Fellow Timon ‘00 alum and West Seneca native, Evan Maloney, now branch manager at Evans Bank Lancaster location gets $1,000 to sponsor the Bishop Timon Football Program.
Maloney, who is a friend of Charlie & Paul, found out what little funding the Timon football program received in comparison to the Catholic big-wigs Canisius and St. Joe’s. (upward of $80,000 each school compared to Timon’s $11,000, which includes paying the coaches).
Although Timon football has not been a championship team in several years, it’s good to know people still have faith and give support back to where they came from. That is the nature of a true Buffalonian.
Maloney heard of Comerford and Fitzpatrick taking the reins and immediately jumped on board. Evan, a former Timon athlete and Nazareth College basketball player, knows a good athletic program stems from dedicated coaches.
“I know for a fact that Charlie and Fitz will take this program where it needs to be. They’ve got that South Buffalo competitive drive that will carry this team for the long haul.”
Evans Bank has donated $1,000 to the Timon football program in hopes that it’s use for upgraded equipment and/or tournament expenses can give the two new coaches an unexpected quick breath of relief, while the calm before the storm of what is high school football begins.
For more local news and sports, go to www.metrowny.com.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
New attitude for West Seneca West football team.
By: Jennifer Orr
“We can expect a hardworking, physical team,” coach Joe Cantafio said of his varsity players that make up this year’s West Seneca West Indians Football roster.
There were equal parts optimism and anticipation as he spoke of the teenage players that have gone through painstaking training while most of their friends were at the beach this summer.
The WSW Indians have victory on the team’s collective mind, which is only natural when considering the extensive practicing that governed the group over recent months. Between daily work out and training sessions, attending a team camp out of Depew High School, and bringing in two coaches from Sienna Heights University in Michigan, it’s safe to say that the players work as a unit – and a collaborative one at that.
“I think we have great team chemistry and a young, enthusiastic team that is very unselfish,” Cantafio explained. “There’s a great ‘team first’ attitude.”
Cantafio emphasized the unity that surrounds this year’s varsity football team, adding that each player is an important link in the chain that is the West Seneca West football team.
However, all teams do have their star players – which is only natural in the world of sports. And among the leading Indians on this year’s football roster are captains Steve Koepnick and Pat Braunscheidel. Koepnick, an offensive guard and linebacker, and Braunscheidel, a fullback and linebacker, will be guiding their teammates through the season with one objective: victory as a team effort.
Other key players include Andy Huegel, running back and linebacker; Steve Riggs, quarterback and linebacker; Matt Wheelock, tight end and defensive end; and Tyler Perna, receiver and corner back.
As for the opening game, which took place on Saturday at the Syracuse Carrier Dome against Eastern Syracuse Menoa, enthusiasm was in the air. Between the anticipation surrounding the start of a new season and the naming of WSW graduate Dennis Hartman, ’76, as honorary captain, things seem bright for the Indians.
“We’re excited and honored to be representing Section 6 in Western New York at the Carrier Classic,” Cantafio concluded.
“We can expect a hardworking, physical team,” coach Joe Cantafio said of his varsity players that make up this year’s West Seneca West Indians Football roster.
There were equal parts optimism and anticipation as he spoke of the teenage players that have gone through painstaking training while most of their friends were at the beach this summer.
The WSW Indians have victory on the team’s collective mind, which is only natural when considering the extensive practicing that governed the group over recent months. Between daily work out and training sessions, attending a team camp out of Depew High School, and bringing in two coaches from Sienna Heights University in Michigan, it’s safe to say that the players work as a unit – and a collaborative one at that.
“I think we have great team chemistry and a young, enthusiastic team that is very unselfish,” Cantafio explained. “There’s a great ‘team first’ attitude.”
Cantafio emphasized the unity that surrounds this year’s varsity football team, adding that each player is an important link in the chain that is the West Seneca West football team.
However, all teams do have their star players – which is only natural in the world of sports. And among the leading Indians on this year’s football roster are captains Steve Koepnick and Pat Braunscheidel. Koepnick, an offensive guard and linebacker, and Braunscheidel, a fullback and linebacker, will be guiding their teammates through the season with one objective: victory as a team effort.
Other key players include Andy Huegel, running back and linebacker; Steve Riggs, quarterback and linebacker; Matt Wheelock, tight end and defensive end; and Tyler Perna, receiver and corner back.
