Bills but will stick with a looser in policy for years!!!

  12. #12
    Member granpabob's Avatar
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    the harbor is their domain they have all that land and no shipping to use it so why not public use. hint hint beach and park condos in door water park . we dont want blight like we have.
    Buses are run so well they need subsidies sell the busesd and let them go private.
    how many tugs do they have now.
    their sub way goes from no where to no where
    why do we provide private companies a place to do business in the first place should our government provide any private company with everything they need to do business(airports) they want to fly planes let them run the airports. you want to dock your ship rent a peir
    almost all of what the NFTA does could be privately ran cheaper.
    One good thing about growing old is your secrets are safe with your friends they can't remember them either

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    Because the Bills are mainly market driven (except for the socialized statium costs), the NFTA is not. They're a bureaucracy.

    Leave aside the people involved, the NFTA is political becasue that's the nature of authorities. They're unaccountable because that's the nature of authorities. They move like snails because that's the nature of authorities.

    GET RID OF AUTHORITIES!

    Abolish, privatize, or make them part of the democratically-elected executive branch so at least we know who to blame if they screw up.

    I've said a lot more at freebuffalo.org--News Alerts and Policy Reports.

  14. #14
    Member granpabob's Avatar
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    I've said a lot more at freebuffalo.org--News Alerts and Policy Reports.[/QUOTE]

    you say that a lot but who reads free buffalo I dont even read the front page here. just the forums you end too many conversations on this forum with teases to get us to your place .sorry I wont bite this is my home
    One good thing about growing old is your secrets are safe with your friends they can't remember them either

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    You've expressed your opposition to Free Buffalo many times so your post is not surprising.

    I really don't care if you wish to stay in your cacoon. My policy, as I stated on my blog (oops, sorry), is to read, watch, and listen to everything I can.

    I figure that 40% of the population is strongly opposed to us and 60% would be favorably included if they learned more.

    I refer people to the site because I don't want to post extremely long articles on a forum. I think that's obnoxious.

    As for who reads our reports, well, judging from hits, many people do. The Buffalo News does and has favorably commented on them to their audience of a quarter million readers.

    They are frequently linked to on area blogs.

    I posted this on my blog under the title, "My Sources"

    http://blog.jimostrowski.com/?p=224#comments

    I find many people completely shut themselves off from sources of information and opinion they disagree with. I think that’s shooting yourself in the foot. I enjoy hearing the other side. I picked up a socialist paper the other day and found myself in agreement with four or five articles. So, you never know where you’ll find valuable material. Don’t shut yourself off.
    Last edited by Jim Ostrowski; September 2nd, 2006 at 10:55 AM.

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