Thruway Authority Pulls Funding for Another WNY Project
Higgins Says: “…for the good of the public we have no choice but to abolish the New York State Thruway Authority…”
“Today I learned that the New York State Thruway Authority is again turning its back on Western New York by rescinding funding for a $45 million project planned for Grand Island, New York and transferring money promised to this region to another downstate project.
The Thruway Authority justified their 2005 toll increase with the need to fund several local projects including the one planned for Grand Island. This represents a disturbing pattern of promises made and promises broken by the Authority. Between 2007 and 2010 the Authority will fall $200 million short in promised projects in the Thruway’s Buffalo Division. (see attached chart)
This public Authority has used their absolute power to impose an astonishing 45% increase in tolls in just five years. We have put up with the Authority’s alarming trend of mismanagement and deception for far too long. Fortunately, we already have a state agency charged with managing our roadways, which makes the Thruway Authority redundant and unnecessary. It is clear that for the good of the public we have no choice but to abolish the Thruway Authority and move operation of the Thruway to the New York State Department of Transportation, an agency that is more publicly accountable than the Thruway Authority.
Local residents can’t afford business as usual at the Authority, and if they won’t change their deceptive ways, they have to go. New Yorkers deserve Thruway oversight that is transparent and accountable.”
Twists in Chain of Supplies for Blood Drug
A worker cleaned pig intestines in Xinwangzhuang, a Chinese village. Lining from the itestines is processed into crude heparin.
OH BROTHER! It’s another issue that has it’s base in China. Look at that photo. Is that how you want your medication to begin?
“With reports of more than 400 patients in the United States suffering serious complications after receiving the blood-thinner heparin, American investigators are trying to determine whether the raw material for the drug, made from pig intestines, became contaminated on the journey that begins in the slaughterhouses of China.”
[read whole story]
Mine Water Poses Danger of a Toxic Gusher
I suppose it could be worse. We could live in Leadville Colorado. There the residents are waiting for the contaminated water to burst through the dam in the mine tunnel and wash their homes away. The area looks safe, but the hidden dangers are there.
The dangers of lead are the same for us as they are for the citizens of Leadville.
“Lake County, Colo., officials declared a state of emergency over concerns that contaminated water could burst from the Leadville Mine Drainage Tunnel and flood the town.”
“In a snowswept trailer park, Emily Medina wakes each morning wondering whether she will be washed away by toxic water that local officials fear could burst from a decaying mine tunnel near her home.”
[read whole story]
Benderson’s Shooting Club Rezoning Request In Trouble
The March 3rd Town Board meeting was when the controversial vote concerning rezoning of the Benderson owned shooting club property was to take place. This has changed due to the differences between the latest traffic study report and the first report that had been submitted.
The latest report was done by an independent group while the original was done by the Benderson Development Corp.
Maverick Website Award
This past Friday Amherst’s own web site, The Amhersttimes.com, was awarded the top Maverick website in NYS with the best local articles concerning Amherst, NY.
The award was presented by the staff of the Amhersttimes.
Supervisor Mohan Switched To The Democratic Party
Supervisor Mohan Clears Up Some Reasons Why He Switched Political Parties
Supervisor Mohan’s decision to switch political parties, from Republican to Democrat, was based on his recognition of the reality that the Republican party has become the party of special interest groups and not of all the people of Amherst.
Mohan stated he had become disillusioned with his Republican controlled Town Board which has been ineffective working with him. He has said many times that working with Democrat Dan Ward had been productive because Dan does have the interest of the people at heart and is an honorable man.
Contrary to the Buffalo News reports which had often said Council member Ward was a road block to Supervisor’s plans, Mohan feels these articles were mainly written to sell papers. Satish has said Dan stands his ground and fights hard for what he believes. Dr. Mohan has made it clear he enjoys working with individuals like Dan Ward who care for the people of Amherst.
Supervisor Mohan knows there have been times when the three Democrats on the Town Board have voted against his choices in running Amherst but without Dan Ward, Mark Manna and Debbie Bucki’s opposition, the views of the minority party wouldn’t have been expressed at all.
Dr. Mohan is excited to be working with the Democrats and to get the Town on track again.
Democrat Darrel Aubertime Beat Republican Will Barclay for the 48th District seat in the State Senate.