As for the opening game, which took place on Saturday at the Syracuse Carrier Dome against Eastern Syracuse Menoa, enthusiasm was in the air. Between the anticipation surrounding the start of a new season and the naming of WSW graduate Dennis Hartman, ’76, as honorary captain, things seem bright for the Indians.
“We’re excited and honored to be representing Section 6 in Western New York at the Carrier Classic,” Cantafio concluded.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Camp confidential: Kenmore East High School
By: by Dave Ricci, Metro Source
It’s pretty simple really.
If you how up everyday and work your hardest, good things will happen.
As the Kenmore East Bulldogs enter the new varsity football season they have an optimistic outlook about the road ahead.
“We always have a goal of getting to the (Ralph Wilson) Stadium. Its no different this year,” said
Ken-East head coach Matt Chimera. “We didn’t have a great year last year. We’ve got some kids that have come back who didn’t play last year, and we’ve got some kids that have come out that have never played...I know it’s tough without the experience, but they’re pure athletes so we’ll see what happens.”
Leading the way will be hulking junior lineman Jared Dolan.
“The team is looking good. Hitting hard,” Dolan said during a recent practice. “We’ve got some hard workers out here.”
Also back for the Bulldogs will be senior Tom Comfort (fullback/linebacker), senior Russ Williams (lineman/kicker), senior Rob Ormsby (receiver/defensive back) and Josh Kluge (linebacker).
New faces include Nate Weller, an eleventh grader who is up from junior varsity as well as Jordan Wainwright who had previously played soccer for Ken-East.
Wainwright (running back/receiver/defensive back) is one of several newcomers who, though they may not have much football experience,
they do bring a great attitude, a desire to learn and a level of athleticism that will make the very useful in key skilled positions.
Chimera added that while it would probably be a bit much to expect any of these football newcomers to be the go-to-guy that will tally 400 yards per game, he said this core of new faces have been a very pleasant surprise.
Chimera added that a big plus in his eyes is the fact that the majority of the team has been together all summer lifting, working out together three times a week and taking part in the camp at Buff State.
From within the players also know it’s up to them to deliver when game time comes. Yes, the coaching staff will map out a game plan and prepare the team. But the players know they have to pull their weight and execute on the field.
“You’ve got to play with a lot of heart,” said Dolan. “Play to win. I just want to win, but we’ve got to work hard.”
The Bulldogs also have nearly 40 kids on the JV squad which bodes well for the future as solid players as well as numbers are coming up through the system.
Ken-East will set up shop in Class A North with Sweet Home, Grand Island, Starpoint and McKinley, as well as North Tonawanda and Williamsville North, who have been shifted from AA.
The Bulldogs open the season at home on Sept. 3 against Will-North, 2 p.m. kickoff.
It’s pretty simple really.
If you how up everyday and work your hardest, good things will happen.
As the Kenmore East Bulldogs enter the new varsity football season they have an optimistic outlook about the road ahead.
“We always have a goal of getting to the (Ralph Wilson) Stadium. Its no different this year,” said
Ken-East head coach Matt Chimera. “We didn’t have a great year last year. We’ve got some kids that have come back who didn’t play last year, and we’ve got some kids that have come out that have never played...I know it’s tough without the experience, but they’re pure athletes so we’ll see what happens.”
Leading the way will be hulking junior lineman Jared Dolan.
“The team is looking good. Hitting hard,” Dolan said during a recent practice. “We’ve got some hard workers out here.”
Also back for the Bulldogs will be senior Tom Comfort (fullback/linebacker), senior Russ Williams (lineman/kicker), senior Rob Ormsby (receiver/defensive back) and Josh Kluge (linebacker).
New faces include Nate Weller, an eleventh grader who is up from junior varsity as well as Jordan Wainwright who had previously played soccer for Ken-East.
Wainwright (running back/receiver/defensive back) is one of several newcomers who, though they may not have much football experience,
they do bring a great attitude, a desire to learn and a level of athleticism that will make the very useful in key skilled positions.
Chimera added that while it would probably be a bit much to expect any of these football newcomers to be the go-to-guy that will tally 400 yards per game, he said this core of new faces have been a very pleasant surprise.
Chimera added that a big plus in his eyes is the fact that the majority of the team has been together all summer lifting, working out together three times a week and taking part in the camp at Buff State.
From within the players also know it’s up to them to deliver when game time comes. Yes, the coaching staff will map out a game plan and prepare the team. But the players know they have to pull their weight and execute on the field.
