I lifted this from the home page of WNYmedia.
DECIDING PRUDENT BORROWING FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS
Written by Lynn Marinelli
These are the items identified by the County Executive’s Office:GENERAL PROJECTS: Ralph Wilson Stadium ($2,800,000) , Botanical Gardens ($1 million), Convention Center renovations ($5 million), code compliance ($700,000) and county buildings roof replacement ($700,000), highway vehicles replacement ($700,000), and Old County Hall rehabilitation ($500,000).
HIGHWAY PROJECTS: Capital overlay ($3,800,000); Federal aid road reconstruction ($1,002,100), intersection improvement ($181,150), road design ($116,160); unanticipated road and bridge construction ($75,000) and design ($10,000); FEMA road reconstruction ($485,000) and design ($95,000); Hopkins Road construction ($790,000) and design ($225,000); and preservation of roads and bridges ($11,500,000).
SHERIFF: Correctional Facility roof ($2,500,000) and video surveillance upgrades ($175,000); renovations to Yankee Compound ($800,000); Holding Center medical unit renovations ($150,000), roof replacement ($2,500,000), and improvements ($500,000); and health records module upgrades ($700,000).
PARKS: Improvements to Chestnut Ridge Park Casino ($750,000) and Wendt Beach Mansion ($150,000).
DIVISION OF INFORMATION: computer replacement and upgrades ($1 million), data information storage ($300,000), SAP expansion ($160,000), business/disaster planning ($250,000), and fiber optic network ($290,000).
HEALTH: Medical information system ($900,000), security improvements at clinics ($200,000), Medical Examiner cooler/freezer system replacement ($155,000) and X-Ray equipment replacement ($85,000).
EMERGENCY SERVICES: Public Safety communications ($1,400,000) and Training Center renovations ($2 million).
LIBRARY: Replace Fuel Tank – Parking Lot – Storage Space ($150,000).
ENVIRONMENT & PLANNING: Times Beach improvements ($100,000) and bicycle trail construction ($300,000).
BOARD OF ELECTIONS: voting machines ($500,000).
COMMUNITY COLLEGE: equipment ($1,800,000), building restoration ($700,000), Campus security ($700,000), and Flickinger roof replacement & HVAC equipment ($1,750,000).
The 2008 County Budget proposed seven other projects, not currently included in the executive’s list, such as Frank Lloyd Wright boathouse ($800,000), Buffalo Zoo ($1 million), Clerk’s office purchase of equipment ($100,000), Bethlehem Steel site redevelopment ($2 million), downtown library escalator replacement and asbestos removal ($2.23 million), more than $500,000 cut from bike trails, and over $800,000 removed from bridge projects. Also not included was a legislative request for $500,000 toward city of Buffalo roads.
If memory serves, Chris Collins beleived in running government like a business. As it turns out one of the biggest “businesses” is top of the list in receiving more taxpayer funding for capital improvements. Run government like a business or just another reason for corporate welfare? 
What a shame! When the hell is Ralph Wilson going to get (our losing) Buffalo Bills to stand on their own two feet without a contract & a hand out of taxpayers money?
Think about how much money could be saved, or used for other needed things (see quote below) if the Bills were sent packing or forced to pay their own way for a change in Erie County?
Just as homeowners determine capital improvements, so does government, mostly with public health, safety, economic development and community projects. Decisions are weighed on needs versus wants, priorities, costs, timelines and market conditions.
I don’t see how corporate welfare fits into any of the above government making “decisions”. Obviously priorities & costs don’t fit, and neither does health, safety, economic development and community projects.
Next to patronage, the Buffalo Bills are the biggest form of pork spending in all of Western New York, thus sealing the deal that New York State will always be Home of the Screwed!
12 comments ↓
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I can understand the stadium being in the budget, seeing as how the county owns the damn thing.
I agree that the County should stop subsidizing the Bills. I’m sure the Sabres are receiving money also. It would ultimately mean losing the teams since other municipalities would gladly lure the teams with money incentives. Yes, the subsidies should stop, just be ready to accept the loss of the team(s).
Pauldub, yes we (the taxpayers) own the stadium, own as in we pay for the all the expenses of it, but we (the County) never receive any revenue in return. Thus, Ralph Wilson has a contract in one hand so that he can have his other hand out seeking more taxpayer money.
