LOCKPORT LETTER
An Archive of the major
happenings in Lockport as first reported here at The Lockport Home Page
The Lockport Letter is the archive section for major
stories previously published in our Lockport
Today section.
For the latest Lockport news, refer to Lockport Today first. Stories are accumulated here
for periods up
to several years on the basis of various criteria: age, continuing interest,
importance, pending
action, and relationship to more current news. Photos which may have been
associated
with these reports are not archived here and are not normally available online.
Lockport Taxes & Spending - A New Administration Brings In A New Problem
Lockport Hospital: Updates On Five Years Of Financial Troubles
Non-Enforcement Of Laws Allow Zoning & Parking Problems To Fuel Urban Decay
Multi-Million Dollar Delphi-Harrison Tax Breaks Cause For Increases For Others
YMCA Continues With Efforts To Move Most Of Operations Out Of Lockport City
Problems And Progress In Continuing Efforts At Lockport Downtown Redevelopment
Lockport To Suffer Sales Tax Revenue Decline Because Of New, Lower Population Figures
New Hotel For Lockport To Get Tax Break
Lockport "Special Education" Wasting $3.5 Million Yearly - A Lockport Page Special Report
Year 2000
Year 1999 & Prior
Council approves Mayor's budget for huge tax increase.
Only Alderman Mark J. Dudkowski stood up against the tax increase steam roller that had been orchestrated by Mayor Tom Sullivan when city legislators voted 5-1 Wednesday, 10/3, to approve a record spending program and record-high city taxes. The budget increase is fueled by record spending which is primarily in the form of pay raises for city employees (ranging from 3 to 10%), increased numbers of employees, increased benefits (a $244,000 annual increase in insurance costs for the police employees alone), plus anticipated increased costs in city utilities. Also contributing to the tax increase is the little recognized costs associated with carrying nearly a million dollars in monies due from Lockport Memorial Hospital on which the hospital is in default. Although the average tax increase is stated as about 11%, some in the city may pay nearly 30% more because of reassessment. Dollar-wise almost all of the lower assessment was obtained by Delphi-Harrison. Other city properties are picking up the tax burden that had been carried by Delphi-Harrison before city officials made a deal to lower the company's assessed valuation by millions of dollars. In a financial slight of hand that apparently worked, Mayor Sullivan's administration had claimed that the city tax rate was going down (from $13.25/$1000 of assessed valuation to $12.65/$1000). However, that claim, which is correct, was not followed by the further truth that the property assessment (value) on which the rate is applied was inflated for most properties in the city except those of Delphi-Harrison. Even the report that over a million dollars in new taxes are being imposed is mild---failing to note that those new taxes will be concentrated on the majority of small property owners whose assessment has been increased. For many parcels of property in the city, the new budget will effectively impose the largest single-year tax increase in city history. That truth will manifest itself shortly after the first of the year when the city's 2002 individual tax bills are mailed out. (10/3/01)Turnout for city budget hearing sparse but comments are strong.
Residents who turned out Wednesday night, 9/26, on short notice for the
perfunctory public budget hearing were unhappy with the 15% property tax hike the Sullivan
administration was trying to ram through. George Kugler, a frequent critic of city
spending schemes, asked, "How many jobs are being cut?" That was an
apparent reference to the main cause for the spending increases---pay raises for city
employees and the hiring of more city employees, especially highly paid ones. The
administration was also blasted for not having a complete budget for city residents to
see, let alone comment on. Jacob Kern Jr. noted the huge increase in property
assessments imposed on most city residents to finance a big tax break given to
Delphi-Harrison. Kern complained that individuals have had to go to court to protest
their tax and property assessment increases while "the fat cat got $10-million."
