South Buffalo Blogger

By: CindyK. I found some recent quotes from our elected leaders on the importance of improving infrastructure and here posted the newest South Buffalo Blogger pictures of Seneca Street, a city roadway being put off yet again. In 5 weeks, we, the taxpayers of South Buffalo, will be heading to the polling booth and we’ll be asked to cast a vote for those who have shamefully neglected the very same infrastructure their quotes tell us are important to them. The bigger question, do we vote for their longstanding name in the community or on the broken promises made to Seneca Street since they took office? Matching their words with the reality in pictures, we have to ask ourselves, what should be expected from the next set of elected years if the past couple have brought nothing but disgrace and despair to South Buffalo?

Press statements to the news, standing in front of a rolling camera, or printed in the media realm, touting the importance of economic growth by way of better infrastructure, it’s all so trite in comparison to what is proven as counter productive every year for Seneca Street. And the most South Buffalo residents can do is abide by the cold-hearted truth that our neighborhood will have to wait until late next year, like it was said in 2007 of this year…. and in many year’s past.

If to defend on the part of their jurisdictions and in what powers their authority holds, I have to ask, why the need for awe-inspiring quotes on “improving” what they cannot fix because it’s within city limits? Or because they say the $2 million allotted by the previous Congressman simply “went away” with his choice to not run for another term. So many years later, we should all wonder, or better yet, we should be asking if the funding for Seneca Street had ever been there in the first place?

This November 4th, should the taxpayers of South Buffalo make their votes for the same deception from the last time we voted? What holds for next year when another elected leader of the same political con has his name on the ballot? Will we remember what is today and what we’re still waiting on? Will we be asked to vote for them then on their same falsehoods as those of this year? Will we ever see a year of serious change in the community we work so hard for?

I also wonder, how quickly would state & federal funds be shelled out to take care of a rusted streetlight wrapped in duct tape down on the waterfront? Then I wonder thereafter what makes Seneca Street (or any street in South Buffalo) less of a factor because some see the expedience of our waterfront extra-essential to that of the rest of their disticts? Yet, in 5 weeks polling will be opened so the taxpayers can vote on the streets our so-called “elected leaders” have abandoned. Below it’s easy to see how the pictures tell the words much better than any statements they feed to the press.

http://higgins.house.gov/newsroom.asp?ARTICLE3116=8050

“Improving our declining and aging infrastructure not only provides for safe and efficient travel for residents, it opens up new doors of opportunity for economic development,” said Congressman Higgins, a member of the House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “This project will transform South Park’s business district providing a boost to existing small business owners, creating new attractive destination for consumers and drawing additional entrepreneur investment.”

http://www.ci.buffalo.ny.us/Home/Mayor/Archive_Press_Releases
/Leadership/2008Archives/February2008/
MayorAnnouncesCityFundsForSenecaStrBusinessDistr

“Investing from the ground up along primary corridors like Seneca Street builds stronger neighborhoods and creates a more attractive place for business growth,” said Congressman Brian Higgins, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “I applaud Mayor Brown, Assemblyman Schroeder and Legislator Kennedy, my partners in government, who have each played a role in reviving Seneca Street.”

“I would like to thank Mayor Brown for this major contribution to Seneca Street, and for playing such an active role in this critical project,” said Assemblyman Schroeder. “These unique street lights, based on historical designs from a century ago, are going to give Seneca Street a whole new, very distinctive look.”

http://higgins.house.gov/pressreleases.asp?ARTICLE3116=5681&SRCH3116=Seneca+Street+

Higgins Announces $42.8 Million in Transportation Projects for Western New York
July 27, 2005

• Seneca Street Improvements: $480,000

“Finally, long-stalled projects will see real progress, putting thousands of Western New Yorkers to work and making many vital road, transportation and access improvements to our region,” said Congressman Higgins. “It has taken years for this bill to get out of countless logjams in Congress and I am pleased that there is finally forward movement. It is especially gratifying to know that these funds will not sit untouched, and that the proper local oversight will be given.”

http://www.uber.com/243635951

Since first being elected to the county legislature in 2001, Schroeder has compiled a growing list of accomplishments. He started the South Buffalo Education Center, which offers free GED and computer classes. To date more than 90 students have earned their G.E.D at the school and more than 700 have completed the computer training. The school also has the highest graduation and retention rates of any G.E.D. school in the county. He also started The Greater South Buffalo Chamber of Commerce, which now has more than 150 members, and he spearheaded the Seneca Street Redevelopment Project, a multi-million dollar project that will completely remake the strip.

