So Much For Working Together

City Council Chair Glenn Choolokian said after Mayor Dyster's state of the city that the Council must work with the Mayor to address the city's fiscal situation.  Well, apparently Councilman Sam Fruscione wasn't listening or Choolokian's comments were nonsense.  I'm betting on the latter.  According to a Sunday Niagara Gazette article, Fruscione is questioning funding for the Art of Beer Festival that has been held at the NACC since 2007.  Fruscione said that Dyster secured funds improperly and that his wife's business directly benefits from the Festival.

It's somewhat ironic that Fruscione is bringing this up now.  Fruscione has been on the City Council since at least 2009.  Why wasn't he raising a fuss for the last four years??  Maybe it was because old Neville Chamberlain Dyster was allowing Fruscione to employ his buddies.  It looks like Dyster's policy of appeasement has backfired just like it did for Chamberlain.

Among political types it is common knowledge that Fruscione is planning to run for Mayor in 2015.  It appears that he is going to use his re-election campaign for city council as a referendum on Dyster.  It will also be a re-affirmation of the new City Council "Majority" otherwise now known as the Gang of Three.  This issue raised by Fruscione is nonsense.

If Fruscione wants to go at Dyster there is plenty of fodder.  He could question the Mayor's department head appointments, Dyster's lack of a plan to address the revenue shortfall as a result of the casino impasse and the Mayor's inability to work with other government stakeholders like the County and State Senator George Maziarz.  Instead, Frsucione decides to get into name-calling and personal smearing of Dyster and his wife.  Typical Niagara Falls politics.

There are many local food vendors who also participate in the Art of Beer Festival.  They have the opportunity to promote their business and make a little money.  Must be that none of Fruscione's cronies have been able to take advantage of it.

While Fruscione, Dyster and Company play political games, the residents of the City sit idly by wondering how the City will deal with the many issues that it faces.  There is an election this November and three current councilman will be running for re-election.  It's time to think about who will do what's right for the residents of the city as opposed to doing what's right for their own political gains.  Maybe it's time for a wake-up call for Mr. Fruscione.  You will have your chance in November.