“You’ve got to play with a lot of heart,” said Dolan. “Play to win. I just want to win, but we’ve got to work hard.”
The Bulldogs also have nearly 40 kids on the JV squad which bodes well for the future as solid players as well as numbers are coming up through the system.
Ken-East will set up shop in Class A North with Sweet Home, Grand Island, Starpoint and McKinley, as well as North Tonawanda and Williamsville North, who have been shifted from AA.
The Bulldogs open the season at home on Sept. 3 against Will-North, 2 p.m. kickoff.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Rascal Flatts headlines country caravan
By: Dave Ricci
Not going to lie, I’m pretty mad that I won’t be able to attend this show as it falls opposite a family wedding.
But for those lucky people that are free, Aug. 13, will provide a country caravan as super group Rascal Flatts headlines a show that includes Justin Moore,
Sara Evans and Easton Corbin at Darien Lake.
Comprised of lead singer Gary Levox, guitarist Joe Don Rooney and Jay DeMarcus on bass Rascal Flatts displays an unequaled blend of harmonies in memorable classics such as “Bless The Broken Road,” “I’m Moving On,” and “What Hurts The Most.”
Hitting town in August, you can also bank on the band playing their warm-weather anthem “Summer Nights.”
The band’s current hit, “Easy,” which features guest vocals from Natasha Bedingfield is quickly climbing the charts.
Very commercially successful, Rascal Flatts has a strong legion fans, many of whom are 20-somethings.
Yet despite all of the sold out shows, awards and top-10 hits, some critics unfairly chastise Rascal Flatts for the way they straddle the fence between pop and county.
Hey guys, guess what. That’s what mainstream country is. Old school country blended with pop and Southern rock.
The fact that the band just comes out, writes and plays from the heart makes the criticism even more mind blowingbecause it isn’t as if Rascal Flatts is attempting to be something they aren’t.
My advice. Rascal Flatts is a very good band. Take them for what they are worth and you won’t be disappointed.
Easton Corbin was part of the Taste of Country concert that took place at Coca-Cola Field on June 3.
Performing his hits “Roll With It” and “A Little More Country Than That,” Corbin easily won a strong round of applause before saying good night.
Watch for Easton to pay tribute to one of his strongest influences when he covers the Kenny Chesney hit “Don’t Happen Twice.”
The act I wanted to see the most is Justin Moore.
Blending country with a rock and roll image Moore has that quirky coolness where girls and guys love him equally.
Moore introduced himself with a string of hits, “Small Town, USA,” “Backwoods,” and “How I Got To Be This Way,” that came off of his self-titled CD.
His current hit “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away” is a winner.
Scoring five No.1’s in her career, Evans was one of the few traditional country artist to emerge out of Nashville in the late 1990s at time when country was feeling the pop/rock influence.
Friday, August 12, 2011
YMCA Buffalo Niagara’s famed Diabetes Prevention Programming offered
The YMCA Buffalo Niagara’s famed Diabetes Prevention Programming (DPP) will be offered at three branches: Delaware, Niagara Falls, and Southtowns Family YMCAs.
This 16-week program is based on research from the National Institutes of Health and the Center for Disease Control. Research has shown that lifestyle modifications that achieve and maintain modest weight loss in adults with pre-diabetes reduced the risk of developing full-blown diabetes by 58 percent.
This program meets in a group setting, where personal lifestyle goals are set with the help of trained coaches. Each hour-long session will cover diet, exercise, and behavior modifications.
The program will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, Aug. 16 to Dec. 6 at the Southtowns Family YMCA, 1620 Southwestern Blvd., West Seneca and the Niagara Falls YMCA, 1317 Portage Road, Niagara Falls, and 9 to 10 a.m., Saturdays, Aug. 20 to Dec. 10 at the Delaware Family YMCA, 2564 Delaware Ave., Buffalo.
A referral from your physician is required, and fees are paid in full for those with BlueCross and BlueShield coverage. Independent Health subscribers will have a $50 co-pay.
For more information, e-mail wellness@ymcabuffaloniagara.org or call 276-5985.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Immigration Chaos
By: Fergus Hodgson
The presence of illegal immigrants in the United States continues to generate ineffectual political initiatives, from employment verification mandates <http://www.numbersusa.com/content/learn/illegal-immigration/map-states-mandatory-e-verify-laws.html> to referendums <http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-tuition-petition-certified-20110722,0,5076236.story> against in-state tuition access.
