http://www.niagaracounty.com/home/tabid/41/ctl/detail/mid/394/itemid/109/updegrove-questions-funding-of-buffalo-non-profit-as-part-of-yahoo-package.aspx
Niagara County Legislator Rick Updegrove is questioning the incentive package that was given to Yahoo in 2009 to locate a facility in the Town of Lockport. What has Updegrove concerned is a provision that requires Yahoo to donate $500,000 for the next 7 years to a Buffalo non-profit agency in exchange for Yahoo to receive Excelsior Tax Credits and an allocation of hydropower.
While Updegrove is correct in questioning the package my question is: who is questioning Updegrove?? You see in 2009 Updegrove was the chairman of the County's Economic Development Committee. You can bet your bottom dollar that he was front and center when the announcement was made that Yahoo was coming to Niagara County and specifically in his hometown. I would say it is fair to think that Rick had some campaign material go out touting his leadership in bringing the internet giant to Niagara County.
So let me see, he was the chairman of the Economic Development Committee for the County and he didn't know the incentive package?? Did the IDA know about the incentive package?? And how about Senator George Maziarz. You mean to tell me that a state agency was giving an incentive package and Maziarz didn't know what was in it? Seems hard to believe. If neither Updegrove or Maziarz knew about the $500,000 donation for the next seven years, then what about their respective staffs?? No one in the Senator's office was aware of the incentive package? The IDA? The County's Economic Development Department??
For Updegrove to be asking questions now is like crying over spilled milk. Somebody was asleep at the switch here and in the mean time a county with so many non-profits struggling to survive have to wonder why their elected officials weren't asking for a share of this donation. Niagara County gives them tax incentives and they donate $3.5 million over 7 years to an Erie County non-profit. People need to connect the dots here because if Updegrove wants to ask anyone questions he needs to look in the mirror and ask himself why he didn't prevent this. Why didn't our esteemed Senator prevent this??
People need to wake up!!!!
