The Best Of The Lot of Republicans For Congress:
Anthony Baynes is the best choice for Republicans to run for Reynolds’ seat in Congress.
Puzzlers and Memory Question Bit Hit
I’m very pleased with the response of readers to the memory and puzzler questions posted on my site. There have been 72 responses so far.
The answers well posted by 9:00 pm tonight.
Thank you for your interst.
Congressman Higgins Testifies at Public Hearing on Proposed Toll Increase
Higgins Cites Underreporting of Federal Revenue, Failed Promises on WNY Construction in His Argument
BUFFALO, NY – At a public hearing of the New York State Thruway Authority Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) provided testimony opposing proposed toll increases along the New York State Thruway. The Congressman discussed findings included in State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s recent audit and unfulfilled promises on construction in Western New York in his remarks at the hearing.
“The Thruway Authority is playing a disturbing numbers game,” said Congressman Higgins, a member of the House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “They deceptively tell the public they need more tolls to fill budget holes they have created by failing to provide reasonable assumptions for federal revenue.”
According to the audit recently released by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, even by conservative measures, the Authority has underestimated federal aid by a minimum of $125 million for a 5-year budgetary period.
Comptroller DiNapoli’s audit finds, “between 1988 and 2007, the Authority received an average of $33.5 million a year in Federal highway funding. It therefore seems that the Authority’s projected average of $4.9 million a year in such funding is unreasonably low.” The audit further claims, “It would be reasonable for the Authority to estimate at least $30 million a year in Federal highway funding (this is consistent with the past average of $33.5 million a year). Adjusted estimates in this manner would result in an additional $125.3 million being available…”
“Rather than basing federal aid on historic trends as done through typical accounting procedures, the Authority appears to be deliberately underreporting the funding they receive and padding their budgetary pockets when new toll revenue and actual federal dollars come in,” Higgins added.
Higgins also noted the Thruway Authority justified their 2005 toll increase with the need to fund several local projects which never came to fruition. “This represents a disturbing pattern of promises made and promises broken by the Authority,” Higgins said. “This public Authority has used their absolute power to impose an unnecessary 45% increase in tolls in just five years. By needlessly and outrageously increasing the tolls the Thruway Authority is taking advantage of the hard-working people of Western New York.”
Between 2007 and 2010 the Authority will fall $200 million short in promised projects in the Thruway’s Buffalo Division. (see chart below)
Background: NYSTA Capital Budget Breakdown for Buffalo Division
2007 NYSTA Shortfall to Buffalo Division
| 2007 Work Scheduled for Buffalo District Under Previous NYSTA Capital Plan | $131,400,000 |
| Actual work completed in 2007 in Buffalo District | $8,367,237 |
| 2007 Shortfall to WNY | - $123,032,763 |
2008 – 2010 NYSTA Buffalo Division Capital Work
| Year | Work Scheduled for Buffalo Division Under Old Capital Plan | Work Scheduled for Buffalo Division Under New Capital Plan | Difference |
| 2008 | $148,600,000 | $30,050,000 | - $118,550,000 |
| 2009 | $110,500,000 | $68,280,000 | - $42,220,000 |
| 2010 | $127,600,000 | $199,770,000 | +$72,170,000 |
| Total 3 year Shortfall | - $88,600,000 | ||
| 2007 Shortfall (above) | - $123,032,763 | ||
| 2007 – 2010 Shortfall | - $211,632,763 |
Ranzenhofer and Mesi Can Be Counted Out For This Year
According to my best guestimate, soon Erie County Legislator Mike Ranzenhofer will announce he will NOT be running for the NYS Senate 61st District endorsement .
Joe Mesi has made a name for himself as an excellent fighter but this certainly doesn’t qualify him to run for political office. He did teach school for a short time and if he continued in this profession it might be a different story. As it stands he just doesn’t have what it takes to be in the political arena.
HAVING FUN FIGHTING BACK
There have been many suggestions as how to stave off a monstrous disease which eats up your mind along with all your memories. We’re talking about Alzheimer’s here.
The most common and proven way to stave off the onset of this disease is to exercise your mind with quizzes, mind teasers, and memory games. Do anything that forces your mind to think out-of-the-box. Are you a right brain or a left brain thinker? Are you more concrete or more abstract? The harder your mind works the more healthy years you may gain against this disease.
I decided to post three brain teasers, puzzlers, test questions or something of this nature for my readers to try to answer. If you think you have an answer or answers please send them to jjtric@roadrunner.com. Let’s have some fun.
1) Standing on your kitchen floor, how can you drop an egg three feet without breaking the shell ?
2) After a man was blindfolded, someone hung up his hat. The man walked 100 yards, turned around and shot a bullet through his hat. How was this possible?
3) How far do you have to count before using the letter ‘A’ in spelling a number ?
