As the New Year sets in, Erie County Legislator Tim Kennedy has hit the ground running tackling many issues of great concern to area residents. With the recent passing of legislation allocating funds for Buffalo’s waterfront development, restoring funding for downtown culturals and a new tax payment program, Kennedy believes the Legislature is off to a great start.

“I am excited to start the New Year off with such progress,” Kennedy said, “Looking towards the future I see great things happening for the City of Buffalo and Erie County residents. The recent legislation passed will go along way in benefiting both the City and County alike.”

Recently, the Erie County Legislature passed Kennedy sponsored legislation allocating the funds received from the New York Power Authority (NYPA) settlement. The amount of $279 million dollars, which will be disbursed in annual payments of $5.5 million over the next 50 years, has been divided between existing corporations specifically created for targeted development on Buffalo’s waterfront.

Working cohesively with Congressman Brian Higgins in order to obtain his vision the settlement has been divided with the payments of:

• $3.5 million annually over the term of the license for the newly-created Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation for capital construction, and waterfront redevelopment and revitalization ($2.5 million from NYPA and $1 million from Empire State Development Corporation).



• $2 million per year for the Erie County Greenway Fund to help protect and restore the canal, and establish a regional approach to land-use planning, tourism, and recreational trail development.



• $4 million upfront to the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation to be paid in 2006 and 2007.

“This legislation also approves the transfer of approximately 14 acres of waterfront property currently used by NYPA to store its ice boom,” Kennedy said. “The transfer will be made once NYPA finds an alternative location.”

“Now that we have finally received and allocated monies to the appropriate entities we will start seeing real change and progress on our waterfront,” Kennedy said. “Our waterfront has remained stagnant for the past 50 years aside from the efforts of Congressman Brian Higgins and his Gallagher Beach project. The City of Buffalo and Erie County owe Congressman Higgins a debt of gratitude for leading the fight that has landed us this settlement and historic opportunity.”

The Legislature also approved the restoration of $800,000 for Culturals, which Kennedy says are “key to the City of Buffalo’s future success.”

$400,000 will be given to the Buffalo Society for Natural Sciences (Science Museum and Tifft Farms Nature Preserve), $200,000 will be given to Studio Arena Theater to continue their efforts in attracting tourism and residents of Erie County to downtown Buffalo’s restaurants, hotels and parking lots. Also awarded monies were the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Tourism Bureau as well as the Hauptman-Woodward Research Institute.

Culturals, cultural tourism and medical research are important components of economic development and community enrichment in Erie County. Funding for these institutions has decreased precipitously in the recent past.

Finally, legislation which will allow Erie County municipal tax collectors and tax receivers to accept partial real property tax payments in any dollar amount. This legislation is driven by the concern with the burden on taxpayers to pay a one lump sum. Instead taxpayers can pay in increments to alleviate any financial burden they might have with the current system.

This legislation has been sent to Albany via home rule message for approval from State officials. Erie County does not have the authority to enact such legislation by local law therefore, Albany leaders must amend the Erie County Tax Act stating real property tax must be paid in one full payment.

For more information on any of this legislation, please contact Legislator Tim Kennedy’s District office at 824-6180 or the Erie County Legislature at 858-7500.

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