(9/27/01)
Mayor Sullivan seeking 15.7% average tax hike for Lockport. With an
all-time record spending plan highlighted by raises and more employees, the $24.4-million
spending spree proposed by Thomas Sullivan will cause property taxes in Lockport to
increase an average of 15.7%. Many will see increases of nearly 30% depending on how
much their property assessments were increased. Only Delphi-Harrison, with which the
Sullivan administration made a deal for lower assessments, will see a slight decline in
taxes. The Mayor is making a push to rush the budget to approval by the
Democratic-controlled Lockport Common Council. The public hearing on the budget, set
for Wednesday, 9/26, will be held even though detailed information on the plan will not be
available to the public in printed form. Even rumors of the budget details only
leaked out about two weeks ago. The actual increase in the tax burden being pushed
by Sullivan is $1.11-million. (9/26/01)
Mayor proposes 4.7% boost in Lockport City budget. Mayor Tom
Sullivan has revealed a Lockport City budget that calls for an average boost of 4.7% in
spending, pushing to an all-time high city budget of $24.4-million. There was no
immediate estimate given on how much taxes would go up but since the mayor failed to
indicate any other substantial source of new revenue, property taxpayers are expected to
bear all or most of the costs. But the tax burden on Lockportians will be much more
than first meets the eye since huge tax assessment breaks have been given to
Delphi-Harrison. For some Lockportians, city taxes could be as much as 20% higher
than last year. (9/14/01)
Nurses strike at LMH reported settled. After a 14+ hour negotiating session on Wednesday, 8/8, the five- week strike by registered nurses against Lockport Memorial Hospital should be over. The union was to vote Thursday night formal approval of the agreement reached Wednesday between the hospital administration and the union leaders. Nurses could be called back to work, on a phased in basis, on Friday, 8/10. Other employees, laid off when the nurses walked out and the hospital was closed except for emergency room treatment, will also be called back on a phased in schedule as the hospital population begins to build (LMH had moved all patients out at the beginning of the strike). Reports indicate that the nurses obtained much of what they had sought in terms of restrictions on mandatory overtime, retirement benefits at a lower age of 62, and substantial wage increases both on a percentage basis (9% boost over time) and with lump sum payments of as much as $900/year for the first years of the new four-year agreement. (8/9/01)
$7-Million Tax Breaks To Delphi-Harrison Cited As Cause For Large Tax Hike For Rest Of City
City of Lockport officials have given the Lockport plant of Delhi-Harrison a 23.5% property tax cut which is resulting in substantial tax increases for Lockport City residents. Some small property owners in the city are seeing projected increases of 30% in their school, city, and town taxes after a city-wide reassessment which followed the giant tax breaks for Lockport's biggest employer. Other businesses are also seeing sharp increases in their property assessments to make up for the cuts given to Harrison. Property assessments are up in most every well-maintained neighborhood in the city and, combined with projected tax rate hikes and a reduced overall taxable property base caused by the Delphi-Harrison concessions, will translate into hundreds of dollars in increased taxes for most, thousands more for some. Many areas now appear to be assessed at well above their market value and the Lockport Public Library and other places where protests forms can be obtained are reporting a steady stream of residents daily who are starting the large paperwork hassle required to protests assessments. The only area of decrease in city property assessments appears to be in the crime district and other areas where failure to maintain zoning laws has caused a sharp drop in real estate sales prices which trigger a drop in the assessment. (5/14/01)See previous stories under:
1999 Financial Crisis
Newfane Administrators
Take Over
CAB Advises: Adopt modified Medina regs to control yard parking.
The Lockport City Citizen's Advisory Board has reportedly recommended to the Mayor and Lockport Common Council that regulations used in Medina to control front yard parking of vehicles in residential areas be adopted, with some modification, for Lockport. The City continues to be afflicted by neighborhood decay helped along by non-enforcement of city zoning and parking laws that are supposed to prohibit parking of vehicles on front lawns and city right-of-ways in residential neighborhoods. The recommendations are said to have received a generally favorable reception by the Council members but city hall reports indicate Mayor Tom Sullivan is less than enthusiastic over any substantial effort to clean up the parking dilemma in neighborhoods. On source told the Lockport Page that Sullivan considers the matter "dead." Included in the CAB advice was that Glenn Hazelett, a CAB member, serve as a mediator.
