Some facts, observations, and heard-on-the-streets

The hype about the totality of the eclipse has passed.  While only catching a few glimpses of the event, I thought the most amazing part was the few minutes when day-became-night-became-day.  The eclipse glasses were essentially useless.  The whole event was similar to some campaigns we have seen – all bright and shiny, slowing fading away, then totally gone.

Here are some facts, observations, and heard-on-the-streets:

• The special election in NY26 is certainly about Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy – lots of TV ads and mailers.  I’ve seen a few (Gary) Dickson for Congress signs but no ads or media statements.  His website states his resume and asks for a donation but there is no mention about any federal issues.  A story in the Buffalo News indicated that he is not a MAGA Republican but he says that Donald Trump has “been selected by our voters in the primary system, so yes, I support him.”  A mailer arriving last week, paid for by the state Republican Federal Campaign Committee, explains his hard-to-argue-about platform in just 13 words:
  • Deliver Real Tax Relief
  • Make Our Streets Safe
  • Fix our Broken Immigration System
• The special election will be held on April 30.  Early voting runs from April 20 through 28.  Here is information about early voting in Erie County (EARLYVOTING 2022 AUG.pub (erie.gov) and Niagara County (early-voting-se24-schedule.pdf (niagara.ny.us).
• Perhaps we will soon be learning about the issue positions of the other Republican candidate for Congress in NY26, Anthony Marecki.  The date for Marecki to decline the party’s designation as the candidate in the general election has passed, so Marecki is the Republican candidate in the district on November 5.
• But … Republicans have occasionally moved a candidate away from the office he or she is seeking by getting the person nominated for a state Supreme Court seat in New York City where there is a shortage of Republican candidates prepared to lose an election.  The party conventions to select Supreme Court candidates, however, are not until the second week in August.
• Nate McMurray filed petitions to run in the June Democratic congressional primary against Tim Kennedy with about 250 more signatures than required.  All 1,500 signatures were witnessed by one person, Desmond Abrams of Buffalo.  That might be some sort of a record for a petitioner.  (Maybe Trump should hire him to go door-to-door selling sneakers and bibles.)  McMurray’s petitions are being challenged and are not likely to survive. 
• Financial reports in the special election are due to be filed with the Federal Election Commission on April 18.  For congressional candidates not involved in a special election, however, the deadline for campaign financials was April 15. 
• Dickson has filed his report, indicating that he raised $35,431 and spent $21,069.  McMurray raised $22,389 and spent all but about $1,400 of it. Congressman Nick Langworthy raised $1.1 million.
• Marecki does not yet have a committee registered with the Commission.
• Even if there is no Democratic primary in NY26 Kennedy will still be able to collect up to three maximum donations from his most generous benefactors, who can contribute $3,300 for each election – the special, primary, and general.  The only restriction on federal campaign fundraising is that you can only raise primary money up until the date of the primary.
• The only local primary that will occur on June 25 will be the Republican contest in the 147th Assembly District.  Incumbent David DiPietro will face off against Mitch Martin, a member of Sheriff John Garcia’s staff.  The Erie County Republican Committee leadership previously indicated that they would go with the choice of the local party committee members.  The party website does not list anyone as their candidate in the 147th, so that would seem to mean there is no endorsement in the race.  That might be a precautionary move considering that some party endorsed candidates have lost recent primaries.
• Financial troubles are occurring in the Hamburg and West Seneca School Districts (so far).  Poor planning for the use of one-time federal pandemic relief funds may have had something to do with that.  A basic rule in public financing:  one-time revenues, no matter how large and long lasting, should be used primarily, if not exclusively, for one-time expenses such as capital projects.
• We will soon see how the City of Buffalo has managed that rule when the Mayor Byron Brown submits his 2024-2025 budget on May 1.  The Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority will meet on May 15th to review the mayor’s plan.
• The Amherst Town Board may have a problem on their hands if residents submit sufficient signatures to force a public referendum on the proposed construction of an $11 million theater on the grounds of the recently acquired former Westwood Country Club property.
• Once again the Sabres will soon return to their seemingly natural place in mid-April, the golf course.  Coach Don Granato and General Manager Kevyn Adams not too long ago were given contract extensions.  Oops!
• Speaking of general managers, the Bills GM, Brandon Beane, has been viewed as a miracle worker.  I can hardly wait to see what he does to replace Stefon Diggs as the team’s number one go-to receiver.
• And what about all the Bills’ fans who bought those Allen/Diggs signs?  Do they now buy new signs; or just cut off Diggs’ name; or tape over with the name of the new number one receiver?
• If it is tough getting rich folks to buy personal seat licenses for the boxes and luxury seating at the new stadium, wait until the Bills start talking with the more financially restricted ticket holders who have stretched just to pay for their tickets.  Adding the cost of the PSLs to the price of the tickets is going to be a real serious problem.

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