Paterson Loses Bisons Home Opener

I took my kid to the Buffalo Bisons Home Opener today, where Gov. Paterson was on-hand to throw out the first pitch, along with Sen. Chuck, the Buffalo Mayor and the Erie County Exec. Paterson was unmercifully booed in the pregame ceremony by the largely unemployed crowd (who else can go see a baseball game at 3:00pm on a Thursday). Perhaps Paterson will be the fall guy for the Bisons poor play today and for the remainder of the season. He is, after all, culpable for all bad things that happen to New Yorkers.

Allegany State Park Trees Granted Stay

If a tree falls in the woods and there's nobody around to hear it, does it make a sound? Who cares, as local tree-huggers have successfully blocked the state from entering into commercial logging contracts at Allegany State Park. What on the surface seems to be a victory for the environmentally conscious, actually is another decision counter to the needs of the Southern Tier.

It's an unpopular opinion that state parks and forests are a hindrance to local economies, but the evidence is clear. They lock up tens of thousands of acres, drastically diminishing the potential tax rolls of towns and counties (most do nothing to add to the local economy). Phillips Creek State Forest, in my "neck of the woods," is a mostly unvisited area of 2,709 acres that consumes parts of the towns of Alfred, Ward and West Almond in Allegany County. Here, what was once rolling fields was reseeded in the 1930's to weed trees such as red pine and scotch pine. The original plan for the forest involved careful stewardship, including thinning and selective logging. Unfortunately, since the state wiped the land off of the tax rolls, the trees have been abandoned and left to strangle each other. The end result is an absurd expanse of toothpicks planted very neatly in rows upon rows, as far as the eye can see, appearing nothing like what one would think a forest should.

So now that the state has wrestled land from its rightful owners, environmentalists have blocked them from properly caring for the forests. Commercial contracts would enable the DEC to profit from the appropriate care-taking of state lands. Only two other options remain;: either the state will ignore the health of the forests at Allegany State Park, or the costs of providing such care will be passed on to the people of Cattaraugus County.

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Steuben County: Tammany Hall of the Upstate

Who is Steuben County's Most Notorious Criminal?

Hornell Principal Colleen Argentieri, who has been charged with forging loan applications...

Jim Griffin, Director of the Hornell Industrial Development Agency, who's income has recently come into question through a state audit...

Gary Dye, the Dansville Town Employee accused of crashing a street sweeper while under the influence of alcohol...

or

Steuben County Coroner Michael Powers, accused of supplying his step-son and his friends with a half-keg of beer

Massa Invests in Depressed Real Estate

The Olean Times-Herald reports that Rep. Eric Massa will hold a town hall meeting on Saturday prior to the opening of his Olean district Office. The meeting will take place at John J. Ash Community Center at 10:00am. To read the article, click here.

In addition, Roll Call, the Capital Hill publication that congressmen read in order to see themselves in print, reports that the fight for the 20th district congressional seat will have a direct impact on Massa. Click here to read the article.

As an Aside:

I sent an email to Massa's office three weeks ago requesting to be placed on the mailing list for his press releases and have not received a reply. I'll call tomorrow and post the results.

Cohocton Officials Blow Off Landowners

Cohocton landowners who have leased their land to FirstWind (the windfarm developer) will have to start complaining to someone new. The Cohocton Town Board has announced via press release that they will no longer be answering complaints regarding the wind farm from people who have entered lease agreements with the developer.

The decision primarily stems from the complaints of Hal Graham, who leased his property to FirstWind and has been very vocal, and has filed complaints with the Code Enforcement Officer, the Town Board, state elected officials, and FirstWind itself.

Did Graham honestly believe that the wind turbine(s) placed on his property would play "Bali Ha'i" during the day, remain silent at night, and emit the sweet smell of lavender? Of course not. His best recourse now would be to take his royalties from FirstWind and use them as a down payment for land in Hartsville or Prattsburgh, two towns who are watching the circus in Cohocton unfold very carefully.

