Tag: Mayor Byron Brown

Sep 20

2017

Buffalo police who cross the line

Mayor Byron Brown established the Strike Force and Housing units to address the scourge of gangs, drugs and guns in Buffalo. While few argue with the mission of these police units, the way they go about their job is raising alarm, with some defense attorneys characterizing Strike Force and Housing Unit officers as “vigilantes” with a “cowboy mentality.” “I think they have a complete disregard for the Constitution of the United States, and most importantly, the Fourth Amendment,” said Michael Stachowski, a Buffalo defense attorney. “They just seem to roust kids in the street, chase people, and hope they[...]

Posted 7 years ago

Sep 13

2017

Assessing Buffalo’s mayoral primary

Published by Jim Heaney

A win is a win, and Byron Brown certainly did that Tuesday, capturing a little more than half the vote in a three-way Democratic primary for mayor. The victory sets Brown up for a fourth term, equalling the tenure of Jimmy Griffin. That’s about where the good news ends for the mayor. The numbers are not otherwise kind. Let’s start with his 13,346 votes – the lowest of his four primary runs and little more than half of his total eight years ago. (Mickey Kearns garnered more votes eight years ago in losing to Brown in a landslide. Think about it.)[...]

Posted 7 years ago

Jul 13

2017

Heaney talks transit extension on ‘Pressroom

Published by Jim Heaney

Jim Heaney discusses two recent stories done by Investigative Post on the proposed extension of Metro Rail and Buffalo’s continuing lead poisoning crisis. Heaney explained to Susan Arbetter of The Capitol Pressroom why he thinks the rail extension is a bad idea and chastises city and county officials for their failure to address lead poisoning with a greater sense of urgency.

Posted 8 years ago

Jul 6

2017

City Hall slow to enforce lead measures

Published by Dan Telvock

Buffalo continues to have a lead poisoning crisis – hundreds of children were diagnosed with dangerous lead levels again last year – but you wouldn’t know it by City Hall’s slow rollout of its plan to deal with the problem. Mayor Byron Brown announced his plan in May 2016 and the Common Council passed companion legislation in October. But an Investigative Post analysis shows there’s been little progress in executing the initiative. Consider: Not a single landlord has submitted a required compliance letter with the city to confirm that they and their tenant are aware that lead paint is presumed[...]

Posted 8 years ago

Oct 20

2016

Buffalo beefs up efforts to test water for lead

Published by Dan Telvock

Mayor Byron Brown proclaimed Wednesday that Buffalo’s water is “lead safe” after samples from more than 150 homes showed results below the federal government’s standard. “Still, we know people are concerned and we felt it was imperative that we do more in Buffalo to reassure our residents that we are using best practices and doing everything we can to make sure our water supply and distribution system is safe,” Brown said. The mayor announced a series of new initiatives that he said go above and beyond what the federal Environmental Protection Agency requires water utilities to do to ensure drinking[...]

Posted 8 years ago

Aug 26

2016

Heaney talks Buffalo lead testing on ‘Pressroom

Published by Jim Heaney

Susan Arbetter of The Capitol Pressroom interviews Jim Heaney about Investigative Post’s recent story on problems with Buffalo’s program to test drinking water for lead. The interview, which broadcast Aug. 25, runs from 22:33 to 37:04. Heaney will interview Arbetter in front of a live audience Sept. 13 at the Burchfield Penney Art Center. She will discuss state politics, her trials and tribulations as a female, entrepreneurial journalist, her best and worst interviews and the future of public radio. Tickets are $10; admission is free for Silver, Gold and Platinum Investigative Post members. Tickets and memberships can be purchased online here.[...]

Posted 8 years ago

Aug 22

2016

Looking for lead (in all the wrong places)

Published by Dan Telvock

Neighborhoods on the city’s East and Lower West Sides are “ground zero” for the worst lead poisoning problems in all of Upstate New York. Lead paint is considered the culprit, but the crisis in Flint, Michigan, has raised questions about the safety of the drinking water in cities like Buffalo. The testing program used by Buffalo to determine whether drinking water is safe does not target the minority neighborhoods where the lead poisoning problem is concentrated, an analysis by Investigative Post has found. Instead, the city has focused on predominantly white neighborhoods in North and South Buffalo that report few,[...]

Posted 8 years ago

Apr 27

2016

Buffalo snubs county on lead poisoning

Published by Dan Telvock

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz’s lead prevention proposal is stuck in the County Legislature’s Finance and Management Committee after city officials twice declined invitations to appear to answer questions. The absence of city officials at these committee meetings is a continuation of a pattern on the part of City Hall officials, which Poloncarz administration officials fear is playing into the hands of suburban Republican legislators who appear reluctant to support the county executive’s initiative. Majority Leader Joseph Lorigo said during an April 7 committee meeting that he had invited Louis Petrucci, the city’s assistant director of permit and inspection services,[...]

Posted 9 years ago