At Grim Milestone, White House Says Focus Is on Success in Iraq
President Bush is “grieved” by the fact that the death toll in Iraq had reached 4000, but the White House said that the President would continue to push forward and “focus on succeeding.”
“The White House spokeswoman, Dana Perino, said that Mr. Bush would not be deterred in Iraq.”
““It’s a sober moment, and one that all of us can focus on in terms of the number of 4,000,” Ms. Perino told reporters on Monday morning. “The president feels each and every one of the deaths very strongly and he grieves for their families. He obviously is grieved by the moment but he mourns the loss of every single life.””
[read whole story]
Justice Dept. Approves XM Merger With Sirius
The only 2 privately owned subscribers radio companies are about to merge into one company and somehow the Justice Department feels the buyout of XM Satellite Radio by Sirius will not hurt competition or consumers. Anyone out there buying that? Check back a year after the papers are signed, sealed and delivered and we’ll talk.
“The merger is opposed by consumer groups and broadcasters who say it will force up prices and reduce the programming now available from the two competing systems.”
“The Justice Department’s antitrust division announced Monday that it approved the merger after determining that prices were not likely to rise, in part because of competition from other program sources, like high-definition radio as well as iPods and other MP3 players that can be connected to home or car audio systems. The deal, the agency said, was unlikely to hurt competition or consumers.”
[read whole story]
Ethics Law Resolution
For April 7, 2008 Town Board Agenda
TO: Town Board
Town Clerk
RE: Resolution – Strengthen Ethics Law
RESOLVED the Amherst Town Board hereby requests the Town Attorney to draft an amendment to the Town Code, §19, otherwise known as the “Local Ethics Law”, to reduce the current permissible gratuity per year from the current limit of nine dollars ($9.00) per year, to zero dollars ($0.00) per year.
Fiscal Impact: None
Respectfully submitted,
Daniel J. Ward
Councilman
PRESS RELEASE:
WARD PROPOSES MAKING ETHICS LAW TOUGHER; ELIMINATION OF GRATUITIES
Amherst Councilman, and Democratic candidate for New York State Senate District, 61st District, Daniel J. Ward, unveiled local legislation that would eliminate the gratuities available to public officials entirely in the Town of Amherst. “I have been on a long-term mission to reduce the gratuity amount to zero here in the Town of Amherst; last year I was able to get the state law limit of $75 reduced, finally, after about ten (10) meetings to $9. This local legislation, if implemented, would eliminate the gratuity level completely – which it should be – there is no reason well-paid public officials need any gifts or gratuities, in any dollar amount,” said Ward.
“The real culprit, of course, is the state legislation itself that sets the $75 limit. If elected to the State Senate, I will work to eliminate that gratuity level as well. This is an anachronism, and offensive to the public. It is no longer, if it ever was, needed, “ said Ward.
“The public is increasingly skeptical of ethical violations by public officials, both real and perceived,” said Ward. “We need to continuously address this perception, and eliminate it, in order to restore the confidence of the citizens in their government. I believe strongly in governmental ethics, wrote our first Town Ethics law, and appointed our first Board of Ethics. This is an area of legislation certainly requiring more attention in Albany.”
Ward said he would continue to pursue both local and state legislation to strengthen ethics and make government more transparent. He referred to a recent study taken by American City and County Magazine showing the American public has increasing suspicion of its public officials, and has a low estimate of public ethics. “We need to turn that around, and it should be done now,” concluded Ward.
For more information, contact DAN WARD at (716) 444-5326
Foolish Attacks Against Democratic Candidate Jon Powers
This other website referred to Jon Powers as Jon, ”BABY FACE” Powers. The last time I remember a politician called ‘Baby Face’ was in 1962 when Bobby Kennedy came to Buffalo to accept the Catholic Youth Award as the outstanding Young Catholic American.
History has shown that Bobby Kennedy honestly earned his ruthless reputation by the way he fought against racism and for the rights of the needy people of New York. When “Baby Face” Kennedy was gunned down in Los Angeles he was still a young man. As he was lying on the floor bleeding to death, he held a rosary in his hands. What a price he paid for having courage and standing up for what he believed in. It didn’t matter whether he was 65 or 34. Age means nothing when you have the gift of courage in your heart.
This other website stated Jon Powers still celebrates his birthday at “Chuck E Cheese”. Really? If this were true we’ll have to admit that Jon’s a heck of a fellow for keeping his business in Amherst. No matter how foolish the attacks being made by this other website editor are, people should ask themselves why, for no reason at all, is he attacking Jon Powers? Is it because this man didn’t serve his county? Maybe age has passed him by without anyone mentioning his courage. It could simply be that age 29 is well behind him and never was called ‘BABY FACE’ by anyone.