Read the Hornell Tribune Article

Dansville Street Sweeper Drunk at the Wheel

The Hornell Evening Tribune reports that a drunk Dansville Town Employee crashed a street sweeper yesterday. Gary Dye, 42, of Fremont, was charged with Driving Under the Influence, Failure to Keep Right and a seatbelt violation. Apparently the sweeper overturned, causing head lacerations to the reveler and sending him to the hospital. I, for one, have never seen a street sweeper travel faster than 2 mph; I'm interested to know exactly how drunk you have to be to flip one over.

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Swain to Close, Town's to Blame

Swain Ski Resort owner Philip Saunders announced today that the operation will close effective immediately. Assets will be liquidated in August unless a suitable buyer is found. In the announcement today, Saunders was quick to criticize the Town of Canaseraga and its voters, claiming that lack of local support was a large contributor to the companies failure.

“I’m done screaming and done complaining. If we are going to get somebody else down here (to operate the resort) it is going to take a new level of cooperation between the town and the school district ... I’ve never been to a town with as many obstacles as there are to overcome than there are in this one,” said Saunders.

Saunders, a very successful businessman, noted that Swain has been operating as a "charity" for years, operating with as much as $600,000/yr in losses. What's really going to be missed is the near $1,000,000 in annual payroll that was paid to county residents, now out of work.

Jamestown Post-Journal "Also-Ran"

In a moment of self-satisfaction, I am happy to report the Post-Journal's follow-up on Southern Tier Politics' initial report on Obama's cigarette tax, a full 18 days after our article!

See the Southern Tier Politics Original

See the Post-Journal Article

Is There Anybody Out There?

I enjoy blogging about politics in the Southern Tier, but to be honest, it's not exactly a hot topic on the internet. The few comments that I've received over the last couple months have given me the incentive to "keep on keepin' on," but they've been few and far between. Even the most avid Southern Tier political pundit needs to feel the comfort of comradery. Therefore, I'm asking those who view this site to, please, give your opinion, either encouraging or disparaging. Please, pretty please, provide your input! Thanks for your time.

Sincerely:

The Editor

Hornell Principal 'One-Ups' Coroner

Hornell Intermediate School Principal Colleen Argentieri hates being outdone, especially by the Steuben County Coroner. So she found a crime of her own to steal some of Coroner Micheal Powers' thunder. Powers' measly misdemeanor charges can't compare to the Principal's two felony counts.

Argentieri was charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument. The Hornell Police Department claims that she forged co-signee signatures on three private loans, using the school's fax machine to perpetrate the crime.

Read the Article

Steuben County Coroner Throws Son Under the Bus

Steuben County Coroner Michael Powers has responded to his arrest for unlawfully dealing with a child on Thursday. The Steuben County Sheriff's Office alleges that Powers bought a keg of beer at Wegmans in Hornell, then pulled the old 'switcheroo', trading the car with the keg to his stepson in the parking lot with another car.

Powers claims that he didn't want the keg left in his parked car while he was attending the Hornell Police Officer’s Ball, so his stepson took it back to the house and left it on the porch. From that location it was stolen (but was found later at the coroner's cabin with the stepson and the other delinquents).

The Sheriff's Office has Powers dead to rights (note pun). One would think that someone with the education of a coroner would be able to contrive a more feasible story. Alas, Powers studies were predominantly focused on determining whether or not a person is dead (a skill I might note most people can attain without a college education).

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City of Jamestown Hates Dogs, Loves Cats

City of Jamestown officials have announced a new code limiting the number of pets allowed in households, according to the Jamestown Post-Journal. The code states that in one and two-family homes, the maximum number of dogs allowed is three. At multi-family dwellings the maximum number of dogs allowed is one per apartment. There is no mention of cats, however, who apparently are free to multiply at their own discretion.

The new law stems from a recent incident in the city in which a dead dog was found under a car at a residence containing eight other dogs. City officials recognized that only dogs living with lots of other dogs die under cars. They swiftly enacted the new code, hence preventing the deaths of hundreds of city dogs.