YMCA To Start PR Campaign To Move Facilities Out Of City
The Lockport YMCA needs nearly five-million dollars to build a new building off Snyder Drive in the Town of Lockport and the organization has started the first phase of an effort to raise the funds. It's a public relations campaign designed to get "input" from the community as to what sort of programs it will offer at the new facility. While running "community forums" to solicit community concerns, the Y is attempting to downplay the loss by the city. The project will be built south of the city, out in the town and away from the traditional population center. Lockport Town Supervisor, John B. Austin, is delighted with his town's latest coup. He the new location will be in "a central area of high population for us." The Y's Executive Director, Mark W. Albiez is promising that the 31-acre project will only be "a satellite" to the old brick building on East Avenue where "headquarters" will remain. Target date for opening the new 2-pool, 2-gym facility in the Town is 2005 or 2006. Lockport Mayor Tom Sullivan, a strong advocate of city-town joint ventures, told the Buffalo News that the city isn't concerned about losing anything. (4/29/01)
Granchelli finally forks over the cash.
The City of Lockport had to resort to seizing rent checks from some of Elmer Granchelli's tenants in order to start collecting some of the over-half million dollar court judgement that had been awarded against the controversial city developer. Granchelli, who had been named to the Lockport "Walk of Fame" in 2000, had just refused to pay the city even though ordered by the court in one of many legal actions involving the ill-fated "South Block." After the city had seized about $131,000 by various actions, Granchelli finally gave in and delivered a check for $379,878.24 to the city coffers this week. The saga of "The South Block" continues, however, since Granchelli, through family-controlled corporations, still holds a mortgage on the 280-foot wide stretch of downtown property. That legal issue will cloud actual ownership and liability for the property should any developer be selected by the city to start building there. The issue came about because the City Attorney failed to obtain a "warranty deed" from Granchelli as was ordered by the court. (10/28/01)City reported ready to approve Rochester company for Richmond Avenue "development." With final cost still a question mark and no public answers on how the city will raise its "share" of costs the developer wants contributed, Lockport City officials have indicated they will approve the proposal of Benton Kendig for the decaying Richmond Avenue section of the city Canal District. Kendig was the only one to submit a proposal when the city advertised for such. Initial plans had called for demolition of most of the ugly eyesores that taint the block but local preservationists raised such a protest that the city reversed itself and called for "restoration-development" rather than just re-development of the area. Restoration will cost much more than straight development and by specifying such the city effectively reduced the numbers of contractors or developers who were interested to...one. (7/29/01)
Still More Delays In South Block Development, City Encounters Legal Mine Field
A legal loophole may allow Elmer Granchelli to further delay South Block proceedings. The South Block downtown property, vacant since the days of Urban Renewal, may remain vacant a bit longer. The city was awarded the property by way of a "Sheriff's Deed" after protracted legal moves that extended well over a decade. But just as the city legal team was rejoicing over the city take-back of the property which developer Elmer Granchelli failed to develop, they missed another legal minefield Mr. G's expert legal team had laid out.
Granchelli had set up a mortgage on the property payable to two corporations that his family controls. For the city (or anyone else) to have clear title to the property that mortgage, now totaling $518,176 with interest, needs to be paid off. Claiming the mortgage "to himself" was just a Granchelli ruse and will not stop the city from selling the property to another developer, City Attorney John Ottaviano says the city will go back to court to have the mortgage ruled invalid. But he fails to cite any legal point other than the mortgage was a device designed to protect Granchelli's interests---the same type of device thousands of corporations use in New York State with a history of success. Granchelli meanwhile is having two of his corporations, Centennial Development and Velco start court foreclosure action on the mortgages. If such action is granted, the South Block could be returned to the control of the Granchelli interests. If the city had obtained a "warranty deed" rather than a Sheriff's Deed" when it acquired the property after the long court battle, Granchelli's latest legal maneuver won't have been possible. (4/29/01)
The City of Lockport has won the latest court case in the downtown South Block legal duel with developer Elmer Granchelli. A New York State Appellate Appeals Judge in Rochester Wednesday, 2/7, awarded the city nearly $530,000 in judgement and interest against Mr. Granchelli. The city is now reportedly clear to sell the property to a new developer.
The battle for control of the South Block dates back about a quarter of a century when Granchelli was given the property in an Urban Renewal proceeding after he promised to build a shopping center on the site. That promise was never kept and the city has been trying to take back the property ever since. Observers say loss of the South Block has been one of the prime reasons for the demise of the city central business district in the past 25 years. (2/8/01)
Lockport To Lose About $250K/year In Sales Tax Revenue Due To Population Decline.
