Double Standard

[Deerhunter]

Why is there such a double standard regarding the City and the County control boards ? Bflo's control board was "hard" when it came into existance. The Counties is soft, and seems to want to remain that way, giving County leaders 4 chances to craft a budget on their own. The City was never given any opportunity to do any of this. I wonder if it is because Pataki is Republican, as is Giambra. And he saw it as a way to punish the Democratic City ? I just don't get it.

[buffy]

the days of Patacki helping Giambra are over, still, I've wondered the same thing

[Townsfolk]

A hard control board for Erie County is in fact fast approaching. In order to balance the budget, without raising taxes/user fees, the legislature knows they need to cut back on borrowing, cut back on capital improvement projects, implement layoffs, freeze wages, cut back on funding to the social service and cultural agencies, just to name a few. It has to be done and they know it, but they don't have the will. The legislature will gain political cover when the control board can implement all these cost saving intitatives. The legislature can then place all the blame on the control board. Therefore, the legislature (Marinelli in particular) will not do anything at this point. Neither will Giambra or Hartman. The control board keeps giving Giambra and the legislature more chances to come up with cost saving initiatives and a budget so that when they do go hard, they can cover themselves by blaming Giambra and the legislature for not doing their jobs.

[citymouse]

You guy's still haven't caught on. The Buffalo control board, first one in the history of New York State to come in empty handed, was created in the twilight of the Masiello Administration.
It was an attempt by the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, with Patacki's blessing, to keep control of city goverment out of the hands of Byron Brown and company. As soon as it became apparentt a few years back that brown was going to be your next mayor and the partnership lackey Masiello planned to drop out because he knew he could not win, the control board became a reality.
One of it's main objectives is to keep control of the cities destiny out of the hands of the people it effects most.
Suttle Racism is the reason for your double standard.

[crlachepinochet]

What is an empty-handed control board?

[citymouse]

What is an empty-handed control board?

One that comes with no funding. No state aid. Buffalo was the first. In other cases tne control board came in with state aid to get the local goverment on it's feet and balance the budget. Then the Cb would approve or veto all future budgeting and spending to create a long term fiscal plan for continued solvency.
That was not the case, for the first time in NY history.