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Steuben County Coroner Buys the Booze

Who says coroners don't know how to party? The Corning Leader reports that Steuben County Coroner Michael Powers was arrested on Misdemeanor unlawfully dealing with a child charges following an underage drinking party at his cabin in Canisteo. Twelve hoodlums were also charged with underage drinking following the soiree. Investigators believe that Powers provided a half-keg of beer to the revelers, who ranged in age from 15- 19.

Read the Article

Now Where Do I Default?

In national news, the Federal Reserve detailed the purchase of 1 trillion dollars in toxic assets today, leading many American homeowners to ponder, "Now where do I fail to send my payments?"

Corning Official Sighs, Rolls Eyes

In a subtle display of contempt, Corning City Council member Betty Coccho rolled her eyes at Mayor Tom Reed Saturday morning. The Mayor, who doesn't let a single detail escape his keen eye, exclaimed with certainty, “I just saw you roll your eyes!"

Coccho was indeed "busted".

That was the highlight of the recent Corning City Council meeting on March 21st, which in essence rehashed the absurdities of the last few months. Bickering ensued regarding the ridiculous illegal alien proposal (see 'Corning City Staff to Think About Things') and the Council's failed self-evaluations (see 'Evaluations Don't Add Up').

Coccho has already announced plans to snicker, sigh audibly, and slouch in her chair at the next month's meeting, and Reed, no doubt, will be ready to call her out.

NYS Stimulus Dollars in Black and White (and Green)

For those interested, Governor Paterson has provided the people with a very detailed explanation of the stimulus funds and how they are to be allocated. Known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Handbook, it details all potential recipients with specific requirements for funding and contact information. The handbook is divided into eight sections, (translations in parentheses):

1. Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA and Related Agencies (guaranteed loans for bad business plans and dilapidated housing)
   
2. Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (research funding to determine which came first, chicken or egg)
   
3. Energy and Water Development (new windows for the house that you bought through funds from #1)
   
4. Homeland Security (new firetrucks)
   
5. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (NEA funding can be found here)
   
6. Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (funding for free clinics in NYC)
   
7. Health Information Technology (health care research funding)

Click here to read the Article
Click here to see the State's stimulus website

Paterson to Speak at Alfred University

Alfred University has announced the Governor David Paterson has agreed to deliver the commencement address at Alfred University on May 16th. The event is to be held at 10:00am in McLane Center. Pundits believe that the site was chosen for its ability to house a large angry mob, high ceilings for launching rotten vegetables at the podium, and double doors for easy entry and exit with pitchforks and torches.

NYSDOT: Most Bridges Safe to Cross

The NYS Department of Transportation recently released its list of deficient bridges in Allegany County. Of the 420 bridges in the County, eighty are rated as "structurally deficient" and twenty are classified as "functionally obsolete". That's an increase of 13% over last year, when 71 bridges were cursed with the "structurally deficient" label. For those commuters willing to alter their route, Allegany County's worst bridge is over the north branch of Philips Creek on State Route 244 (Town of Amity). For those who aren't willing to detour, don't say you weren't warned.

Obama Taxes the Poor

President Obama's plan to increase taxes on people earning over $250,000 annually has expanded to the everyman. Federal taxes on tobacco products will be raised across the board, including everything from Camel Lights to "roll your own" loose tobacco. Also taxed are the papers used to roll your cigarettes, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, and tubes used to roll filtered cigarettes.

Its widely known that cigarette taxes, similar to state lotteries, are a tax upon the poor. The Centers for Disease Control reports that one-third of lower-income adults smoke versus one-fifth of middle- and high-income earners. In addition, the Master Settlement Agreement, reached between the tobacco companies and 46 states, dealt big tobacco a $200 billion blow, 90% of which has been passed onto consumers.

It's easy for Obama to justify the new tax on the poor, because its for the children. The increased taxes are part of the "Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009," which expands childrens' health insurance coverage for moderate (read 'middle') income families. Unfortunately, as consumers' buying habits change to adjust for the increased expense of smoking (I've switched to a pipe), the revenue won't meet expectations and all taxpayers will be required to foot the bill by more traditional means.

