Categories for Outrages & Insights

Dec 23

2021

iPost suit prompts release of stadium reports

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Since August, Investigative Post has been pressing Kathy Hochul’s administration to release two studies related to a proposed new stadium for the Buffalo Bills.  The state’s response: We couldn’t possibly. The governor’s people told us the documents, “if disclosed, would impair present or imminent contract awards.” Our response: We filed a lawsuit seeking their release under the state Freedom of Information Law. In the face of that litigation, the Hochul administration Thursday released what appears to be one of the two studies, along with two other documents that may be a portion of the other report we’re suing to obtain.[...]

Posted 4 years ago

Dec 21

2021

Poor leadership on display in stadium talks

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It looks like Buffalo is going to keep its losing streak intact when it comes to major planning decisions. You know the history.  Expanding the University at Buffalo campus in Amherst is the mother of bad planning decisions. Add to the list running the Scajaquada Expressway through the middle of Delaware Park and dividing the East Side, and its majestic Humboldt Parkway, with the Kensington Expressway. The Skyway, anyone? And, of course, building a football stadium in Orchard Park. We’re about to see history repeat itself with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s announcement Monday that she’s good with replacing the stadium in[...]

Posted 4 years ago

Dec 1

2021

Darth Vader is eyeing The Buffalo News

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The past decade have been tough times for The Buffalo News.  Declining circulation. Smaller profits. Deep cuts in the newsroom staff, resulting in less local news coverage. Things may soon become much more difficult. Alden Global Capital, regarded as the Darth Vader of newspaper chains, has made an offer to buy Lee Enterprises, whose holdings include The News. Alden announced its intentions last week and Lee responded as you would expect to what is clearly a hostile takeover attempt. No matter, the vultures are circling. Chains in general are bad for daily newspapers. Alden is the worst of them. “Every[...]

Posted 4 years ago

Nov 13

2021

Envisioning a thriving WNY

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Editor’s note: A version of this column appeared in Buffalo Spree. My wife recently told me of an acquaintance who was moving to California. My response: Who would want to move to California? The land of forest fires, droughts and water shortages? The same could be said of much of the West and Southwest. It’s not uninhabitable – yet – but give it another generation and you’re likely to see an out-migration. That represents an opportunity for cities around the Great Lakes, including Buffalo and Western New York.  We’ll never run out of water. Massive forest fires? Nah. Ditto for[...]

Posted 4 years ago

Sep 20

2021

A platform for mayor

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Editor’s note: A version of this column appears in the current issue of Buffalo Spree. Buffalo voters face a stark choice in November: Byron Brown or India Walton? A lot will be said between now and election day and some of it may actually involve proposals to improve the city. To prime the pump for an issues-focused campaign, allow me to offer an eight-point plan for revitalizing Buffalo. The candidates are free to borrow generously. Here goes: Poverty: Buffalo remains one of the poorest cities of its size in the nation. About one-third of residents, and close to half its[...]

Posted 4 years ago

Jun 28

2021

Brown goes on the attack

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Byron Brown announced Monday he’s staying in the race for mayor as a write-in candidate, and the manner in which he did so indicates we’re in for an ugly, divisive campaign. Without mentioning her by name, he repeatedly denounced India Walton as a “radical socialist,” unfit to succeed him. “People are fearful about the future of the city,” he said at a late afternoon press conference. “They do not want a radical socialist occupying the mayor’s office.” Brown gave a powerful speech, polished and delivered with zeal, far from the halting, monotone addresses we’re used to. I guess it took[...]

Posted 4 years ago

Apr 28

2021

Byron Brown’s sorry track record

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India Walton is running for mayor, seeking to dethrone Byron Brown, who is seeking a record fifth term. She is far from the ideal candidate, lacking experience in government you’d like to see in a candidate seeking executive office. I mean, it’s one thing to be an inexperienced legislative backbencher, another to be managing a city with a $500 million budget and a workforce of nearly 2,700. Walton, then, is a bit of an unknown. On the other hand, we know all about Brown.  Consider his sorry track record:  Mismanagement of city finances: Brown inherited a hard control board that[...]

Posted 4 years ago

Apr 1

2021

The worst governments, agencies in WNY

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Western New York is saddled with a lot of bad governmental bodies and departments in need of reform. Some cost a lot of money in the form of high taxes, others are simply ineffective, and still more are outright corrupt. There are some 105 units of local government in Erie and Niagara counties — that is, cities, towns, villages and school districts. And countless other departments, authorities, taxing districts and the like. With apologies to David Letterman’s late, great Top Ten list, here’s my take on the worst of the worst, with the list getting progressively worse as you read[...]

Posted 4 years ago
Investigative Post