There’s been a lot of talk regarding reviewing and fixing the Niagara Falls city charter, but so far, nothing’s changed.
While Mayor Vince Anello and the Niagara Falls City Council have said they want to see sections of the charter changed, no action has been taken since a proposal by Anello to create an 11-member commission failed earlier this year.
Now Ken Hamilton, president of the Niagara Falls Library Board of Trustees and an outspoken resident, said voters may take action themselves.
If they do, they don’t have much time.
While state law allows citizens to petition government leaders to create a charter commission, time to put anything on the November ballot for a public referendum is running out. A public referendum is due to the Niagara County Board of Elections by Oct. 2.
In our view it shouldn’t come down to a bunch of Falls residents pressuring city officials to make a change. It’s obvious something needs to be done — and soon.
There are several issues relating to the fractured city charter — the structure of city government, the powers of the mayor and the council, the need for a city administrator versus a deputy mayor, but one of the biggest, in our opinion, is the issue regarding the mayor’s salary.
The current salary of $30,000 just isn’t enough for a full-time mayor.
By comparison, in Buffalo, Mayor Byron Brown makes an annual salary of $105,000.
We’re definitely not suggesting the salary in the Falls climbs to anywhere near $100,000, but it definitely needs to be increased, or the job needs to be switched to a part-time position.
As it stands now, those serving as mayor of Niagara Falls — a full-time job — cannot hold outside employment. In Lewiston, Supervisor Fred Newlin, a part-time mayor, makes nearly the same amount as Mayor Vince Anello.
Obviously things are out of whack in the Cataract City.
How much should the mayor’s salary rise? That’s hard to say, we would say it at least needs to be increased to the $50,000 range.
Why does it need to be increased? For the simple fact that a more reasonable salary would attract a greater pool of quality candidates.
Right now, potential mayoral candidates must weigh their willingness to work for $30,000 a year. It has to limit the number of those that eventually decide to run.
“It’s just way too low. It attracts different candidates. You have to have different qualifications, be retired, have another way to make money,” Councilman Sam Fruscione, a teacher at Harry F. Abate Elementary School, has said. “A young guy is not going to take a chance for $30,000.”
Not very many “old guys” are going to either — and that’s a big problem for Niagara Falls.
Opinion
EDITORIAL: Charter needs to be fixed right now
- Opinion
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GLYNN: VFW post keeps spirit alive
At one time, members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars-Post 313 would march down Main Street in Youngstown on Memorial Day to the 1812 Cemetery near Old Fort Niagara. That same scenario out of the past occurred for decades in cities, towns and villages across the U.S.
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HAMILTON: Dandelions, parades, broken poles and people
There are still those remnants of the fading bouquets of floral tributes that still hang at that base of a tree on city hall’s lawn. It is near where, last year, from his shiny silvery cart, Melvin Johnson sold hot dogs and sausages to both city employees and passerbys while his tiny white dog excitingly yelped at anyone that came near.
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GLYNN: Gillibrand seeks help for prime bread-winners
A recent report shows that working mothers across the Empire State earn nearly 15 percent lower pay for the same work as men.
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BRADBERRY: There really are spirits in the water
Over the centuries since it was “discovered” hundreds of millions of people have traveled from every corner of the world to visit Niagara Falls making it the most visited of the great waterfalls on the planet.
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CONFER: The reality of rationed health care
The ongoing debate over Obamacare has brought to light the concept of rationed healthcare. Opponents of health care reform keenly point out that while the bill never explicitly calls out rationing, it features certain provisions that will lead the markets to adjust to strict federal demands and, therefore, dispense certain procedures in smaller amounts or not at all. Because of it being the first time that the subject has really come up in public circles, most people, especially on the right, believe that rationing is something new. It’s not. The free markets have been practicing that for quite some time. I should know; with a 4-inch long, 1-inch wide scar running south of my belly button – and a couple of related scars around my groin – I could be the poster child for rationed health care.
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CITY DESK: A regrettable error
We owe Carol Sensabough an apology.
Several weeks ago, the long-time reader and Niagara Falls resident sent a letter to the editor explaining that she took offense to some of the things written by a syndicated columnist, Stephen Dick. -
HIGGS: Niagara Falls' own West Side story
Trusello’s Bakery was on Elmwood behind the family home at 840 19th St. The family, Richard, William (Billy) and Sam along with two sisters, lived in the house.
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GLYNN: Falls, Ont., rolls out red carpet for Wallenda
Before Nik Wallenda even started practicing his high-wire routine in downtown Niagara Falls, state Sen.George D. Maziarz, R-Newfane, had noted the warm welcome the tightrope walker received across the river.
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HAMILTON: Civic ‘ParticipAction’ can work too
Back in the 1970s, our Neighbors to the North ran a national campaign called ParticipAction to encourage Canadians to get off their butts and do things for the sakes of their bodies.
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GLYNN: Graduates find they’re in staggering debt
Countless senior citizens often gripe about something, sometimes even with good reason. Perhaps they should consider themselves fortunate, compared with the younger generation.
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