The friends of Cazenovia Library, in conjunction with the Cazenovia Library are accepting non-perishable foods for this year’s Thanksgiving drive at the Grace Church.

Items of donations: Instant potatoes, stuffing mix, Cranberry sauce, Jell-O mix, canned fruits and vegetables, soups, tea bags, paper products, spaghetti/macaroni, tomato sauce, peanut butter and/or jelly and deserts, such as cake mixes, frosting and brownies.

All food donations are being collected at the Cazenovia Library

Library Hours

Sunday - Closed -
Monday 11:00am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 11:00am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 11:00am-7:00pm
Thursday 11:00am - 5:30pm
Friday 11:00am - 5:30pm
Saturday 11:00am - 3:00pm

Monetary donations being accepted at Grace Church

For more information contact either:
Grace Lutheran Church / 174 Cazenovia Street / Buffalo, New York 14210 / (716) 822-0553
The Cazenovia Library / 155 Cazenovia Street / Buffalo, NY 14210 / (716) 821-0564

Please help to bring a warm Thanksgiving dinner to families in need.

By:CindyK. I revisit a topic from February, with quoting from BuffaloRising.com (though no disrespect or questioning is shed upon Buffalo Rising.com)

Using money from the Grow Buffalo Fund that Mayor Brown created in 2007, the contribution will cover the purchase and installation of 80 new streetlights. This change will help the overall appearance of the district which is already being worked on through the road being repaved, sidewalks being improved, upgrading the crosswalks, and new landscaping.

New sidewalks? None seen since Jimmy Griffin was alive, well, and the South District councilman who allocated City of Buffalo funds, (rest his soul) he was the only one who followed through on his pledge for Seneca Street.

The street repave? Seneca Street has been rescheduled to be repave late next year (according to COB DPW), instead of this year like the commissioner of public works told a room full of citizens at the Irish Center in South Buffalo, when the Mayor was present. He said “late summer” ….I should have asked “which year“?

“I’m very pleased to join my government colleagues in contributing to this very worthy effort that will help strengthen and enhance this important city business district. The Grow Buffalo Fund is another important program my Administration has implemented to support residential neighborhoods and business districts like the Seneca Street Business District,” said Mayor Brown at the press conference.

When looking at the picture, which government official is/has been more apt to contributing funds/support to Seneca Street?
When looking at Seneca Street, the answer is clear - none of them.

Tim Kennedy? An Erie County Legislator whom has had zero jurisdiction in distributing City of Buffalo funds via his County seat? A Legislator not bringing a single cent to South Buffalo, Seneca Street…… or (most recently announced) South park Ave. yet, who has been found around South Buffalo touting pledges & commitments that he, a legislator cannot accomplish.

Mark Schroeder? Who said “the money’s in the bank folks” years ago (when he was what Tim Kennedy is now), and still no new “development” ….. no new “revitalization” to Seneca Street in the past 10 years when new water lines were installed. We got a wooden statue and a light-up sign from pork spending.

From the picture, there’s also an M&T bank branch manager, along with the paid director of the Chamber of Commerce, said to living in the Tonawanda area.

Including Mayor Brown, (from the picture quoted) the “government colleagues worthy in the effort” have proven themselves quite well as Seneca Street is a perfect example of alleged “commitments”. There is no strengthening or enhancing, never has been. And all that’s been implemented to date is press conferences filled with empty promises.

This project that has been passed off from one year to the next as the infrastructure worsens.

It is now September and the new streetlights said to be “within a month” (in June) is now pushed another two months further, into November. Thus making the project about 17 months later than the announcement Kennedy made in 2007 at the Cazenovia Library, when the legislator gave his “something better in South Buffalo” speech….

The design of the lights is based on historical designs from over a century ago and will give the street a whole new feel. The city will be purchasing the lights directly instead of through a contractor, saving 30% on the purchase. On March 5 the city will go to bid for the installation contract and the new lights should be in place and operational by May 2008.

June has come and gone, and the same rusted streetlights still stand on Seneca Street in South Buffalo. It’s said it’ll be another two months from today. I wonder, is it really worth saving 30% if after 6 months the Mayor’s promises (and those from 6 years ago) are being put off month after month, year after year? If anyone hasn’t checked their calendar lately, it is late September, a far cry from “up and operational by May”, don’t you think?

