
Albright
Knox to Hike Admission
The
Albright-Knox Art Gallery is increasing the price of admission. Starting January
first, adult admission to the gallery will increase from $10 to $12. Seniors and
students will continue to pay $8 and children under 12 will be let in free. Albright-Knox
Director Louis Grachos blames the increase on rising operating costs. The popular
Gusto At The Gallery series will continue, which allows free admission on Friday
nights.
Buy
Local
A
brand new all-local coupon book was unveiled by Buffalo First -- a non-profit
organization committed to building the local economy. The book costs $10 and has
more than $2,500 in savings. Buffalo First Director Amy Kedron says it's more
than just coupons. She says the book is also an educational resource. "Every page
of the book has tips on on how to be green and build the local economy by making
small changes in consumer habits," Kedron said. Kedron says all 150 businesses
in the book are independently owned and unique to Buffalo. She says when consumers
shop locally, three times more of their money stays in the local economy. Kedron
says this is an important factor in keeping Buffalo strong during the national
recession. The book is on sale at 80 retail locations in the Buffalo area. More
information is available at Buffalo First.
Buffalo
Ends Fiscal Year with Increased Surplus
The
City of Buffalo ended the fiscal year with a surplus of nearly $16 million. City
Comptroller Andrew San Filippo says final numbers show a third consecutive year
of balanced budgets without borrowing assistance from the city's control board.
The total fund balance now stands at more than $133 million. The comptroller says
that's good news given the shape of the state economy and likely cutbacks in aid
to cities like Buffalo. San Filippo credits Brown administration policies and
the role the control board has played in getting the city back on solid fiscal
ground. But he says the positive results show it may be time for the control board
to downshift to an advisory role, rather than the "hard" board that is now in
place.
Could
County Budget Dispute Be Solved By A Stroke Of A Pen?
Page
Erie County Legislature Leg. will meet in special session, poised to add language
to a bill usually passed without debate, in hopes of ending debate once and for
all. Ordinarily there is a rather benign bill sent by the Erie County Executive
to the County Legislature toward the end of the year. In the most simple terms,
it merely directs property taxes to be levied. Ordinarily it is approved without
fan fare. But this is no ordinary year, with the Legislature and the County Executive
continuing to lock horns over the amount of taxes to be collected. Like in any
ordinary year, the bill directing taxes to be collected, doesn't include the amount.
So, on Monday, legislators will take the unusual step to amend it to include the
amount they claim should be collected and therefore keep the rate flat.
UB
20/20 Tops Regional Agenda
Expansion
of the University at Buffalo leads the regional agenda prepared by the Buffalo
Niagara Partnership. The U-B 20/20 plan calls for expanding the upgrading the
school, increasing student enrollment by 10,000 and adding another 2,500 faculty
and staff. This is the eighth-year the Partnership, the cities of Buffalo and
Niagara Falls, and Erie and Niagara counties have listed priorities for the region
which will be pushed in Washington and Albany. Rudnick says the agenda is being
released almost two-months earlier than usual because New York's budget is being
released in just a few weeks. Mayor Brown says the goals in the agenda are for
the entire region. The regional agenda seeks nearly $250-million in funding for
various projects in Erie and Niagara counties.
Quicker
Border Travel at Inspection Plaza
New
technology is now in place at Western New York border crossings. It is called
Radio Frequency Identification technology. It works with new travel documents
to make the borders more secure and efficient. By June 1st, citizens crossing
the border into Canada will be required to use a passport card, enhanced drivers
license or traditional passport. New passport cards or an enhanced New York State
drivers license will allow quicker travel through the customs plaza.
UB
Plans Shifts Medical School Downtown, South Campus to House Professional Schools
The University
at Buffalo is unveiling its draft plan for redesigning its three campuses. Details
are being presented at a day-long forum in Harriman Hall on the South Campus.
The ambitious plan calls for moving the UB Medical School to the new downtown
campus. UB President John Simpson says the South Campus would become a center
of professional education in various disciplines, including Law, Social Work and
Architecture. The parking lots along Main Street on the South Campus would be
replaced by green space,and a new amphitheater would be tucked into the escarpment
on the Main Street lawn. Multi-story ramps would be built for parking. The North
Campus is envisioned as the "academic heart" of the university. Transportation
improvements would be made, including what's described as a high-capacity transit
service, linking downtown Buffalo with Amherst.
S.
Buffalo Residents to Benefit from Redrawn Flood Map
After
decades of paying for costly flood insurance, thousands of local property owners
are finally off the hook. Under pressure from federal, state and local officials,
FEMA has revised its flood map for South Buffalo and Kaisertown. The change means
nearly 2,800 homes and businesses are no longer required to carry flood insurance.
South District Councilmember Michael Kearns says premiums will be pro-rated, but
he says it is up to property owners to get removed from the federal program. Kearns
says applications for removal from the National Flood Insurance Program are available
through his office or by contacting the Buffalo City Engineer's Office.
Mortgage
Crisis Creeps into WNY
As
the mortgage meltdown continues, many wonder just how bad the foreclosure rate
will get in Western New York. The Erie County Distressed Properties Task Force
warns it could be worse that first expected. Distressed properties and foreclosures
are not a new problem to Erie County. The task force estimates there are roughly
30,000 properties in foreclosure. And that is not the bad news. According to legislator
Robert Reynolds, who sits on the task force, there could be a wave of new foreclosures
next year. The task force reports that predatory lenders issued 5,404 mortgages
in 2007. According to officials, more than a quarter of those are three and four
year adjustable mortgages that are in jeopardy. So, Reynolds said it will take
a couple years for those mortgages to "re-set" before the full extent of the local
mortgage crisis is known.