Mike, it isn’t like the Buffalo Bills is a winning team.
Additional thinking….
In budgeting for a family, generally it wouldn’t be prudent to purchase season tickets to the Bills if there’s no food in the house to feed the children, right?
The County is deciding on wise borrowing, and first on the list is a no-essential (albeit losing) football team. Every year they talk about the need to cut services because there’s no money in the budget, but sure as shit… they always find a way to give our tax dollars to the Bills first. Less sheriff patrols balances out equally for a hand out to the stadium of a non-winning team. Or at least that’s what it looks like to me.
If the Bills move, you lose 2.27m in sales tax on ticket sales alone per year.
Ready to pay higher property taxes to cover the loss?
If someone is injured due to the condition of the stadium, the county is responsible. Ready to pay for the lawsuit?
Not condoning the subsidy, just throwing some figures your way.
Pauldub, a loss of $2.27 million in sales tax on ticket sales? See the top line?
GENERAL PROJECTS: Ralph Wilson Stadium ($2,800,000)
To my thinking, our “gain” in sales tax revenue has already been lost to the amount we have to pay right back to the stadium each year. Lose the 2.27 mill, gain the 2,800,000 (and more) — no need for raising property or any other taxes to balance anything out, right?
The County (our county tax dollars) paying for the liability of the stadium is about as unethical as trying to sue a dj for cause of injury because of a pothole in a parking lot at a wedding venue. The Stadium is the biggest form of Corporate welfare, our County Executive says he wants to have a more cost-effective government for us, he can start by disabling the contract with “The Ralph” and let the team/ownership start being more self-suffient instead of relying on the taxpayers to keep footing the bill to keep the Bills here.
Actually the savings would be the difference between the 2.27 and the 2.8. And if the Bills leave, so does that cash. Of course we won’t have to keep up the stadium, we can just let it sit and deterioriate. Additionally, the 2.27 is ticket sales alone. Does not include the sales tax on all the goodies. Also does not include the income the local merchants in OP get. Take all that away. As well as the people they will lay off because the draw is gone.
And people sue the venue, not the DJ. Happens all the time.
Like I said, I’m not condoning the subsidy, I just wanted to show you another angle. The IDA’s throw money around that make the stadium cost look like peanuts and we get NOTHING in return. No jobs, nothing. You and Mike are right. There is too much subsidy going on. But this one is putting county money into a county facility. Not much of a diffference, but just a little.
If I ever find that study showing the income generated by the Bills, I will post it. Not the inflated one, but the other one.
This is probably our best conversation pauldub
I don’t see “The Ralph” as a County facility as much as I’d see a community/senior center as one.
If the team is to leave, the land won’t be left abandoned for very long. A private developer would snatch it up in a New York minute and build. Have you seen some of the new homes being built out in Orchard Park (and areas alike)? That land will become prime real estate and at top of the line prices…. and (out there) they’ll get it. Thus, mad property for the County tax rolls. Plus the added savings when the apron strings are cut from funding the stadium… Erie County = cha-ching! (lol- but true)
I do see your point on the disadvantages of shutting the operation down, however suburban areas like Hamburg, OP… they are becoming boom-towns and the same (slightly above) minimum wage jobs are becoming abundent, plus the work is non-seasonal unlike sweeping up after a game.
I like that you mentioned local merchants. One day I’d like to see that $2,800,000 put towards helping more of the local merchants in our area.
Additional thinking…
From this quote that I posted above:
Just as homeowners determine capital improvements, so does government, mostly with public health, safety, economic development and community projects. Decisions are weighed on needs versus wants, priorities, costs, timelines and market conditions.
In deciding on “prudent borrowing” wouldn’t it nice to see $2,800,000 put into the infrastructure of the Grand Island and other bridges since safety is also a determining factor in spending our County tax dollars?
No developer would touch it until the county tore it down and then did the remediation required. Then the county IDA would give the developer a huge subsidy to build an office park.
But I do agree. If the team leaves, the financial picture would be bad for a bit, but then Mike’s market forces would take over and things would pick up.
And if the Bills leave, well, I am also a Browns fan as well.
I doubt anything could be worse than the County continually subsidizing the stadium of a losing football team while our bridges and roadways are left crumbling year after year.
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