07/15/09 11:58 - 72ºF - ID#49297

Change Buffalo

Ugh,

So, Jim Heaney of the Buffalo News ran a story about how Councilmember David and the Brown administration are under investigation from the DA and the FBI. Hurrah!

This is just part of an endless stream of scandals. $30,000 of anti-poverty money used to purchase blackberries. Over a million in anti-poverty money being used to run a restaurant. Sending emails to city employees telling them they had to work on his campaign.

Property taxes are lower, but assessments raise the price of homes and the total amount taxed. Violent crime is up 6.5% this year. What economic development has taken place? A new court house is not long term development. Tearing down the aud is not long term development.

Charges of ethics violations, election law crimes, endless corruption, and failure to meet most campaign promises would topple the mayor of a better city. But we are not a better city. We are a good city run by bad people.

A few days later, the Mayor handed in 21,000 signatures on his petitions for reelection. He needed only 2,000 to qualify.

But, he has a challenger! South district councilmember Mickey Kearns is gunning for the Mayor's office. Rumor has it that scandals and corruption in the Brown administration are going to send people flocking to support Kearns. Rumor has it that he should be handing in over 3,500 signatures!

Wait, 3,500? That is it?

We do not have a mayor with a vision for a sustainable future for our city. But he will be mayor for four more years as he does not have a serious challenger. With a number like 3.5K it isn't even certain that he will be on the ballot.

Really? There has to be someone around here who wont flop around the political stage like a fish.

tiburon1724 writes at 11:13:43 08/04/09 - Comment #50571: Unfortunately Brown will be mayor for quite some time. He's black. In Buffalo. He will only be defeated by another black probably.

metalpeter writes at 06:27:10 07/16/09 - Comment #50127: My Understanding that the Brown thing is nothing new, that thing of getting city workers to work on your campaign is very old. I won't say it is as old as the Chicago Gangs but for buffalo it isn't new, It is Just a Black Guy doing it now instead of the "Old Money White Boys Club". The corruption under brown won't stick to him. He didn't do it, it was people under him and he will get re-elected for 4 more years. In politics no one ever really goes to jail. It is a rigged system. The System is set up to favor incumbents. It takes lots of money to run for office, but it shouldn't. So then once you get in you Now kinda owe the people who got you in. I say that this is true at all levels. The Honest truth is that if you want a new waterfront or a New Staduim for the Bills, Or a new park, or to be able to have chickens in your Yard. You Have to do it on your own, you Have to be the change. Is that what is called a grass roots movement?

joshua writes at 03:56:54 07/15/09 - Comment #50063: Oh my god I don't mean to repeat post so much but I can see a burgeoning bromance between Mickey Kearns and I. Blue collar boy, son of a city firefighter, started out as a sanitation worker and worked his way up from the bottom to become a successful fundraiser and Common Councilman. He doesn't appear to be a career man like Byron Brown or Antoine Thompson. I might be considering working for a politician's campaign for the first time.

joshua writes at 03:53:21 07/15/09 - Comment #50061: Alright I'm in, I signed up for his e-list.

joshua writes at 03:39:46 07/15/09 - Comment #50059: Byron Brown should be wearing federal property for the misappropriation of funds and abuse of City Hall employees. Do you know what his rationalization was for the city hall employee scandal? "It wasn't illegal because the e-mails were distributed from private property, rather than city property." I'm not making this up - I heard him (or his spokesman, can't remember) say this very thing on NPR this week.

joshua writes at 02:45:23 07/15/09 - Comment #50050: I know absolutely nothing about Mickey Kearns but I support him.

james writes at 02:20:39 07/15/09 - Comment #50049: Coffee: I like Kearns a lot. He is a great councilman and is one of the good guys. The fact that he defeated the establishment candidate to get his seat is great. I have no doubt that his motives are good and that he would be a better mayor.

Jason: I don't think a viable second party is all that meaningful in this town. The sort of change that would make a sizable portion of the city change party would be something bigger than Buffalo. There are good politicians and bad politicians and their attending factions. I just hope more good politicians steer those factions to better ends.

Mike: I wonder if Sam will ever run again. He might love what he does in Albany too much, and god did he pass a lot of amazing leg this year.

Drew: You have my vote. Let me know when you want to start fundraising.

drew writes at 01:09:16 07/15/09 - Comment #50043: I need to wait a few years before I run.

dcoffee writes at 01:05:25 07/15/09 - Comment #50041: Brown has a 'with us or against us' way of doing business, that's not good for the city. There is a culture of corruption in this city and we need new leaders that view public service as an honor and a privelage, not a means of self glorification.

Sure there's been construction and development in the city during Brown's tenure, but that has more to do with an active and involved public. We've taken a hands on approach to our city because we're sick and tired of waiting for honest leadership at City Hall.

Kearns is not looking for glory, he just wants to be able to do more to help his hometown.

I'm glad I'm a registered Democrat.

jason writes at 12:59:23 07/15/09 - Comment #50040: There is no credible competition in the Republican Party. People in Buffalo won't ever pull the lever for an R, no matter how shady Brown turns out to be. Change has to come from within the Democratic Party, and I hope you work towards that end.

mrmike writes at 12:07:19 07/15/09 - Comment #50033: This is where I get frustrated with the system. It seems like we have been annointing candidates instead of letting the primary system work. Kearns unfortunately stands no chance short of divine intervention. Trying to unseat the sitting mayor of the same party is a tall order in slow thinking Buffalo. The republicans can't really sell anybody so they don't try. To improve on the long nap we are currently under, we need somebody of even higher profile to trump the current setup -- like Sam, perhaps.