Thanks to the National Center for Policy Analysis, and Cigarette Smoker News.

Massa and Hogan: St. Paticks Day Grinches

U.S. Representative Eric Massa and Mayor Shawn Hogan were among the participants of the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Hornell today. I brought my children (ages 2 and 5) early and found a prime location along the route for candy collection. Despite the generosity of most of the parade participants, Massa and Hogan failed to give candy to my children (or anyone else for that matter). One of Massa's cronies did hand me a political flyer, but when I tried to eat it, I found it to be somewhat dry and not very sweet at all.

BOTTOMS UP: Paterson Won't Tax your Fanta

Governor Patterson, in the midst of a whirlwind "Town Hall Meeting" tour of New York's forgotten districts, announced today that funds from the federal stimulus package will negate the need for so-called "obesity taxes" and similar taxes and fees proposed in Albany. That means that soda, gym memberships, ski lift tickets, haircuts etc. will not be subjected to Albany's heavy hand.

This should make everyone happy. Not the health care and teachers unions, which are reported to view the move as a direct attack on their interests. Any monies from the stimulus package used to counteract additional taxes and fees are monies not used to sustain excessive health care and education services.

New York State's predicament is similar to that of the domestic auto industry, which is being crippled by union contracts , pensions, lobbyists et al. Toyota, a company who's workers are not union organized, seem nearly immune to the catastrophic "end-of-the-world" scenario that GM, Ford and Chrysler are facing.

Paterson's approval ratings have dropped to near record lows due to the proposal of these so-called "obesity taxes" and fees. Now that he has reversed his stance, he has drawn the ire of the overbearing and unfairly influential health care and teachers unions. The irony is that the only people that could have afforded such taxes and fees are those workers fortunate enough to be members of such influential unions.

As Reported by the Albany Times-Union.

Read the Article

Spitzer Crony Won't Attend Kangaroo Court

The Albany Times-Union reports that former Eliot Spitzer Communications Director Darren Dopp has refused to attend his own hearing, conducted by the Commission on Public Integrity. Instead, Dopp wants his case to be transferred to civil court.

"I have concluded that it is simply not possible to receive a fair hearing from this commission,'' Dopp claimed, adding that the Commission wanted him to sign a confidentiality agreement prior to testifying, and that he would be disallowed from providing his own evidence to the Commission.

If you're wondering what the Commission on Public Integrity is, check out their site. Their mission statement reads, "The Commission... is charged with administering and enforcing the State's ethics and lobbying laws as well as the State's anti-nepotism law and laws pertaining to certain political activities and improper influence. The Commission has 55 full-time employees and a proposed 2009 budget of $5.1 million.

Read the Article

Buffalo News Admits "Ultimate" Screw-Up

The Buffalo News is retracting its story on Carl "The Rezmanian Devil" Kettle, who in a hard-hitting piece of un-news was not arrested this weekend in Salamanca and did not kick a police officer in the head causing him to lose consciousness. In addition, he did not urinate publicly and did not flee police prior to his non-existent arrest. These actions can be attributed to another ultimate fighter that shares his name.

The Buffalo News has removed the original erroneous article blaming the "Devil" from its site, as has WIVB, which piggybacked on the story. Undoubtedly, attorneys for the newspaper are waiting with bated breath to see how pissed "The Rezmanian Devil" is over this thing.

Matthew R. Swenson, attorney for the misidentified Kettle, described his client's embarrassment and humiliation over the incident.

“For the record, Mr. Kettle is a loving and dedicated husband and father, who never would use his martial arts training outside of the ring,” Swenson said in a statement.

What's most frightening is that there are two ultimate fighters in the town named Carl. L. Kettle, which begs the question: How many self-taught killing machines are there walking the streets of Salamanca? No matter, "The Rezmanian Devil" is almost certain to make more money on this bit of good fortune than he ever will in the ultimate fighting ring.