With the new 2000 census figures now officially out, the city of Lockport stands to see a reduction in sales tax revenue of about $250,000 a year. Such revenues collected by Niagara County are allocated to local governments based on population. With a population decline of 2,147 residents over the previous census, Lockport will get a smaller percentage of about $54-million in sales tax collected in Niagara County. The Town of Lockport, with an increase in population will get a bigger percentage. In planning its budget, City of Lockport officials declined to make any provision for the decreased revenue. This combined with the default of Lockport Memorial Hospital on its mortgage to the city (about $100K/year hit) , and the continuing giveaway of over $100,000 a year to the Dale Association for senior entertainment and services, will put additional pressure on city property owners to pay a higher tax rate or, for City Council members to make new and politically unpopular cuts in city spending. (3/29/01)
Threat Of Building In Town Nets Hotel Group City Support For Tax Exemption
There was no support at a public hearing for the proposal by a hotel developer to get over a half million in tax abatement in return for building a $2.5-million, 71-room Holiday Express off Ruhlmann Road. But lack of support, in fact considerable opposition, didn't stop the Lockport City Council members from voicing support at a work session this week for the project proposed by the Lockport Lodging Group. Alderman Mark Dudkowski told the media, "If it doesn't go this side of Ruhlmann, it's going on the other (Town of Lockport) side." The tax breaks were not endorsed, however, by Mayor Tom Sullivan. Regardless of community opposition to tax abatement, the Niagara County Industrial Development Agency then voted 5-1 on Thursday, 2/15 to grant the hotel group a tax incentive package which will cost city tax rolls an estimated $643,000 over a ten year period. Lockport's three other hotels, built without tax subsidies have been reporting low occupancy rates and it was pointed out that giving the tax breaks for the new Holiday Express would be unfair to existing business. Nevertheless the IDA approval came with only Lockport member, David Chamberlain voting against the measure. (2/18/01)
Lockport Year In Review
Delphi-Harrison Under Pressure To Improve At Lockport "Or Else"
The Delphi Automotive Group has put the Lockport plant of Delphi-Harrison on notice to improve its quality and financial performance "or else..." The response from Lockport union leadership however, has been largely negative. In the fall the local UAW union launched a public campaign against the resident plant manager and the company in general. The outlook: Lockport could lose much of its top industry in less than five years.
Corson Closes; Another Former Lockport Business Folds Under New Owners
New (out-of-town) owners took out all they could for ten years then declared Chapter 11 and closed the long-time Corson Manufacturing Company. They left a couple hundred Lockportians out of work. "That’s business."
Bank Takes "Lockport" Out Of Its Name, Renames Itself For Niagara Falls
When the former Lockport Savings Bank’s officers decided to ditch the name Lockport in favor of Niagara Falls they initiated a new informal name. "The hijacked bank" is a term coined by some local observers to describe how the former Lockport owned and operated bank was taken over by outsiders in a complex corporate shell game.
Landlord Licensing Proposed, Defeated, & Finally Accepted
When a Mayor’s Citizens Advisory Board came back with a message he and the council didn’t want to hear, the easiest course of action was...no action. Then when the CAB chairman pointed out that the city wasn’t enforcing existing state law that was an embarrassment to the city legal team. Local landlords lobbied and the result is finally...another tax burden on all city property owners to resolve a problem that is restricted to rental landlords. As Pine Street Pollyanna would say, "Wonderful, wonderful!"Mayor Drops Plans For City To Sponsor Community Ice Rink
When a public benefactor who had promised former Mayor Swan to bankroll the cost for most of a new multi-million dollar community skating rink withdrew his support when Mayor Tom Sullivan took office, reality sunk in. Mayor Sullivan made the tough decision to drop the project.