These fail to resolve the underlying causes for the presence of illegals, such as the arbitrary (see the immigration lottery <http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1322.html> ), expensive, and humiliating immigration process (and I speak from experience). They also tend to ignore what happens to the individuals caught in the bind — the supposed deportation process — as though they’ll just disappear from America.
Last week, however, the Center for Immigration Studies <http://cis.org/About> released a lengthy report <http://www.cis.org/articles/2011/reasoner-alien-removal.pdf> , “Deportation Basics: How Immigration Enforcement Works (Or Doesn’t) in Real Life.” This report is particularly revealing because CIS scholars tend to oppose “current, high levels of immigration,” in favor of a “low-immigration, pro-immigrant” vision.
Despite the apparent low-immigration, pro-immigrant contradiction, CIS scholars deserve credit for at least addressing the touchy deportation subject. In doing so, they present the thinking of those who sincerely believe stricter enforcement of the prevailing laws is the way to go, and they are perhaps the most prominent organization with that perspective.
That perspective, though, is fraught with confusion and prejudices, and it begs for a rebuttal.
The author uses a pseudonym, “W.D. Reasoner,” which seems unnecessary, but he notes that he is a retired government employee with many years of experience in immigration administration. Presumably, that allowed him to observe what he admits is a cumbersome and dysfunctional process of deportation.
That description leads to his and CIS’s most important confusion. Despite the abject failure of federal officials to curb illegal immigration — about 11 million <http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.php?ReportID=133> live here — even with multiple agencies on the job, he wants to divert more Justice Department resources to them. The call for expanded budgets goes to show how these agencies have an incentive to maintain the problem, not end it.
Reasoner notes at least 20 required forms to initiate an immigration charge, greater than one-year backlogs for hearings (which only 41 percent of defendants attend), and a scarcity of detention space. This fecklessness matches that of the E-Verify program <http://www.thepelicanpost.org/2011/05/11/immigration-status-checks-an-employer-obligation/> , where even U.S. Customs and Immigration admits 54 percent <http://www.cilawgroup.com/news/2010/02/25/report-highlights-e-verify-accuracy-problems/> of unauthorized workers receive approval for employment. Yet, he does not call for legislative changes, nor does he acknowledge that they are fighting a futile battle.
Reasoner also points to a “significant review and restructuring” of another agency, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This has been going on for nearly two years, and its claim to success is the cancellation of many contracts, but total spending has continued to climb.
Reflective of the entire report, the term “alien,” which legally <http://dictionary.law.com/Default.aspx?selected=2382> refers to any non-citizen, appears throughout. Even jargon such as “alienage” arises — whatever that means. Offensive to many, “alien” dehumanizes immigrants and promotes a fallacious us-versus-them mentality that undergirds the report.
This collectivist mentality manifests itself with repeated calls for the dismissal of due process “trappings” in immigration disputes. Apparently, benefit of the doubt and presumption of innocence are less relevant when someone may be born outside of the country.
Additionally, the supposed adverse impacts of illegal immigrants on health and social service systems merit mention, while their cultural and economic contributions do not. Contrary to popular perception, illegal immigrants are not heavy users <http://www.cato.org/pubs/tbp/tbp-032.pdf> of welfare, and the majority pay <http://reason.org/news/show/122411.html> income taxes. Cato Institute research <http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=13089> also suggests that legal status would enable higher wages and greater tax contributions.
The irony is that what Reasoner describes as “thousands of productive hours” toward deportation are a waste of time, and they divert our attention from real problems. Already Puerto Ricans immigrate to and work in the United States without impediment. And any Cuban that arrives here receives permanent residence status within one year <http://feministing.com/2010/12/08/for-proof-the-dream-act%E2%80%99s-a-good-idea-look-at-cuban-americans/> . Do we lose sleep at night over that reality?
Of course not; nor should we — just as we would not seek to impede someone moving from Massachusetts to New Hampshire. Far from being a plague, migration elevates <http://www.learnliberty.org/content/impact-immigration-jobs-and-income> human prosperity and helps to hold governments in check <http://www.fff.org/comment/com1106m.asp> .
I remember a visit to Ellis Island, the place where so many people without documentation once found welcome in the United States. Sadly, millions of people now assume grave risks to immigrate illegally, and they testify to a legal route that no longer greets immigrants with open arms.
