Politics & Government

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July 28, 2023 — Buffalo, NY — Governor Hochul announced significant progress in the fight against gun violence in the City of Buffalo. Data reported by the City's Police Department for the first half of 2023 when compared to the same timeframe in 2021 showed a 73 percent decline in the number of firearm-involved homicides; 60 percent decline in those injured by gunfire; and a 59 percent decline in shooting incidents.

Gift card scams are on the rise, so it's more important than ever to be informed. In Erie County, we want to educate consumers and prevent them from falling victim to such scams. Scammers often ask for gift cards as payment, as these types of funds are nearly impossible to trace. One-quarter of all consumer fraud reported in the United States involving money loss is connected to gift cards. The Federal Trade Commission reported that in 2022, nearly 65,000 consumers filed a complaint about gift card scams, amounting to total losses of $228.3 million. Effective June 20, 2023, under New York State General Business Law, all businesses selling gift cards must display a notice, at or near where any gift card or gift certificate is displayed or sold, to caution consumers about gift card fraud. Remember: gift cards should only be used for gifts, not to make payments of any kind. If you receive any communication asking for payment in the form of a gift card, don’t respond—it's a scam! And please contact the Erie County Office of Consumer Protection at 716-858-1987. Learn more about the Erie County Office of Consumer Protection at: https://erie.gov/ConsumerProtection

Years of experience in government and budgeting usually produce a healthy cynicism about big numbers. That’s a lesson I admit I overlooked when the City...

Date:  7/19/23 Community Development Block Grant, Storefront Revitalization Grant Funding Boosts Quality of Life, Local Businesses; Poloncarz, Keding, Mi...

Date:  7/17/23  Homeowners encouraged to reduce runoff, recycle nutrients into the soil  read more