OT - Is Buffalo a "Major League" City?

[tom webster]

Pretty good think tank going here. It shouldn't be too long before someone comes and tells us that birds are dying because of our very thoughts or that some dilapidated building is closer to crumbling because of our posts.

[sabregoats]

Pretty good think tank going here. It shouldn't be too long before someone comes and tells us that birds are dying because of our very thoughts or that some dilapidated building is closer to crumbling because of our posts.

Great Post.

[X. Benedict]

Pretty good think tank going here. It shouldn't be too long before someone comes and tells us that birds are dying because of our very thoughts or that some dilapidated building is closer to crumbling because of our posts.

 

There are plenty of perfectly good posts around here that just need a little fixing up.

[That Aud Smell]

Pretty good think tank going here. It shouldn't be too long before someone comes and tells us that birds are dying because of our very thoughts or that some dilapidated building is closer to crumbling because of our posts.

There are plenty of perfectly good posts around here that just need a little fixing up.

very nice, t-web. i was going to add something to the effect that we'd soon start hearing complaints that our posts are obstructing access to/views of our waterfront and that our posts should be made from downtown locations (not from o.p. or amherst).

[Knightrider]

Pretty good think tank going here. It shouldn't be too long before someone comes and tells us that birds are dying because of our very thoughts or that some dilapidated building is closer to crumbling because of our posts.

 

B-) Very nicely done.

[nucci]

Ah, but there is a fundamental change that has been occurring over the past 30 or so years. The southwest does not have much fresh water, it definitely appears that there is not enough to fully sustain the current population growth. As water becomes tremendously expensive there and elsewhere, companies will look to relocate to areas that do have water.

 

Assuming the last 3 states that need to ratify the Great Lakes Compact do so and Congress also ratifies the treaty, there supposedly are very strict restrictions on how much water can be diverted from the Great Lakes Basin. Thus meaning the mountain (er, water) won't move to Mohammed. AFAIAC, the treaty cannot be ratified soon enough.

 

Buffalo still has a road system designed to accomodate ~200k more people than currently live there and several other amenities (BPO, the zoo, Theater District, etc.) that harken back to a time when Buffalo was a more prosperous city.

 

Had the friggin' bridge been built, we'd be able to take better advantage of the increase in trade w/ Canada. Even so, as it is, I can definitely see where the whole region has potential to rebound.

Back on topic: if the Bills ever move to TO or anywhere else, the NFL is dead to me. If the Sabres ever move, I'd probably come back to the NHL in a few years after it happened, but that team would be dead to me; and I might just give up on pro sports altogether. I haven't followed pro b-ball closely since the late '70's nor at all for the past 20 years. I used to love MLB but gave up on it after the Jays had their 3 year run as defending champs.

:thumbsup:

[BuffaloFan32]

If the Bills move from Buffalo...the NFL is dead to me.

 

I do not live in Buffalo but I think the biggest problem up there is taxes and lack of representation by your leaders on a national level. When was the last time your senators got a Buffalo area company a major defense contract or research grant? I frequently drive through Mobile, AL (I currently live in Houston), and they closed a deal a few months ago to have a huge factory built to build Air Force mid air refueling tankers. A European company won the contract over American competitors becuase they agreed to build the plant in Alabama. If you are reading this and living in Buffalo, you need to get out there and vote for strong leaders that will actually work to lower taxes and give corporatations incentives to create jobs.

[That Aud Smell]

I do not live in Buffalo but I think the biggest problem up there is taxes and lack of representation by your leaders on a national level. When was the last time your senators got a Buffalo area company a major defense contract or research grant? I frequently drive through Mobile, AL (I currently live in Houston), and they closed a deal a few months ago to have a huge factory built to build Air Force mid air refueling tankers. A European company won the contract over American competitors becuase they agreed to build the plant in Alabama. If you are reading this and living in Buffalo, you need to get out there and vote for strong leaders that will actually work to lower taxes and give corporatations incentives to create jobs.

I realize the other white meat is popular down south, but believe me: Pork ain't the answer to what ails Buffalo.

 

That said, you're right to say that the tax burden in New York State is just stifling.

 

There are a number of creative and talented people around here, though, who are working to get things back on track. We'll hope, and work, for the best.

[Knightrider]

I realize the other white meat is popular down south, but believe me: Pork ain't the answer to what ails Buffalo.

 

That said, you're right to say that the tax burden in New York State is just stifling.

 

There are a number of creative and talented people around here, though, who are working to get things back on track. We'll hope, and work, for the best.

 

Since providing for the country's defense is one of the few things mentioned in the constitution, I have a problem with you referring to defense spending as pork. Government funded medical research, while nobel, is pork, though.

[Taro T]

Long term, you're absolutely right about the water. I'm just not sure it will be enough (or in time for the Bills) that people will move back from Vegas to Buffalo (Erie's nice at a fraction of the price!) when the water bill starts to overshadow the tax bills. The in time thing also applies to the infrastructure. It will always be about incentives and tax breaks to lure companies into a region. Not sticking it to the corporations is a very tough sell to the voters in WNY, but if there is to be a rebound, that is exactly what will need to happen.

 

WRT Canadian trade, I'm not a big subscriber to the geographic advantage. Manufacturing isn't coming back from the far east, unless we're talking engineering development. We simply cost too much. I'd rather see something more broad-based so that when one industry is in the dumps, the others cover. If I'm UB, I'd go full bore on low loss power generation research. It isn't the biomedical flavor of the decade, but it would have a huge impact on the area if suddenly we could power the eastern seaboard. Low loss / high efficiency power delivery could then also be used in every piece of electronics, from the wristwatch to the Prius making everything cheaper, faster, and better.

NY definitely needs to get taxes in check. Personally, rather than continue the current trend of targeted tax breaks (through the IDA's, Empire Zones, etc.), I'd much rather see overall tax levies lowered across the board as it gets the politicians out of the business of picking winners and losers. (Which is why it will never happen.) It also supports the "entrepreneurial" society that we seem to be headed towards.

 

It would be nice to see the education system shift to providing more of an entrepreneurial education as well. The regions that teach their children how to fend for themselves and not rely on the Bethlehem's and Kodak's will likely be the next big winners.

 

In the mid-90's a company opened shop in Geneva, NY. It was the largest non-expansion new manufacturing plant built in upstate NY in ~10 years and it brought in all of 300 new jobs. (400 when an expansion a few years later was added in.) Chasing the big companies and picking the winners is something our politicians are not good at. (Gee, thanks for the news flash Dave. :doh: )

 

I don't have anything against power research at UB, I'd love to see WNY become a hub for something. I'd like to see UB and some other upstate schools really step up their research programs. I'm not sure how WNY would be able to corner the market on low cost power transmission, but maybe the companies producing it could end up located in the area.

 

But I like the attempt at making Buffalo a biomed hub because having top rate health care can be a real draw especially as the population ages.

 

Sorry for the rambling, I've been in meetings most of the past 14 hours.

 

 

I really don't see the Bills nor the Sabres leaving anytime in the near future. That's just a gut feel. Of course, I also picked the Pens to beat the Wings, so maybe we really are doomed. :o

[That Aud Smell]

Since providing for the country's defense is one of the few things mentioned in the constitution, I have a problem with you referring to defense spending as pork. Government funded medical research, while nobel, is pork, though.

That's fair - over-broad brushing aside, my point was that looking to turn things around with money/contracts from DC or Albany is not a plan I'd endorse.