Congressman Higgins Announces Service Academy Nomination Deadline of October 31

Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) announced that his office is accepting applications for those interested in being nominated to one of the service academies for the 2008 academic year. To apply, students must submit an application requesting the nomination by October 31, 2007.

Service Academy appointments are made by the President of the United States based on congressional and/or military recommendations. Congressman Higgins will name an Academy Advisory Board to interview all applicants and make recommendations. The Congressman will submit his nominations by January 31, 2008.

Those interested in receiving a nomination from Congressman Higgins can access a sample letter requesting a nomination on the Congressman’s website at: http://higgins.house.gov/SupportingFiles/documents/Higgins_AcademyApp.pdf or submit a letter requesting the nomination along with copies of their high school transcript, report card, and most recent SAT scores to: Congressman Brian Higgins, 726 Exchange St., Suite 601, Buffalo, NY 14210.

Eligible applicants must be unmarried, United States citizens who are between 17 and 23 years old. Nominations will be based on the following standards: character, scholarship, leadership, physical aptitude, medical fitness and motivation.

Last month Congressman Higgins hosted an informational “Academy Night” at Hamburg High School. Dozens of students, parents, and school administrators came out to learn more about the application process directly from academy representatives.

Students must also apply separately to the Academy itself, which can be accessed at: Air Force Academy – www.usafa.edu ; Military Academy – www.usma.edu ; Naval Academy – www.usna.edu ; and Merchant Marine Academy – www.usmma.edu.

For more information please contact Congressman Higgins’ office at 852-3501

Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) is announcing the Department of Homeland Security will begin accepting applications for grants through the Fire Prevention and Safety Program beginning on October 22, 2007.

“Western New York’s first responders play an essential role in homeland and community protection,” said Congressman Higgins. “I encourage local agencies to take advantage of this opportunity to apply for these federal resources which can help better protect them and the residents they serve.”

Fire Prevention and Safety grants (FP&S) are intended to help local organizations address fire prevention and safety issues with the primary goal of reaching high-risk target groups including children, seniors and firefighters. Thirty-two million dollars was made available in the fiscal year 2007 budget for FP&S grants. FP&S is part of a larger Assistance to Firefighters program administered by the Department of Homeland Security in cooperation with the US Fire Administration.

All applications for FP&S grants must be received by 5pm on November 30, 2007. An applicant tutorial which provides grant information and details outlining the process for preparation and submittal of competitive applications is available at www.firegrantsupport.com. Applicants with questions regarding the grants can contact the help desk between 8:00am and 4:30pm Monday through Friday at 1-866-274-0960 or firegrants@dhs.gov.

For three consecutive years Congressman Higgins has hosted fire grant workshops where local firefighters were invited to learn first hand from a Homeland Security Specialist how to put together a qualifying application. Over the last several years fire and EMS agencies in Congressman Higgins’ district have received federal funds totaling over $5 million.

Dear Friend,

After months of inaction, the Senate Majority has agreed to return to work on October 22nd. Much work from the spring still remains undone:

Wick’s Reform: Reforming Wick’s Law to lower construction costs on public projects is imperative. The failure to act by the State Senate in June has since cost New York taxpayers over $34 million dollars.

Approving Key Appointments: Eighty-seven highly qualified individuals have been nominated to fill critical positions in my administration, yet the Senate Majority refuses to approve their roles. Crucial leadership has been left in limbo in the areas of Energy, Economic Development, Health Care and Transportation.

Cutting off “Albany’s Golden Spigot”: In July, the legislature agreed to major campaign finance reform, yet the Senate has stalled on passing a bill. The changes would lower contribution limits, enhance enforcement, and increase disclosure and transparency in the way campaign funds are raised and spent.

Its time for the Senate Majority to stop playing the politics of self-preservation and start showing the leadership it so ardently claims to possess.

Your legislators are accountable for the work they do—or fail to do—and I encourage you to communicate to them our shared belief that the status quo is simply no longer acceptable. At www.spitzer2010.com, you can contact your legislator and ask them to carry out the people’s business when he or she returns next week.

Sincerely,

Eliot Spitzer

Oversight Committee Report Shows Drug Manufacturers Are Profiting Off Failed Medicare Part D Program

Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) and colleagues on the House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released a new report on the Medicare Part D drug program, revealing that the high administrative costs of the private Part D insurers, combined with their inability to negotiate significant drug savings, will cost taxpayers and seniors almost $15 billion this year.

“The failure of the Administration to use the collective purchasing power of 24 million Medicare Part D recipients to negotiate with prescription drug companies the best possible price for seniors already stretched financially is completely unconscionable,” said Congressman Brian Higgins.

The investigation by the staff of the House Oversight Committee is the first independent analysis to have access to proprietary data about drug plan costs and drug prices. Key findings include:

High administrative expenses. The private Part D insurers report administrative expenses, sales costs, and profits of almost $5 billion in 2007 — including $1 billion in profits alone. The administrative costs of the privatized Part D program are almost six times higher than the administrative costs of the traditional Medicare program.

Small drug rebates. The drug price rebates negotiated by the Part D insurers reduce Medicare drug spending by just 8.1%. In contrast, rebates in the Medicaid program reduce drug spending by 26%, over three times as much. Because of the difference in the size of the rebates, the transfer of low-income seniors from Medicaid drug coverage to Medicare drug coverage will result in a $2.8 billion windfall for drug manufacturers in 2007. The Part D insurers receive no rebates or other manufacturer discounts for three-quarters of the drugs used by seniors.

