We Knew it Would Tough, but not This Tough

-Always thought reasonable people would embrace good ideas and work for the betterment of our community ... but the theory was a lot different than the reality

- Wanted to buy state of the art fire fighting equipment and were fought tooth-and-nail by the firefighters union...

- Crime is our biggest problem ... cooperation among political jurisdictions is at a premium ... the Sheriff agrees to dedicate four deputies to supplement the police officers working on the East Side and the police union threatens us with a court action

- We went through the hottest summer in our history with a beautiful beach in Angola laying fallow because the city didn't have enough money to open it ... we offered it to the county to operate but negotiations went on for three months without success ... back in 1984, this same beach was opened and operated by the county on the basis of a handshake

- A major development project like the new court house is planned in downtown Buffalo and the city is not at the table to discuss location of the new building

WE ARE A REGION ... not a separate city, separate county

- If we are to grow and prosper and progress ... we need to think regionally

- Gambling will soon be a reality across the border -- what does that mean for Buffalo?

- How do we attract new tourism dollars? How do we operate our convention center to attract new business?

- Studies all over the country -- particularly one commissioned by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia indicate clearly that a strong city = a strong region while a weak city = a weak region

- City will suffer because we are represented by elected officials who have larger suburban, than city, constituencies

- We resist a regional recognition of our strengths and our common problems at our peril

WHAT ABOUT OUR SUCCESSES?

-We are making progress

- Golden Triangle development

- Parking

- First time we adopted a coordinated approach to parking--meters in synch with the ramps

WHAT'S IN STORE?

-Key to downtown is waterfront development

- Key to the waterfront is auditorium reuse -- we need an attraction that will capture some of the millions of tourists who visit Niagara Falls each year

- Continue to re-invent downtown...

-- Entertainment and government district

-- Blend residential = downtown as a neighborhood

-- When retail will come to service a new neighborhood

- Strive for safe streets and good schools ... to retain and attract city residents

need for stable tax base to support quality services

- Buffalo is a work in progress and we are all players in that progress