City, School, & County Taxes All Soar Despite Citizen Objections
Taxing authorities are also spending authorities. Asked to cut back in one area, they cut back in neither. Ignoring citizen objections and history, they "tax and tax, and spend and spend," and the cycle that causes people to leave Lockport gets another boost. Lockport’s Last Supermarket Closes Its DoorsThe action caught the city administration unprepared as it did many center-city residents. But Mayor Sullivan had a classic response when he told the Buffalo News, "I guess we're lucky to have the services out in the town so it will still be possible to drive or take public transportation to go grocery shopping." The closing of the Jubilee Market will not immediately impact the Mayor, who drives city vehicle LP-1 and can easily drive out of the city to shop.
School Board’s Budget Voted Down Nearly 2:1 On Record Turnout
They still don’t know the meaning of "No." Never in recent years have city taxpayers seen such a display of tax authority arrogance. A budget voted down once that promised a 3% tax hike was resubmitted and voted down again, nearly 2-1, in a record voter turnout. The result? City school taxes were raised nearly 10%!Radioactive Waste Left At Old Simonds Plant Raises New Concerns
The Lockport Home Page had a report on the radioactive waste off Ohio Street nearly two years ago. But nobody paid attention. But leave it to the national publication USA Today to jump on the story during the summer of 2000 and the likes of State Senator George Maziarz says he was "shocked" at the revelations.
Elections Commissioner Scandal Shows County Government Flaws
Niagara County government leadership incompetence was showcased for over a year while a minor pay raise issue blew into a scandal of lying and a grand jury indictment. But political bosses fought to keep all subjects of the probe in office and on payroll. However, when a County personnel officer blundered into making the County Historian’s position a civil service tested job, the same government bureaucrats had the top qualified man for the job fired in a fortnight.
Lockport's only in-city supermarket, Jubilee, is closed the night before Christmas with only about two weeks warning to employees and the community. Employees at the 34 Chestnut Street operation said the news was delivered to them as a "Holiday Bombshell" late Monday, 12/4. On Tuesday several Jubilee management types were at the store making their plans for close-out but were not talking to media. Sources attribute a note from The Fleming Company, the supermarket parent, as saying the closing was "because of adverse business results." Employees claimed that meant "not making enough money."
The food store was formerly known as the Super Duper and moved from Chestnut at Washburn, a former A&P store now owned by First Niagara Bank and vacant. At the time of the move, the city of Lockport gave substantial concessions to the developer including the giveaway of the Lockport municipal parking lot just south of the store and the closing of a portion of Chestnut Street. Some of the store managers had been reportedly trying to buy out the operation from Fleming but apparently did not come up with enough money. Closing of the store will be an especially hard blow for residents of the Urban Park towers, and The Spires, both center-city subsidized housing complexes. Many others in the center city, without transportation, will find their grocery shopping more restricted and more expensive when transportation or delivery costs are factored in.
Although many employees reportedly suspected a possible closing when Fleming Company announced it was pulling out of the Niagara Frontier and trying to sell its stores, Lockport Mayor Tom Sullivan appears to have been caught completely off guard by the development. He had no information of any replacement store and offered the opinion that, "It's going to change some lifestyles, that's for sure." Sullivan told the Buffalo News, "I guess we're lucky to have the services out in the town so it will still be possible to drive or take public transportation to go grocery shopping." Sullivan was referring to the Quality Markets east of the city and Tops Market, south of the city, both in the Town of Lockport. (12/24/00)
CVS Drugs,
a popular chain drug outlet at the Lockport Mall closed operations on Saturday, January 4th. Other than rumors of the past few days, the closing comes as a surprise to most. However, the store stopped taking film orders for processing several days ago and shelves appeared to be going without being restocked. The closing of the store leaves a sizeable vacancy at the Lockport Mall. Along with CVS, many kiosk mall stores, open mainly for the holiday season are also closing. Finnigan's Restaurant had closed earlier in 2000 and that space is still not operating with a new tenant. (1/5/01)City Council Fails To Act On Landlord Licensing
Little substantial support was shown for a proposed landlord licensing law in Lockport at a much-promoted public forum Monday night, 7/31, at City Hall. But Council chambers were packed with landlords all in opposition. Their appearances had been carefully organized over the past several weeks and the result of a barrage of almost constant complaints about various parts of the proposal. The lone member of the Common Council who had supported the law, Mark J. Dudkowski of the 3rd Ward, withdrew his support following the forum. Only two or three people indicated any support for the proposal. Over twenty spoke against it and the mood of those not speaking was that of overwhelming opposition.