Read the Article

Albany Hoarding Income Tax Returns

The Albany Times-Union reports that over 400,000 state income tax returns have been slowed, due to new state screening processes. At this time last year, over 1,800,000 returns had been mailed, compared to less than 1,400,000 this year. Officials blame the fact that the IRS started their process one week late this year, coupled with a new technology that spots irregularities in returns.

Officials deny that the state is holding onto the money for increased revenue, as other states have done this year. So, if you haven't received your return yet, please be patient, as the State tries to find a reason to keep your hard-earned money.

Read the Article

Fredonia Voters Send Message in Village Election

The Dunkirk Observer reports on the recent Fredonia Village Board elections. "In" are newcomers Adam Brown and Thomas Brown II, "out" are has-beens Michael Vinciguerra and Trustee Michelle Twichell. The result is a definitive democratic majority (4-1) on the Board, leaving Mayor Sullivan the sole republican. The newly elected officials espoused the democrats typical "Change" rhetoric, while the losers expressed sad and sorry "the voters have spoken" ponders.

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New York State: High Speed Rail to Nowhere

The media outlets were littered with articles regarding the proposed high speed rail between Niagara Falls and Albany. At a cost of over $10 billion, one wonders if now is the right time to be investigating the idea. For the sake of simplifying my opinion, here's a virtual tour of your future trip on the "Erie Canal Express":

Start in Niagara Falls...



...then a brief layover in Buffalo...



...followed by a stop in Rochester...



...and Syracuse...



...until you reach your destination, Albany:

Reason #245 to Oppose Wind Farms

A wind farm tower in Altona, New York collapsed on Friday, forcing Noble Environmental Power officials to shut down the entire farm. There were no reports of injuries and the cause is yet unknown (but I suspect high winds). Nearby residents report hearing what sounded like a loud explosion around 9:30am. Courtesy of the Associated Press.

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Mayor Shawn Hogan: Hornell to Lower Taxes

City of Hornell property taxes are projected to decrease this year by 4/10's of a penny per $1,000 assessed value. If that sounds minuscule think of it this way: property taxes on a $50,000 home in the city will drop from $590.20 to $590.00; that's a decrease of twenty cents, folks.

Before Hornell residents pop the champagne, they should heed Mayor Shawn Hogan's warning:

"Don’t kid yourself. We’re going to make it up somewhere."

Oh, well.

Read the Article

VACANCY: Great Valley Residential Center

The Olean Times-Herald reports on the fiscal black hole known as the Great Valley Residential Center (see earlier post "State Supports Youth Center Closings"). According to the article, the center hasn't seen a resident in five months. All the while the center chews away at an annual budget of $1,700,000. How could one possibly justify such a huge expense for such an underutilized facility? Blame the state. Darcy Wells, public relations director for the New York State Public Employees Federation, cries foul:

''We feel strongly that OCFS (Office of Child and Family Services) deliberately emptied the facilities now proposed to close in order to point at them, empty, and declare that it's a waste of taxpayer dollars."

As a compromise, the state could close the facility and continue to pay the employees to do nothing. After all, if there are 10 full-time employees, and we pay them hush money of $50,000/yr., the County would save $1,200,000 annually, and the employees could sit at home and watch soaps all day. Its a "win-win".

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Jim Bacalles: Druggies "Have to Hit Rock Bottom"

Assemblyman Jim Bacalles voted against a measure to soften the infamous Rockefeller Drug Laws this week, claiming that drug offenders will always choose to undergo treatment vs. serving jail time if given the option. He pondered, "If the choice is 5 to 10 years in prison or going into treatment, which one are they going to choose?"

He continued, “Everything I have been told by alcohol and substance abuse people ... It’s the person who has the problem. They have to say, ‘I have a problem.' They have to hit rock bottom.”

Of course he's right, but he cites no statistics that indicate incarceration is a more successful tool against recidivism than treatment, and the cost savings of treatment compared to a jail cot and three squares-a-day are obvious.

