Niagara Falls facing major financial trouble

From WGRZ Channel 2 in Buffalo: A draft of an audit being prepared by the Office of the New York State Comptroller calls into question the budget and spending policies of the City of Niagara Falls and warns of potentially dire financial circumstances for the Cataract City unless officials there “take immediate steps” to get…

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Looming casino revenue loss could hit Niagara Falls hard

From WIVB Channel 4 in Buffalo: “If we spend it now and it’s not there and this thing lasts for quite some time it can cause a lot of problems,” said Andrew Touma, Niagara Falls City Councilman. Touma is calling for a 90-day moratorium on casino revenue spending following the Seneca Nation’s announcement to discontinue…

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Gaming Dispute Takes Back Seat to Budget

From the Niagara Falls Reporter: The developing crisis between the Seneca Nation and the state in the gaming dispute over revenue sharing payments is taking a back seat these days to the budget negotiations in Albany as lawmakers and the governor try to meet the April 1 budget deadline.

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Engineering for Victoria Avenue work approved

From the Niagara Falls Review: The city is moving ahead with planning for phase two of the streetscape revitalization along Victoria Avenue. Council approved $365,000 for engineering design work for the next phase, and city staff will prepare construction cost estimates for council’s consideration in the 2017 budget. The first phase — a $3.8-million revitalization…

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Camping, family-style: Pack up and head out for a classic, budget-friendly summer adventure

This PressConnects.com article is about camping in New York State, including areas around Niagara Falls: When the word “summer” comes up, “vacation” can’t be far behind. Household budgets won’t always expand enough to fill the gas tank or buy airline tickets, though. Fortunately, there’s a low-cost local alternative that takes the family out of everyday…

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Residents oppose closing of state parks

From the Buffalo News: State legislators from the Assembly and Senate and from both sides of the political aisle were quick over the weekend to criticize the proposed closing of state parks and historic sites as part of Gov. David A. Paterson’s effort to close an anticipated budget gap of $8.2 billion in the fiscal…

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