Fergus Hodgson is a policy advisor with The Future of Freedom Foundation (www.fff.org).
The presence of illegal immigrants in the United States continues to generate ineffectual political initiatives, from employment verification mandates <http://www.numbersusa.com/content/learn/illegal-immigration/map-states-mandatory-e-verify-laws.html> to referendums <http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-tuition-petition-certified-20110722,0,5076236.story> against in-state tuition access.
These fail to resolve the underlying causes for the presence of illegals, such as the arbitrary (see the immigration lottery <http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1322.html> ), expensive, and humiliating immigration process (and I speak from experience). They also tend to ignore what happens to the individuals caught in the bind — the supposed deportation process — as though they’ll just disappear from America.
Last week, however, the Center for Immigration Studies <http://cis.org/About> released a lengthy report <http://www.cis.org/articles/2011/reasoner-alien-removal.pdf> , “Deportation Basics: How Immigration Enforcement Works (Or Doesn’t) in Real Life.” This report is particularly revealing because CIS scholars tend to oppose “current, high levels of immigration,” in favor of a “low-immigration, pro-immigrant” vision.
Despite the apparent low-immigration, pro-immigrant contradiction, CIS scholars deserve credit for at least addressing the touchy deportation subject. In doing so, they present the thinking of those who sincerely believe stricter enforcement of the prevailing laws is the way to go, and they are perhaps the most prominent organization with that perspective.
That perspective, though, is fraught with confusion and prejudices, and it begs for a rebuttal.
The author uses a pseudonym, “W.D. Reasoner,” which seems unnecessary, but he notes that he is a retired government employee with many years of experience in immigration administration. Presumably, that allowed him to observe what he admits is a cumbersome and dysfunctional process of deportation.
That description leads to his and CIS’s most important confusion. Despite the abject failure of federal officials to curb illegal immigration — about 11 million <http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.php?ReportID=133> live here — even with multiple agencies on the job, he wants to divert more Justice Department resources to them. The call for expanded budgets goes to show how these agencies have an incentive to maintain the problem, not end it.
Reasoner notes at least 20 required forms to initiate an immigration charge, greater than one-year backlogs for hearings (which only 41 percent of defendants attend), and a scarcity of detention space. This fecklessness matches that of the E-Verify program <http://www.thepelicanpost.org/2011/05/11/immigration-status-checks-an-employer-obligation/> , where even U.S. Customs and Immigration admits 54 percent <http://www.cilawgroup.com/news/2010/02/25/report-highlights-e-verify-accuracy-problems/> of unauthorized workers receive approval for employment. Yet, he does not call for legislative changes, nor does he acknowledge that they are fighting a futile battle.
Reasoner also points to a “significant review and restructuring” of another agency, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This has been going on for nearly two years, and its claim to success is the cancellation of many contracts, but total spending has continued to climb.
Reflective of the entire report, the term “alien,” which legally <http://dictionary.law.com/Default.aspx?selected=2382> refers to any non-citizen, appears throughout. Even jargon such as “alienage” arises — whatever that means. Offensive to many, “alien” dehumanizes immigrants and promotes a fallacious us-versus-them mentality that undergirds the report.
This collectivist mentality manifests itself with repeated calls for the dismissal of due process “trappings” in immigration disputes. Apparently, benefit of the doubt and presumption of innocence are less relevant when someone may be born outside of the country.
Additionally, the supposed adverse impacts of illegal immigrants on health and social service systems merit mention, while their cultural and economic contributions do not. Contrary to popular perception, illegal immigrants are not heavy users <http://www.cato.org/pubs/tbp/tbp-032.pdf> of welfare, and the majority pay <http://reason.org/news/show/122411.html> income taxes. Cato Institute research <http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=13089> also suggests that legal status would enable higher wages and greater tax contributions.
The irony is that what Reasoner describes as “thousands of productive hours” toward deportation are a waste of time, and they divert our attention from real problems. Already Puerto Ricans immigrate to and work in the United States without impediment. And any Cuban that arrives here receives permanent residence status within one year <http://feministing.com/2010/12/08/for-proof-the-dream-act%E2%80%99s-a-good-idea-look-at-cuban-americans/> . Do we lose sleep at night over that reality?
Of course not; nor should we — just as we would not seek to impede someone moving from Massachusetts to New Hampshire. Far from being a plague, migration elevates <http://www.learnliberty.org/content/impact-immigration-jobs-and-income> human prosperity and helps to hold governments in check <http://www.fff.org/comment/com1106m.asp> .