Read the Article

Paterson and Seneca Nation Meet

Representatives from the Seneca Nation met with Governor Paterson in Amherst yesterday. The meeting lasted 30 minutes and sounded very productive, as the two sides spent the entire time talking about future meetings. In a statement made by the Nation's Foreign Relations Committee:

"We had a positive discussion with the governor and we agreed to meet again. We've set up a process to arrange those future meetings. The governor's willingness to meet with us is a continuing recognition of our treaty and sovereign rights."

Read the Article

Wind Farm Developer Threatens Lawsuit

Prasttsburgh officials denied a building permit to EcoGen, a wind farm developer trying to start a project in the town. This move follows in the footprints of the Town of Hartsville, which just set a one-year moratorium on development by E.ON. in their town. Both of these moves have everything to do with recent complaints from Cohocton residents, who have been describing the noise generated from their new turbines as "unbearable" and "like a jet engine".

EcoGen claims that the permitting process is actually just a courtesy and not required by law. John Leyden, Prattsburg Town Attorney, claimed that EcoGen wanted the permit (or a permit waiver) at the conclusion of the Town meeting, otherwise they would file suit against the town. That's not exactly the way to gain favor with the town's residents.

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Salamanca's Future Revealed

How did I get here? Why am I here? What happened to all of my money? These are all questions that people will be asking if they attend this weekends psychic fair at the Dudley Hotel. Admission is free, but readings are $40.00. The event is getting lots of ink at the Salamanca Press and is even endorsed by the Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce.

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Creepy Man Scares Local Elematary Students

Actually, it's Olean Mayor David Carucci reading to students at East View Elementary. The visit was part of the nationwide celebration of Dr. Seuss' 105th birthday. Thanks to the Olean Times-Herald for the pic.

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Allegany County Hike and Bike Trail Proposed

Tyler Briggs of the Olean Times Herald reports on a proposed 'Hike and Bike' trail along the Genesee River in Allegany County. The Allegany County Chamber of Commerce along with the Allegany County Soil and Water Conservation District call the idea the Genesee Wilds Project. Construction couldn't start soon enough for County residents, who expect to have their vehicles repossessed any day now, and will need the trail system to get back and forth from the jobs that they expect to lose.

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Justice William MacCrea Interview: Part I

Yesterday I interviewed former Town of Alfred Justice William MacCrea at his home. MacCrea served the Town for 18 years, following a long career as an art teacher at Andover Central School. He was born in Niagara Falls, NY and moved to the Southern Tier early in his childhood, where he has remained on the same farm ever since. The transcription is long for the interview, so I'm going to break it up into three or four separate posts. Questions are in bold.

What personal qualities are required to be a sound judge?

He believes in the law. He believes in the majesty of the law; that our system of law is a good system. And that it is in place to defend those who cannot defend themselves. A judge should not utilize the law as a means of pushing his own agenda, in fact, a judge should determine ahead of time that he/she has to divorce him/herself from any wish for, or hope for, any given outcome. In other words, you utilize the law, you listen to testimony, you look at evidentiary material, and on the basis of law and presedent, you render a decision irrespective of what you personally believe.

Have you ever had a person that you convicted confront you on the street?
Yes.

What were the circumstances?

He was a big black kid and I threw him in jail for a couple of months. He approached me and he said, "Judge, is that you, m'man?" And he said to his buddy, "this is the Judge that put me in jail." He was laughing.

And that's it?

That's it.

How many decisions did you have overturned on appeal?

None. I had several appeals and I never had one decision overturned.

Whats the biggest problem with the NYS court system from a village justice's point of view?

I think the biggest problem in the state court system is that the courts have allowed too many agencies to have too much say, too much intrusion into the courts.

Such as?

Such as the Mothers Against Drunk Driving, who pressure judges to send the convicted before what they call 'Victim Impact Panels', which is nothing more than putting a person's wrists and head in a pillory in a public square. It has nothing to do with justice, justice has already been done. Turning people over to the scrutiny of these self-righteous people does nothing, absolutely nothing.

