2024 – the year of the stealth primaries in Erie County; an update on the City of Buffalo’s budget issues; the next mayor

Primary Election Day in New York State is June 25. You can be forgiven for not knowing what’s happening that day.

Earlier this year, it looked like there might be Democratic and Republican primaries for the U.S. Senate seat held by Kirsten Gillibrand. The threat of primaries has disappeared. Gillibrand will face Republican Mike Sapraicone in November.

In Erie County this year, things are relatively quiet. Here is a breakdown of the primaries for three parties; none for the Working Families Party:

• Democrat – 9 races for county committee in Buffalo plus one in Brant
• Republican
  • Primary for Assembly in the 147th District
  • Primaries for municipal judge positions in Collins and North Collins
  • 10 races for county committee in Buffalo
  • 1 race for the Committee in Amherst
  • 3 races for the Committee in Elma
  • 9 races for the Committee in Grand Island
• Conservative
  • Primary for municipal judge in Collins
  • 13 races for county committee in Evans

With the exception of Assembly primaries, most of these campaigns are low-visibility type contests within baseball, none of which result in major blowouts within the parties. The campaign in the 147th District is different.

Outgoing President David DiPietro has been in office since 2013. He has not been associated with any major legislative initiatives, focusing primarily on his association with Donald J. Trump and his loyalists. DiPietro’s challenge is Mitch Martin, who has been involved in Republican politics for several years. He is currently on Sheriff John Garcia’s staff supporting his campaign for Assembly.

This primary continues to cause unease within the county Republican committee. The Committee did not give its approval in the 147th District. Party-backed candidates lost primaries for sheriff in 2021 and the 10th County Legislature District in 2022. The party’s 2022 congressional candidate in the 23rd Congressional District, Nick Langworthy, won a narrow primary victory although he lost to challenger Carl Paladino in the Erie County portion of the district.

Both DiPietro and Martin stepped up with direct mail and radio ads. Campaign financial reports as of May 24 show:

• DiPietro had $136,782 in the bank as of mid-January. He himself took out loans during the campaign of $62,825. DiPietro raised just $9,189 between then and May 24, with more than half coming from businesses linked to Paladino. He spent $28,819 and reported a balance of $117,153. Major expenses included Gallagher printing work totaling $14,192; $1,000 each to the Orchard Park Republican Committee and the New York State Conservative Party; $615 to Colvin Cleaners; and $500 each to the Erie County Republican Committee and Garcia for sheriff.
• Martin’s January financial report, which was amended through April 24, showed contributions of $18,178; expenses of $4,053; and a balance of $14,126. He received $3,043 in additional contributions plus a $75,420 payment from the state’s new public campaign finance program and may be eligible for additional payments. His expenses included $2,000 for Christian Chase and $746 for KJW Advertising. His reported balance as of May 24 was $86,340.

Early voting will take place in Erie County for the primary election, although on a more limited scale than in previous elections given the small number of contests and the nature of the campaigns that, with the exception of the 147th District of the Assembly, mainly target party seats. committees. The only early voting site in Buffalo, where there are only ten contests for the Republican committee and nine for the Democratic county committee, is the Buffalo Board of Elections headquarters. Early voting in Amherst will take place even though there is only one primary for two county committee seats in the 30th Congressional District; there are 494 registered Republicans in the district. You can find all the details about early voting in Erie County here: EVConsolidated.pub (erie.gov)

Part of Niagara County is included in the 24th congressional district, currently represented by Claudia Tenney. Tenney is challenged in the Republican primary by Mario Fratto. Additionally, there is a Republican primary for tax clerk/collector in Hartland and eight races for Republican Committee. Here is the information on early voting in Niagara County: Early-Voting-PE24-Schedule.pdf (niagara.ny.us)

Wyoming County is included in the 147th Assembly district. Here is the early voting information: Early-Voting-Schedule-for-2024-June-Primary (wyomingco.net)

Buffalo’s budget already has a hole

The city of Buffalo’s 2024-25 fiscal year doesn’t begin until July 1, but its newly adopted budget has already dug a $4.2 million hole.

The budget includes this amount from revenue from a proposed new tax on hotel occupancy. Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes introduced authorizing legislation at the end of the legislative session, but no action was taken. There was opposition from business interests; there is no specific indication of what the money will be used for, although the assumption is that it would only be for general city expenses; and the proposed legislation would expire Dec. 31, 2027, meaning revenue projections for the fourth year of the city’s four-year financial plan would be shortened.

Buffalo’s Fiscal Stability Authority is scheduled to meet June 17 to review any changes the city government might propose to provide more realistic estimates of revenue and spending over the next four years. Ultimately, action to address the city’s looming financial crisis will depend on the Authority returning to strict oversight board status. This will require encouragement from State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli and action from Gov. Kathy Hochul to fill the four vacancies on the Authority’s board of directors.

A footnote from the mayor

I’ve stayed away from most of the stories frequently heard on the street regarding Mayor Byron Brown’s possible departure from office and what happens next. The accuracy is still unknown, but the latest version of what could happen is intriguing: by August 5, Brown resigned to take a position at the State University of New York; Council President Chris Scanlon becomes mayor; according to state election law “A vacancy occurring three months before a general election in any year in an office authorized to be filled at a general election…shall be filled at a general election held immediately thereafter; » the Democratic Party nominates State Senator Sean Ryan for mayor.

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