Walters’ message needs to reach Governor

Video gaming lottery revenue was once again a focal point of Hamburg Town Supervisor Steven Walters State-of-the-Town address last Thursday (Jan. 19).

One year ago, the town was bracing for the loss of more than $600,000 in revenue from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s then proposed 2011 budget. In 2008, the town received approximately $1.2 million from the state. In 2011, that number was reduced to $557,000, which was a total reduction of $679,683 over a three-year span.

Walters encouraged local state lawmakers, including Assemblyman Kevin Smardz and State Sen. Timothy Kennedy, who represent Hamburg, to put pressure on the governor to restore the funding. The supervisor credited officials from the Hamburg Casino for fighting to keep nearly half of the video gaming lottery in 2011. Right now, Walters, along with Smardz and Kennedy need to put the pressure on while the iron is hot. After all, part of Cuomo’s proposed plan and budget for 2012 is placing a large emphasis on Western New York.

He wants to invest nearly $1 billion in incentives to help revitalize the region, improve infrastructure and help create new jobs in order to bring prosperity to Buffalo and its suburbs. “Pressure needs to be put on the governor,” said Walters during his speech.

So if the governor is serious about sending $1 billion to Western New York, then how about another nearly $600,000 so Hamburg can continue to use that money to reinvest in its own community?

Among the areas the revenue was used was for capital projects, including asbestos abatements, a new roof for the police department, town hall renovations in the town clerk and building inspection offices, and renovating the community development building.

There were upgrades in infrastructure, including drainage projects, public safety radio upgrades and repairing the Hamptonbrook Bridge.

Some of that money was aimed at recreation, paving the parking lot and a new roof and siding for the maintenance building at the Hamburg Golf Course, paving the parking lot at the town’s soccer fields, demolition of old and unused storage buildings at parks, repairs to Town Park, new siding and repairs to the Little Red School House and various upgrades to neighborhood parks.

In the State-of-the-State address, Cuomo said “So, today, I say to national and global industries, come to Buffalo. The State of New York is ready to invest $1 billion in a multi-year package of economic development incentives. That’s a B, for $1 billion and for Buffalo. Let’s empower the Buffalo Regional Council to develop a viable plan to create thousands of jobs and to spur at least $5 billion in new investment and economic activity,” said Cuomo during his recent State-of-the-State address.

In the governor’s own words, he wants to invest in the greater Buffalo area. There is a homegrown source of revenue in Hamburg already, and Cuomo should reconsider and return all of that money to the Town of Hamburg and allow town officials to continue with the plan it had in mind with the revenue created from the Hamburg Casino.

While the City of Buffalo is the center for Western New York revitalization, the suburbs are going to play a vital role with the future of regional economic development.

Among the larger suburbs in the region is Hamburg, which should be a focal point for economic growth in the southern portion of Erie County.

We not only hope Walters continues to put pressure on Smardz and Kennedy to go fight for what’s right, but we hope the two fight to get an audience with the governor and point to his own words as a reason why he should reconsider and give Hamburg back the video gaming revenue.

•While we are not afraid to be critical when we feel it is important, it is also right to give credit when credit it due.

We would like to commend Hamburg Town Councilman Joseph Collins for issuing an apology to Councilwoman Amy Ziegler and Walters on Monday (Jan. 23) during the town board meeting for saying “shut up” during the Jan. 9 reorganizational meeting.

Collins said it was in reference to the editorial which ran in The Sun in the Jan. 19 edition.

Everyone makes mistakes, and it takes a big person to stand up in front of an audience of people and own up to your mistake and issue an apology.

If Collins is willing to admit his error, we are certainly going to be fair and give him credit for doing so.