Much of the opposition pointed out that the city already has a building code that could effectively deal with slumlords if it were enforced. But the Building Inspection Department, claiming to be "understaffed" hasn't enforced the law to any great degree, city police and fire inspectors don't appear to give it much attention, and the city's judge hasn't been handing down meaningful penalties when matters are finally brought to court. Former Lockport Mayor Tom Rotondo Jr. said the answer is "enforcement by the City Judge." In a follow-up meeting, the Council, rather than squarely address the issue, just let it alone, taking no action, and allowing the present status of non-enforcement continue.
The purpose of the new regulatory scheme was to combat conditions spreading in city residential areas that are blamed on "slum lords" and irresponsible tenants. In particular the proposal comes as yet another solution proposed to combat the Lockport City Crime District and a few other areas in the city where crime is cropping up assisted, observers say, by sub-standard housing.
The proposal, which had been the result of months of work by Citizens Advisory Board, would have required that any residential property owner that wishes to rent to another submit to a city inspection of the property, and pay a $5 application fee for a "license." Stiff fines of $250 per day and jail time are proposed to deal with those who do not comply. Additionally, the proposed law would have given the city authority to hold mandatory "inspections" of property when tenants complained about conditions and every time a tenant changes in the rented property. After inspections, the city could order the landlord to make minor or extensive repairs or modifications to the property or face fines and enforcement action --- including closure of the dwelling. Further, the law would have required detailed contact information on the real owners of rental properties---those owners would no longer be able to hide behind front operatives and Post Office Box numbers.
(8/1/00)
The City of Lockport Common Council voted Wednesday night to borrow up to $2,235,000 to finance as assortment of ten or more projects in the city --- some of the projects unspecified. The biggest hunk of the borrowing, $350,000, will go for a water line project on Richfield Street and another $200,000 for water lines elsewhere in the city. Another $300,000 will be used for reconstruction of various storm sewers in the city and $250,000 for reconstruction of sanitary sewers. $285,000 will be used for two new (replacement) garbage trucks. $200,000 will be used to clean up fuel contamination at the city-owned Hawley Street fire station and the city garage on South Niagara Streets. $100,000 will be used to purchase a new (replacement) ambulance. $400,000 of the money was for "unspecified" projects. $100,000 is allocated to demolition of several city-owned buildings taken in foreclosure actions. According to City Treasurer James Ashcraft, the city has about $10-million in "general fund" bond notes. (7/20/00)
Lockport Mayor Thomas Sullivan and a majority of the City Common Council have apparently agreed, at least informally, not to pursue a taxpayer-funded city ice rink. An official city steering committee is being disbanded and a new committee, with a broader membership reportedly will continue on an independent basis to attempt to move the proposal. The news of the city withdrawal came in a press release issued Wednesday night, 7/5, by Mayor Sullivan at a Common Council "Committee Of The Whole " meeting which also saw the release of the long delayed consultant's report on the matter.
The "E.I. Team" concluded in its report to the city (which the city taxpayers will pay at least $15,000 for) that the best site for an ice rink is at the Kenan Center. That conclusion was news to no one since the Kenan had long operated an ice facility before legal liability fears and high costs caused it to discontinue ice offerings at the Kenan Arena. The E. I. Team proposed a $4.5-million project for the Kenan campus of which $750,000 would be for renovation of the existing facilities there. The details of the proposal at the Kenan site were not made immediately available but sources say the plan is for only one ice rink. There was no indication of how the project could be funded except a remark that the "anonymous donor" who had previously promised then-Mayor Ken Swan up to a million dollars for the project, indicated that he may still make a more modest donation in the range of up to $200,000. The consultants projected that the ice rink would initially lose money but would turn profitable within ten years. (7/6/00)
Compromise Reported To Revise City Law Restricting Skateboarding
A 9-year old city law that restricts skateboarding, including in-line skating, on city properties is being opposed by at least one alderman and a large group of young people. Present regulations do not allow the dangerous activity on city properties including streets, downtown sidewalks, and parking areas. The activity is also banned on all public school properties. The law is often ignored by youngsters and parents. Police, unable to enforce the usual penalties because of the kids' juvenile status, have been confiscating the skateboards as provided for in the city law. The police often get little support from parents and now face open defiance by the city's First Ward Alderman who is employed as a juvenile officer for the Niagara County Sheriff's Department.