The fact that the SPCA, here a judge guards people's rights, you can't go onto a person's property without a warrant. But the SPCA, because they've won favor, can come into somebody's backyard, and seize their animal because they notice that their dog dish is empty of water.

Don't you empathize with the victims that are represented by these groups?

It isn't a question of whether or not I empathize with them. A judge has to uphold the law. No, its not my place to empathize with anyone. I uphold the law. And therefore people who drag parents into court because they belted their rebellious teenager across the ass, who are these people that are rewriting laws?

The Department of Motor Vehicles, they don't need a court, they've already determined who's guilty. They set up their own fines. Judges are required to meet out the fines that the Department of Motor Vehicles has set forth. This is not justice. That is not a judiciary job, all we (judges) are then is tax collectors. And I tell them, "Get screwed." No, a judge shouldn't work for the Department of Motor Vehicles. Let them uphold their own laws.

Senators' Earmark Stats Released

According to the NY Post, Senator Byrd of West Virginia "took home the bacon" in the presidents Economic Reinvestment and Recovery Act, adding $123,000,000 in earmarks for his state. Chuck Schumer came in at number nineteen on the list with 37 separate earmarks totaling nearly $22,000,000.

Click here to see the article
Click here to see the full report (Excel Format)

Fredonia Trustees Talk Pay Cuts

This morning, Michael Rukavina of the Dunkirk Observer reported on last night Village Trustees' Meeting. Other than the usual boring agenda, Trustee Susan Mackay proposed that the board consider a pay reduction, either in salary or in their travel expense budgets. Currently, board members receive $5,500 annually with $600 in travel expences. Mayor Michael Sullivan appreciated the gesture, but not wanting to be outdone, stated that if any pay was to be cut, it should be the Mayor's.

He announced, "Sue is sincere. She sees state officials being called to take a cut in pay and everyone has a cut, everyone has to give a little and I think it's a sincere thing if there's some way of making a showing. The bigger problem is how many elected officials do we need in the village and town serving everybody? If we really want to make a real show we should start having meetings to move forward with a coterminous town and village or something larger. To ask people who are already doing a job where they're having to leave their families, having to leave other job options that they would have, to spend time during the week to do trustees work ... you don't want to discourage people from getting involved."

For those who don't know (I had to look it up), coterminous means 'having the same border or covering the same area' according to dictionary.com.

Its no surprise that there's an election to be held in Fredonia next week.

SUNY Payroll Seems Fair

In these hard economic times, its good to know that some people are doing okay.

Over three-hundred SUNY employees are paid in excess of $200,000/year according to the Albany Times Union searchable state payroll database. At the top of the list is Steven L. Strongwater, CEO of Stony Brook University Medical Center, who pulls in a tidy $723,010.00 annually.

SUNY Fredonia has 27 employees who make over $100,000/year (very few of them professors). SUNY Alfred has 11 employees who meet the same qualifications, including Alfred Mayor Craig Clark, who doubles as a professor at the college.

Explore the Database

Gillibrand Turns In NRA Card

In her first opportunity to express her "hunters' rights" stance, new U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand accidentally pulled the wrong lever. The Senator, along with thirty-five other detractors, voted against a recent proposal that would limit the District of Columbia's ability to enact gun legislation. The same measure would remove the semi-automatic gun ban and remove gun registration requirements. According to her spokesman, Matt Cantor, "As she has said before, Sen. Gillibrand believes that local governments have a right to place reasonable restrictions on firearms." Obviously once Gillibrand's constituency expanded to the downstate, her politics followed suit.

Read the Albany Times-Union Article

Police Brutality in Jamestown?

Kristen Johnson of the Jamestown Post-Journal reports that the Jamestown City Council has voted in favor of a pay raise for the Kendall Club Police Benevolent Association. The raise comes in the form of a 3% retroactive increase for 2008 and an additional 3% increase for 2009. The contract was passed in order to avoid arbitration which, city officials claim, would almost certainly end in an even higher pay increase for the officers.

The City Council no doubt feels bullied. Binding arbitration is a union's best friend that keeps local officials powerless to control spending, despite outside factors such as budget shortfalls and economic slides.

