Tag: Erie County government

Mar 31

2020

Buffalo News downsizing comes quick

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Well, that didn’t take long. Lee Enterprises took ownership of The Buffalo News just a couple of weeks ago and wham — the paper on Tuesday announced furloughs and layoffs. To be fair, the loss of advertising due to fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic was no doubt the driving force behind the decision, which I’m told was made at corporate headquarters in Davenport, Iowa, rather than here in Buffalo. But let’s face it, The News was going to have to act sooner rather than later due to the loss of advertising revenue, which is just one of many challenges the[...]

Posted 4 years ago

Mar 27

2020

Sheriff Howard OK with release of prisoners

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 Updated: 6:02 p.m. While he has no authority to release people held in his jails, Erie County Sheriff Tim Howard said he has no objection to others using their powers to do so. “As sheriff, it is not in my authority to grant the early release or to remove the bail requirements that have been set by the court,” Howard said in a video statement released Friday. “But I will not oppose any measures or directives of the judiciary or other agencies to release any inmates.” In his video statement, Howard said he has encouraged the state Board of[...]

Posted 4 years ago

Mar 24

2020

Push on to release some county prisoners

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Updated: 6:30 p.m. Nearly 600 men and women are incarcerated in close quarters in Erie County’s two jails, at risk of catching the deadly COVID-19 virus. More than half are being held on bail, yet to be found guilty of a crime. Others are jailed on parole violations or serving sentences of up to one year. What’s it going to take to get at least some of them released? County officials, both County Executive Mark Poloncarz and a spokesman for Sheriff Tim Howard, said Monday they lack the authority to release anyone. “We can’t just let someone out,” said Scott[...]

Posted 4 years ago

Mar 12

2020

Erie County ousting its OTB representative

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The Erie County Legislature wants to replace its representative on the governing board of the embattled Western Regional Off Track Betting Corp.  The Legislature’s Democratic majority announced its intention through a media advisory issued March 5 and is soliciting resumes from applicants. Lawmakers plan to interview candidates April 9. Erie County’s current appointee, Beverly Mazur, has served on the OTB board since July 2010.  Like most board members, Mazur has ties to the Republican or Conservative parties. She is a former secretary of the Erie County Conservative Party who was appointed when Republicans controlled the Erie County Legislature, in league[...]

Posted 4 years ago

Jan 10

2020

Our local politicians are getting worse

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The November local elections are behind us and the national chaos of 2020 is right around the corner. (Like winter, it can’t end soon enough.) This seems like a good time to take stock of our elected officials in Western New York. But first, allow me to hold my nose. I’ve been reporting in this town for more than 30 years, and the quality of our elected officials has never been worse. I’m not talking politicians at the town and village level, as I don’t travel much in those circles. However, it’s safe to say that with sixty-two towns and[...]

Posted 4 years ago

Aug 6

2019

Comptrollers behaving badly, Part 2

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On June 21, Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw issued an invitation to Department of Motor Vehicles employees across the state: If you disagree with the new “Green Light” law, under which New York State will soon issue driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, and you suspect such a person is applying for a license, call or email the Erie County Comptroller’s Whistleblower Hotline. Mychajliw promised he would forward anonymous tips gathered therein to federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. Two weeks earlier, at the request of Erie County Clerk Mickey Kearns, Mychajliw issued a report “regarding the consequences of granting licenses[...]

Posted 4 years ago

Apr 23

2019

Sheriff Tim Howard, body cameras and Jesus

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Erie County Sheriff Tim Howard was questioned by legislators about the possibility of deputies wearing body cameras during a March 14 meeting of the Erie County Legislature’s Public Safety Committee. The proposition has won support among many legislators, particularly in the majority Democratic caucus, in the wake of a December 2017 incident in which a sheriff’s deputy severely beat a man during an arrest at a Bills game in the parking lot of New Era Field.  In the following exchange between Howard and Legislator April Baskin, who chairs the committee, Howard compared those who support his deputies wearing body cameras to[...]

Posted 4 years ago

Dec 20

2018

Erie County legislators back bail reform

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Erie County lawmakers became the first county legislature in New York State to take a legislative position in support of reforms to the bail system, following a unanimous vote Thursday.  Reform efforts in the state Legislature failed earlier this year and advocates are expected to press the issue in the coming session that begins in January. “Resolutions like this are essential to demonstrate to Albany that a world of people are behind good governance and good governance means bail reform,” said John Curr III, western region director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. “This shows the will of Erie County, and[...]

Posted 5 years ago