I remember a visit to Ellis Island, the place where so many people without documentation once found welcome in the United States. Sadly, millions of people now assume grave risks to immigrate illegally, and they testify to a legal route that no longer greets immigrants with open arms.
Fergus Hodgson is a policy advisor with The Future of Freedom Foundation (www.fff.org).
Monday, August 1, 2011
GOVERNOR CUOMO SIGNS LAND BANK LEGISLATION
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed a law allowing municipalities to create land banks to convert vacant properties into uses that support community revitalization.
Land banks are local entities authorized to take control and redevelop vacant or abandoned properties to where they can better serve the public interest. With many Upstate municipalities suffering from an overabundance in vacant and abandoned properties due to population losses, land banks will give cities and counties a new tool to rebuild communities and foster local economic development.
"Land banks will finally give local authorities the much-needed ability to take community redevelopment into their own hands," Governor Cuomo said. "Abandoned buildings and properties have brought blight and desolation to many communities. This legislation will allow for new economic development projects and improve neighborhoods across New York state. I included the creation of land banks in my urban agenda as a way to help transform our struggling urban communities. I thank Senator Valesky, Assemblyman Hoyt, and the Legislature for their attention to this issue and working to pass this bill."
The new law will allow cities and counties to create and administer land banks to convert vacant, abandoned or tax-delinquent properties into productive use. These properties could be redeveloped or resold to better balance the supply of buildings with the local demand for them. The land banks will operate under the New York State Urban Development Corporation.
Governor Cuomo's Regional Councils will also benefit from the creation of land banks because it will create an inventory of land that the councils can use when developing their plans.
Senator David Valesky said, "Abandoned and vacant properties create a host of problems in upstate cities and today we have a solution that will let localities undertake projects to recreate these properties into serving the needs of their community. Governor Cuomo has many times traveled to communities across Upstate New York to discuss the need for economic revitalization and I applaud his decision to sign this historic legislation as it will put in place an important tool to improve villages and towns across this state.
Former Assemblyman Sam Hoyt said, "Other states have seen the value of using land banks to convert dilapidated properties and rebuild communities, and New York is much better off with this new law. This signing is a win-win for homeowners, businesses, and all New Yorkers, and will improve the quality of life and raise property values in many Upstate neighborhoods. I thank Governor Cuomo for signing this bill, and I am looking forward to working alongside him as we bring jobs and economic development to New York state."
Land banks are local entities authorized to take control and redevelop vacant or abandoned properties to where they can better serve the public interest. With many Upstate municipalities suffering from an overabundance in vacant and abandoned properties due to population losses, land banks will give cities and counties a new tool to rebuild communities and foster local economic development.
"Land banks will finally give local authorities the much-needed ability to take community redevelopment into their own hands," Governor Cuomo said. "Abandoned buildings and properties have brought blight and desolation to many communities. This legislation will allow for new economic development projects and improve neighborhoods across New York state. I included the creation of land banks in my urban agenda as a way to help transform our struggling urban communities. I thank Senator Valesky, Assemblyman Hoyt, and the Legislature for their attention to this issue and working to pass this bill."
The new law will allow cities and counties to create and administer land banks to convert vacant, abandoned or tax-delinquent properties into productive use. These properties could be redeveloped or resold to better balance the supply of buildings with the local demand for them. The land banks will operate under the New York State Urban Development Corporation.
Governor Cuomo's Regional Councils will also benefit from the creation of land banks because it will create an inventory of land that the councils can use when developing their plans.
Senator David Valesky said, "Abandoned and vacant properties create a host of problems in upstate cities and today we have a solution that will let localities undertake projects to recreate these properties into serving the needs of their community. Governor Cuomo has many times traveled to communities across Upstate New York to discuss the need for economic revitalization and I applaud his decision to sign this historic legislation as it will put in place an important tool to improve villages and towns across this state.
Former Assemblyman Sam Hoyt said, "Other states have seen the value of using land banks to convert dilapidated properties and rebuild communities, and New York is much better off with this new law. This signing is a win-win for homeowners, businesses, and all New Yorkers, and will improve the quality of life and raise property values in many Upstate neighborhoods. I thank Governor Cuomo for signing this bill, and I am looking forward to working alongside him as we bring jobs and economic development to New York state."
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