The matter turned into a controversy all out of previous proportions early in the week of April 24th when City Alderman Scott Elliott staged a promotional in-line skate to city hall with the local newspaper taking a picture of him. The picture gives the impression that Mr. Elliott is openly violating the city law. Mr. Elliott, claiming that the law is a "violation of people's rights," is pushing to have the city law repealed. Although Scott is a member of the Niagara County Sheriff's Department his actions are seen as undercutting the work of the local Lockport Police who must enforce the city law and answer the complaints of residents about damages and dangers attributed to the skateboard groups. However, Scott's public actions are making him something of a local hero among skateboarding kids and some of their parents. Other aldermen, seeing the reaction to Elliott, are now reported seriously considering voting to repeal the law also. The Lockport Union-Sun & Journal has assigned a photographer to take pictures of children skateboarding on public properties in defiance of the law and are giving the picture prominent play in the paper. On Saturday, 4/29, the Buffalo News joined in the publicity campaign giving the Lockport law rebellion front page coverage in all its editions.
As controversy escalates, injures to skateboarders are now joining damage reports that police investigate. On Thursday, 4/27, a 17-year old Middleport boy broke his leg skateboarding at a city parking ramp. Earlier in the week two other injuries were reported. More injuries were reported over the weekend of 4/30 as good weather brought out more skaters on city streets. Additionally, a witness told the Lockport Page that skateboarders in the street were intimidating motorists driving along Washburn Street in the city's Crime District.
On Monday, 5/1, a compromise to revise, but not repeal, the city's skateboard law is reported to have been worked out in non-public sessions over the weekend among city council members and the City Attorney. Alderman Elliott is said to have agreed to withdraw his resolution to repeal the law in favor of submitting a resolution to amend the present law. The step away from open repeal is reported to have been agreed upon when city officials promised to build a skateboard center at one of the city's parks for use this year. (4/29 - updated 5/2/00)
The Lockport Common Council has moved to proceed with a $230,000 planning project for the reconstruction of Main Street from Transit to Washburn, creating a grassy strip in the center and a boulevard appearance. Any actual construction would depend on the result of the planning study and is at least three years away. 95% of the planning costs will be paid with State taxpayer money, with the remaining $11,500 to be paid by Lockport taxpayers. Under the proposal, the driving lanes along Main Street would be reduced from two to one but left-turn lanes would be added at intersections. In other areas a grassy median would be constructed down the center of the street.
In other action Wednesday night, 4/5, the Council decided to allow for a 30-minute question and answer session at the end of each council meeting. That move is to satisfy a group of Lockportians who have enjoyed coming to Council meetings to complain to the lawmakers in front of cable TV cameras. The Council also decided to give further study to the State of New York Department of Transportation proposal to widen Transit between the City Line to just north of Summit Street before endorsing it. The expansion would take land from only the west side of the roadway to create left-hand turning lanes and improve safety at the intersection of Transit and Summit while improving travel flow for those entering and leaving the city. The proposal has received some opposition by property owners in the area although not as much as several years ago when first proposed. (4/6/00)
Year 1999
The administrator for Lockport Memorial Hospital, Clare A. Haar, has reportedly revealed to the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal that she expects a deficit for the 1999 fiscal year of between $4-million and $4.5-million. The exclusive interview with the newspaper apparently took place Christmas week after the hospital ran an expensive collection of half page advertisements promoting itself over a period of a week in the local paper. Harr and other management at LMH do not communicate with the Lockport Page. Nor do they release detailed financial information to the community as a general rule. Given this, and a pattern of mis-representations over the past several years, it is difficult to ascertain the direction of finances at the hospital but reports in early 1999 when the consultant organization, Quorum, was attempting cost-cutting at the facility, compared with Haar's revelations to the newspaper, seems to indicate matters have grown worse during the second half of the year. At one time, Quorum representatives indicated the hospital was close to breaking even but Haar's disclosure to the Union-Sun & Journal indicates grave financial problems, probably having gotten much worse since the departure of Quorum management.
