Ken Kruly

It is nicer to think of the expression “April showers bring May flowers,” but like it or not there are a bunch of primaries sprouting up all over Erie County. In the midst of serious and protracted budget negotiations among Governor Kathy Hochul, the Assembly, and the Senate those parties found time to add an … Continue reading April petitions bring June primaries

As this blog is being published, the New York State 2023-2024 budget is officially three days late. Such a development is hardly news in Albany. Over the past 40 years at least 25 of the new state budgets were approved later than the April 1 deadline. The budgets were late 20 consecutive years between 1985 … Continue reading The Governor has the power to resolve the budget issues; an arresting development

Less than a month into her candidacy for Erie County Executive, Republican Chrissy Casilio-Bluhm has wandered into controversy.  Perhaps she could use some PR help. The focus of her difficulties has been Twitter posts under her former handle, Chrissycaboom.  She passed along comments suggesting the Damar Hamlin near tragedy was a PR stunt; that the … Continue reading Casilio’s superficial knowledge of county issues

John F. Kennedy announced his campaign for the 1960 presidential election in January of 1960.  When did national political campaigns expand and became a 24/7/365 deal?  Maybe in the 1980s  or early 1990s.  Consider what may be the main causes of that development:  the explosion of the internet and the start of cable news networks. … Continue reading There is a whole lot of political junk on the internet

The 2023 election ballot is coming into focus eight months before the election.  That leaves lots of time to develop campaign strategies, raise money, and discuss the issues.  Hopefully this year, an off-year for federal and state elections, there will be some serious discussion about issues of local concern. Here are some facts, observations, and … Continue reading Some facts, observations, and heard-on-the-streets

With local politics beginning to focus particularly on the upcoming races for Erie County Executive and the Buffalo Common Council some public issues have fallen off the radar screen.  That’s unfortunate because there are subjects that deserve more attention.  For example, OTB. The Western New York Off-Track Betting Corporation (WROTBC) has been in existence for … Continue reading Off-Track Betting in Western New York is off track