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Know Your County Legislators: David Pullen

David Pullen is a Republican serving Allegany County District I (Angelica, Belfast, Caneadea, Centerville, Granger, Hume, Rushford). His term, along with all other Allegany County Legislators, expires at the end of 2009. His answers to the email questionnaire rest below:

Where were you born/raised?

I was born in Paterson, NJ, and lived there until I was 10. My family then moved to Blue Point, NY, which is on Long Island. I lived there until I came to college at Houghton College, in Allegany County, NY. This has been home for me ever since, now more than 40 years.

When does your term expire?

My term expires on December 31, 2009.

Do you intend to run for reelection?

At present I am tentatively planning on running for re-election. However, that depends in part on how the economy goes over the next few months. I typically spend between 30 and 40 hours per week on County Legislator duties. That is time that I must take away from the business that I run to support myself and my family. If the economy continues to slide I may have to re-direct my time towards supporting my family.

What is the greatest challenge facing Allegany County today?

Economic development. It would be easy to say that the primary challenge is high taxes. That is certainly a major issue. However, it is my position that the only way we can accomplish a reduction of taxes is through increasing economic activity. I strongly support development of the "Crossroads" area where I-86 and Route 19 intersect. If we can increase the amount of money we collect from Sales Tax we could reduce real property taxes. If new businesses locate in the County they could help absorb some of the burden from homeowners. In addition, reducing operating costs for County government is a major concern. I have attended Union contract negotiations for two years in an effort to seek change and relief on some of the fringe benefits that County employees receive, that most of our residents and taxpayers do not receive from their employment. Those are some major areas of concern and challenge.

Do you approve of Governor Paterson's proposed State Budget and why?

No, I do not approve of it. He has indicated that he is trying to cut the budget to cover the deficit that exceeds $15 billion. However, he and the Legislative leaders then insist that neither Medicaid, Welfare costs nor education can be touched. Our budget has exceeded $120 billion for several years. Our problem is not inadequate funding. The problem is excessive and out of control spending. The proposed budget creates over 100 new taxes and charges. It will simply drive more residents and businesses out of NYS.

Gov. Paterson Buys New Lawn Furniture

Expenses at the Governor's Executive Mansion jumped 14% last year, according to a NY Post article. This is compared to a similar time frame under Eliot Spitzer's reign. Paterson has purchased new linens, wine glasses, lawn furniture and Turkish rugs, with household expenses topping $60,000 in the last nine months. Thanks to The Empire Page for the link.

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Hartsville Board Blocks Windmill Project

Bob Clark of the Hornell Evening Tribune reports that the Hartsville Town Board has issued a moratorium on any wind project development. The move is a sound one by the Board, who have now ensured that German developer E.ON doesn't circumvent the town's interests in the project.

E.ON has prepared and presented a draft Environmental Impact Study and presented it to the Board. The one year moratorium will provide the Board and the Town's residents ample time to review the study. Also of concern, the Board noted, were the possible ramifications of property value drops due to wind farm construction.

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Wellsville Officials Assess Citizen Incompetence

Due to the resignation of Wellsville School Board member Everet Dale Anderson, the Board is requesting applications from those residents interested in filling the vacancy for the remainder of the school year. According to a press release, qualified applicants must be, "a citizen of the United States, at least 18 years old and not judged to be an incompetent. A person must also have been a resident (but not necessarily a taxpayer) of the district for an uninterrupted period of at least one year immediately before election."

Courtesy of the Wellsville Daily Reporter

Chautauqua Exec. Presents State of the County

Chautauqua County Executive Greg Edwards, fresh from President Obama's two week seminar in the Poconos titled, "How to Inspire People Without Providing any Details or Substance" delivered his State of the County address yesterday in Mayville. Most of his speech focused on the great triumphs of 2008, such as the advancement of the idea that the County might think about considering the possibility of opening a proposed Methane Fired Generator, maybe.

Courtesy of the Jamestown Post-Journal.

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