Haar is also administrator for Newfane Intercommunity Hospital which has taken de facto control of LMH after promising to inject a $2-million loan into the Lockport facility.
Earlier in December, the Lockport Common Council, agreed to hospital demands that would allow non-payment on the hospital's near-million dollar debt to the city for at least three more years. The Lockport Page has called on the city to foreclose on the hospital mortgage, and bring in outside management to protect the city's investment there. (12/24/99)
Just before the Lockport Mayoral elections, the Eastern Niagara County Chamber of Commerce has made public a five-point plan for improving development in the city of Lockport. The plan, which is critical of several city departments, is seen as loaded with political overtones. The Chamber's plan has especially critical comments for the city building inspector's office. The Chamber's conclusions are as follows:
--- Organize a Development Team approach, involving the Department of Community Development, Engineering Department and Building Inspectors Development into a Department of Development, and appoint the Commissioner of Public Works to oversee the coordination of development activities and to formulate an improved system of communications and upgrade the level of teamwork to improve prospect management.
---Revise City of Lockport building codes to facilitate tenant occupancy and building renovation of older, existing buildings consistent with revisions authorized earlier this year to the State Building Code by the State Legislature.
---Assess commercial buildings on an income basis in order to bring assessments into conformance with market conditions and in order to encourage tenant retention, especially in the Downtown Lockport area.
---Direct the Chief Building Inspector to staff the Planning and Zoning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals.
--- Direct the City Corporation Counsel to serve as staff of the Planning and Zoning Board and Board of Appeals, and to be primary coordinator of business/developer prospects; also, revise the method of compensation for the Corporation Counsel to that of a retainer plus an hourly contractual amount. (10/14/99)The four top administrators at Newfane Intercommunity Hospital will begin running things at Lockport Memorial Hospital on Sunday, 8/1. They will replace an administration team sent here by IRG/Quorum when the Lockport hospital's Board of Directors was attempting to deal with a severe financial crisis brought on by mis-management. IRG stabilized conditions at Lockport Memorial in the seven months they have been here but the LMH Board of Directors indicates the new Newfane team will not be as costly. The Newfane administrators, headed by Clare A. Haar, will continue in their positions at Newfane hospital while attempting to run Lockport, too. At the same time, merger agreement talks between the two hospitals will continue but officials emphasized that the two facilities at present are remaining separate and autonomous entities (7/28/99).
The Niagara Sunday (Niagara Gazette - Union-Sun & Journal combined paper) in a front page report headlined, "High Taxes Force Residents To Flee" gives Lockport as a prime example of why upstate New York residents are heading south and west. School taxes, city and county taxes, state taxes, sales taxes, and all kinds of "little taxes" are adding up to make Lockport and Western New York one of the most highly taxed areas in the country.
The newspaper uses as an example a home at 180 Independence Drive in Lockport with a real estate selling price of $150,000. Then it finds homes of like selling prices in six other areas of the USA where people are moving to. Then…it compares taxes. The conclusion is that property taxes in Lockport are nearly four times that of other USA locations in the study which included Henderson, NV; Boulder CO; Gulf Breeze, FL; Charlotte, NC; and Chattanooga, TN. Even the high-cost-of-living state of Alaska where everyone makes inflated wages (and pays inflated prices) shows a $150,000 home getting taxed at less than half the rate as in Lockport.
The newspaper reports property taxes on the $150,000 Lockport home as $5358/year. In the other cities, for a home of same value the total property taxes were: Henderson, NV: $1500; Boulder CO: $1,000; Gulf Breeze, FL $1315; Charlotte, NC $1,433; Chattanooga, TN $1,120. And those figures don't include New York State's high income, and the combined state and county sales taxes!
The Niagara Sunday story that brings home the tax message to Lockportians came after more than a week of reports showing a population exodus has now joined an employer exodus from upstate New York. One report shows that in a list of the places where Americans are "Moving Out of Most," the city of Niagara Falls is #3 and Buffalo is #5 in national rankings. Other upstate cities include Utica ranked #4 for exodus and Syracuse #6. (3/31/98)