Watertown, NY
Republican Will Barclay has lost his race against Democrat Darrel Aubertine for the 48th District 48th NYS Senate. There now is an excellent chance the Democrats can gain control of the State Senate.
The count in our State Senate is now 32 Republicans to 30 Democrats. Should the Democrats win one more seat, there would be a tie at 31 each, which means our Democratic Lt. Gov. Patterson would vote to break a tie.
BREAKING NEWS!
Amherst Town Supervisor Satish Mohan is going to officially switch political parties tomorrow. He will change from Republican to Democrat. Wonder why? We thnk we know and will fill you in ASAP.
Jon Powers Seems To Be Spoiling For A Fight
The following article is from PoliticsNY.net- Editor J.Illuzzi
26th Congressional District candidate Jon Powers’ campaign released this statement, claiming that Mr. Reynolds is now enmeshed in his “second scandal in as many elections.”
“Roll Call Newspaper reported yesterday that the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) stopped conducting independent audits of its finances the same year that Tom Reynolds took the helm as the Chairman of the organization. Reynolds released a statement saying that, “It was my understanding that throughout my tenure as NRCC Chairman audits were performed on a regular basis. At no point in time were any red flags raised about those audits. It now appears over an extended period of time a long-serving professional staff member may have put together an elaborate scheme resulting in financial irregularities that are currently under review. I fully support this investigation in an attempt to uncover the truth.”
“The facts are not on Mr. Reynolds’ side. A cursory look at the NRCC filings show that from 2001-2003 the NRCC under Rep. Tom Davis spent $64,000 on various accounting expenses, including audits by Deloitte & Touche. During Tom Reynolds’ tenure the NRCC’s only expense to Deloitte & Touche was for $2,000 and not one payment was logged as audit expenses during the entire time period. Roll Call reports that Republican sources say that the committee has not had an audit since 2003.
“Fiscal irresponsibility aside, this lack of oversight raises several questions with regard to criminal conduct. Generally, lenders will request an audit before granting loans. The NRCC received $11,000,000 in loans during Tom Reynolds’ tenure and there is currently an FBI investigation as to whether audits were conducted and if the NRCC, under Reynolds’ leadership, presented fraudulent material in order to obtain loans.
“This is not the first time Reynolds has attempted to abscond from a scandal by blaming others. In 2006, Congressman Mark Foley attempted to engage in pedophilia with a 16 year old congressional page. Instead of taking action when he heard about “odd, but not explicit” emails (as Reynolds, himself, described them in his 2006 TV ad) from a congressman to a 16 year old boy, Reynolds casually passed the information along to “his supervisor,” then House Speaker Dennis Hastert. “With the Foley scandal Tom blamed his supervisor and with the NRCC scandal, Tom is blaming his subordinate? Does Tom Reynolds ever accept responsibility for his poor leadership or does he just pass the buck?” stated Powers for Congress Campaign Manager, John Gerken. “Western New Yorkers deserve better than this. They deserve real leadership and accountability in Washington, DC, not a Congressman embroiled in scandal.”
Town Board Meeting Notes From 2/25/08
The most notable part of Monday’s Town Board meeting was the restraint of the members of the Fairways group, who are fighting to stop Benderson from building on the lead contaminated Gun Club property on Maple Rd.
The Fairways group contacted several people and groups who wanted to speak on this subject and asked them not to because history has shown long lines of people saying the same thing become destructive to a cause, not helpful.
One of Amherst’s most respected citizens, Peter Warm, said he hasn’t seen our town so united in one cause in years, working to protect a neighborhood from being turned into another Niagara Falls Boulevard.
There was a discussion on cutting the Town Board down from six to four members. This was defeated six to one. The most profound statement made during this particular debate came from freshman Council member Mark Manna who said, “What the public wants is fewer bad decisions by their politicians, not fewer politicians”. Most of the other remarks were what you always hear when one’s own job is in jeopardy.
The preferred ice fees at our Pepsi Center was raised by $10.00 per hour and non-preferred ice time was increased by $5.00 per hour. These prices will be effective beginning September 1st.
The Highway Department is in the process of purchasing equipment which will be able to plow the sidewalks along Sheridan Drive and other troublesome areas of the town.
The Board continues to work on the Rules of Order for Town Board meetings.