Now’s the time to question these elected officials who say one thing and then find the means to put off fixing the poor infrastructure again and again.

10 years is 2 long!

Tough to finance heating ahead

Updated: Sep 17, 2008 11:05 PM EDT

(WIVB) - Keeping your own budget in check may prove to be more of a challenge this winter.

The State Public Service Commission said the average heat bill for a house that uses natural gas will be more than $1,300 for the winter season.

That’s up more than 12 percent from last year.

Homeowners using heating oil can expect to see their bills more than double to $3,700 this winter.

This raises many questions for the families on a fixed income and the rest of us getting over paying more at the gas pumps this summer. The increases to groceries has yet to come down and with this news of higher fuel prices to heat our homes, we should be asking our state leaders and elected representatives what their plans are in questioning National Fuel and let them how these increases will hurt the people’s cost of living even more.

Congressman Brian Higgins: Erie County Office
Phone: 716-852-3501
Click here for email page.

———–

Assemblymember Mark J. F. Schroeder: DISTRICT OFFICE
Phone: 716-826-0152
Click here to send a message.

———–

Governor David A. Paterson
State Capitol - Albany, NY 12224
518-474-8390
Click here for emailing.

By: CindyK. I guess much is missed unless you’re looking up. Perhaps I’ll let the pictures tell the real story of how a utility pole is tied to a tree for support….. When you see it, you’ll get a good idea of shotty worksmanship of services that our money pays for.

Making matters worse, the lines from pole #75 that cross over Buffum to another pole on Silver Dale are tied up in a tree as well.

09/10/08 Edit with good news: The fire hydrant has been replaced.

09/08/08 Edited with update from City of Buffalo 311:

The expected response for your inquiry from the responsible department is 10/6/08.

For more than 2 weeks a fire hydrant has been missing at the corner of Seneca & Kingston in South Buffalo.

This morning’s fire on Buffum Street is a good reminder that when an emergency strikes, every second counts. Today as I walked by the missing hydrant again, I wondered how badly the situation would have been if a fire had occured a few blocks away. It was a scary thought.

We’re reminded that in these kind of emergency situations, it knows no time or location, and the best defense besides quick-thinking quick-reacting citizens and firefighters, is the readiness and being prepared. A missing fire hydrant for more than two weeks is highly neglectful on the part of our City of Buffalo.

By: Cindyk

For all the posts I’ve made and pictures taken about the need of fixing Seneca Street’s poor infrastructure, Councilmember Kearns was informed by the Commissioner of Public Works that the repave project promised for this year (just like last year) has been pushed to late next year. As if Seneca Street in South Buffalo can survive another long and heavily-salted winter.

I, for one, am fed up with the promises made and those same promises broken year after year. I am sick of the LIES our politicians have been telling us over the past 10 year to get themselves, or others elected.

From the top-down, I’d like to take this time to personally thank Congressman Brian Higgins for ignoring the emails I’ve sent begging for his attention to the infrastructure frustration facing his elected area. We could flood Caz Park like it used to be, perhaps maybe the Congressman will see our area is just as important as the waterfront. But I doubt it very much!

I’d like to personally thank Assemblyman Mark J.F. Schroeder for being non-existent in his district, and for the outstanding lie told 4 years ago….. “The money’s in the bank, folks”.

I’d like to thank Legislator Tim Kennedy for making promises that the Erie County Legislature can’t (or refuses) to deliver on. “South Buffalo deserves something better”, huh? Exactly how much of Seneca Street in the City of Buffalo is in the County’s budget? Not one red cent.

I’d like to thank Mayor Byron W. Brown who came to South Buffalo last year and again this year with his entire City of Buffalo staff, and who allowed his Commissioner of Public Works to outright lie to the people in this community.

All of these people elected by our votes have let us down. They play politics over what’s right.

News flash fellas….. it’s called a voting booth, not an ASS-Kissing booth! If you can’t live up to the promises you make in your districts, it’s time for the hard-working taxpayers to swing their votes in another direction, since it’s more than obvious the Congressman, Assemblyman, Legislator, Mayor of Buffalo and Commissioner of Public Works can’t get the job done!

Time’s up boys! We have serious problems with the infrastructure in Buffalo and we need serious people in office will to address those issues and actually make an effort to solving said issues.

Who’s tired of the “heads-they win…. tails-you lose” political game?

It was a beautiful day for a Parade. Pictures are posted in random order.