Who's next?

The angst on social media over the condition of Niagara Falls is palpable. A few weeks ago we had a “Heart of the City” forum at the library sponsored by Republicans.

The panel discussion became a cathartic bitch fest where panel members talked about dilapidated buildings, unfilled potholes and a need for jobs. The focus was on blame, not hope, problems, not solutions.

Is there a lot wrong in this city? Most certainly. Does anyone want to work for the Clean Team or Forestry? Both have jobs open. In fact, public works has between 20 and 25 jobs open. Code enforcement remains a mess. 

What was missing from that discussion was any idea for how to fix things.

We moved here from Clarence five years ago next month. Friends and family said "have you lost your mind." I said "come sit on our porch and listen to the Rapids." It was one of our best decisions ever.

I am not a Realtor but if you transported our home from DeVeaux to Lewiston, Williamsville or East Aurora it would sell for $450,000 or so, more than twice what we paid and not be two blocks from the gorge. I would rather live here.

On a personal basis, I don't care for Mayor Restaino. I have spoken to him probably 10 times and sit with him again next week. In fairness, I still don't feel like I know him.

Reality is the city was a mess when we got here. It has been a mess for Restaino’s whole life. The other reality is the state's investments downtown are somewhere around $100 million. Commitments so far for investment on Main Street are $50 million. The Main Street project is working because it is NCIDA, NORLIC, USAN and ESD vetting proposals, not the Restaino friends and family. That Main Street investment will likely double in the next few years.

Add in private development downtown with the DoubleTree doubled in size and a mixed use retail development across the street on Buffalo Avenue.

Then consider work is actually happening on Hotel Niagara.

Is there failure? For sure. Look at Montante's Radio Social on Third Street. NFR is a bad joke. So is Centennial Park.

Third term or not will not matter to any of the above projects. A $250 million multi-use arena on the wrong side of the casino from the State Park, even if the state paid for it, makes no sense to me.

The city needs a charismatic, personable leader who can unite interested parties and help us grow. Buffalo is in a fiscal crisis because of incompetent leadership but has been endlessly one-upping us when it comes to federal and state investment because of better political lobbying and the Buffalo Niagara Partnership. We need to demand more. Some credit for the Partnership's current success rests with Seth Piccirillo who lost a primary for Falls Mayor when Restaino ran for the first time.

We are the Niagara Region. Buffalo is dying. Jim Diodati and friends are turning Niagara Ontario into a new version of Vegas. It will spill across the gorge. We need an all-in commitment of $1 billion from Albany to at least begin to keep pace with Ontario in addition to what is already going on. A match of a second billion from Washington is in order as well, perhaps during the Newsom or Buttigieg administration or sooner if the Democrats sweep the mid-terms.

We also need revenue sharing from the Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds and parking lots. The State has never really made good on replacing the 25% of the city’s property tax revenue that slid into the river with the Schoellkopf Power Plant. Maggadino is not coming back. Neither are 40,000 power plant jobs. We need tangible, repeatable support from Albany, the kind that comes from having a seat at the table. 

The key elements to fixing what's wrong are jobs and fixing the school district. Some of those jobs can be in the tourism industry. I don’t know the answer to how to attract others.

I don't know if Restaino is the guy to bring answers but we have to look at the other options and decide. "Anybody but him" is a poor choice.

Vincent Cauley, one likely candidate, just overstepped his role as councilperson and caused a union grievance. Carl Cain, another potential candidate has no experience in government but ran last time and couldn’t even get the support of the police union he used to work for. Another "Heart of the City" forum is coming.

Who else could run? Anthony Vilardo? Chris Robins? Paul Kudela? Jay Vona? Ezra Scott? Sanquin Starks? I am throwing it against the wall to see what sticks. Let’s keep asking the right questions and inspiring dialogue.

Lets also not lose sight of the progress being made no matter how you feel about the Mayor.