Failure to pass through rebates to seniors. When the insurers do obtain drug price rebates, they do not use the rebates to reduce pharmacy drug prices. This year alone, the private insurers will receive $1 billion in rebates on purchases that seniors in coverage gaps, such as the donut hole, pay for out of their own pockets.

A study conducted by Families USA, a nonprofit advocacy group, recently found that those on Medicare were being charged at least 58 percent more for half of the 20 most prescribed medicines last year than prices paid by the Federal Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The VA and the Department of Defense (DOD) already operate under a system which allows for negotiated drug costs.

Unlike the VA and DOD, rather than negotiate drug prices Medicare reimburses physicians for drugs covered under Part B. The maximum Medicare reimbursement for covered Part B drugs is calculated by taking the average sales price and adding six percent.

In January Congressman Higgins cosponsored and the House of Representatives approved H.R. 4, legislation requiring the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries. This legislation is still under consideration in the Senate.

“The numbers in this report speak volumes,” said Higgins. “The current system certainly isn’t serving the best interests of Part D patients. It’s time to end the practice of padding the profits of pharmaceutical companies at the expense of American seniors.”

For a complete copy of the Government Reform Committee’s report go to Congressman Higgins’ website at: http://higgins.house.gov.

Supervisor Mohan said he would lower taxes in Amherst. To accomplish this he constructed a budget for 2008 which would lower taxes by 1.2 percent which is roughly a saving of 100 dollars for each taxpayer.

The method Mohan chose to balance the budget is seen by many as a road to serious future budget problems. He took 6.5 million out of the Town’s fund balance, which is like a safety net to back our Bond rating. He then put that money on the revenue side of the ledger to balance the Town’s expenditures for 2008. The town will be spending more than it will collect in revenue.

When Erie County raided their money reserves that, coupled with overspending, were the crucial factors which led to Giambra’s infamous green and red budget which caused massive lay offs in Erie County.

If Amherst continues to balance the budget by draining surpluses Amherst can and possibly will end up with serious money troubles.

The public hearing on the 2008 budget will be held next Monday night, Nov. 22nd, at
7:00 p.m. in the Amherst Town Hall. This is the time the public can address questions to Town Board members including the Supervisor about the new budget.

If you don’t come you have no chance to make a difference. Come, listen, speak up.

PLEASE join BILL KINDEL at the

GET OUT THE VOTE FUNDRAISER

Wednesday, October 17th

5:00 p m. — 8:00 p.m.

at SONOMA GRILLE

5010 Main Street-
Snyder, New York, 14226
716-204-0251

$50 per person payable to ‘Friends of Bill Kindel’
44 Arlington Road
Amherst, New York, 14221

QUESTION e-mailed to jjtric@roadrunner.com for candidate Mark Manna to answer ~

Q: Do you believe the main reason the Town’s Budget grows every year is because we have to pay more for everything?

Mark’s Answer: No, there has been waste and confusion in the spending of the Amherst taxpayer’s money. The magic word which would help bring our Town’s budget in line is, “Accountability.”

There are usually too many people involved in local government transactions. Many times duplication and errors occur. This is the reason accountability must be put in place for everyone involved in the transaction. In many cases the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing.

As the person who is accountable for the retirees’ pension account of over $300 million, I know that accountability is a by-word in my business.

There are 24 days before the November elections. The most important of the political races is the one for the three open seats on the Amherst Town Board.

Barry Weinstein and Council member Bill Kindel are the only ones of this group of candidates who has held public office in our area. Dr. Weinstein has served in our County Legislature. The other 5 candidates have never held public office in Amherst. This may or may not be a positive factor.

The voters should evaluate the wisdom of their past voting patterns when choosing three of these candidates. The candidates are listed in alphabetical order: Bob Foladare, Bill Kindel, Mark Manna, Guy Marlette, Jerry Schad Dr. Barry Weinstein and Roy Wixson.

If you have any questions you want to ask these candidates, please e-mail The Amhersttimes at jjtric@roadrunner.com and I will contact the candidates and print their answers, word for word. Your name and other personal information will be kept confidential unless you request that it be shown.

Amherst doesn’t have any face to face debates during the entire campaign where candidates must answer the hard questions. This method I’m offering may be helpful.

Jerry Schad, Democratic candidate for the Amherst Town Board, isn’t letting any grass grow under his bike. Jerry is meeting the voters and his method of transportation is his trusted bike. Jerry and his wife have raised 5 children in Amherst, which is the main reason he is working hard to win the upcoming election. He knows he can make a difference in our town.

Schad has been saying, for the longest time, our bookkeeping must be more organized and accurate. He feels the people of Amherst must be better informed about town transactions. The public picks up bits and pieces of information and doesn’t receive educated answers to their questions from ‘the powers that be’. The people have told Jerry they want to understand how their hard earned tax dollars are being spent before the fact, not hear about things after the fact.

There is much to do for Amherst after Schad is elected. He’s the kind of man who knows
how to organize the confusion in Town Government so it makes sense to everyone. He
brings a freshness to politics which hasn’t been seen in a long time.

Jerry Schad, father of 5 children, can’t simply stand by when he knows he can do a good job helping his home town move forward again. Schad is very angry about how the Town Board meetings turn into a joke. Parents want the best for their children and no one knows this better then Jerry Schad. He is truly one of the brightest and most honest candidates for our Town Board.