Latest news with #Poloncarz
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz endorses Sean Ryan for Buffalo mayor
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz endorsed Sean Ryan for Buffalo mayor on Tuesday morning, joining a list of politicians endorsing the state senator. Poloncarz has served as Erie County Executive since 2012. He said he endorsed Ryan due to his belief in Ryan's ability to fix the city's budget issues and develop the city economically. The endorsement comes on the morning of the first mayoral debate, which will be hosted by WIVB News 4 on-air, online, and on the WIVB+ app. Preview: Buffalo mayoral candidates to face off in debate Tuesday night 'I just feel it's that important,' Poloncarz said. 'This is my last term as county executive and as I said, you cannot have a strong county unless you have a strong City of Buffalo.' Poloncarz compared the city's current budget issues to the red-green fiscal crisis of 2005 under then-County Executive Joel Giambra. He also lauded his belief in Ryan to fairly negotiate and do what is best for residents. Poloncarz joined State Senator April Baskin and Assemblyman Jon Rivera as the most notable local politician endorsements for Ryan to become the next mayor. Ryan has also been endorsed by the Erie County Democratic Committee. 'I'm a City of Buffalo resident. Not everybody lives in the City of Buffalo,' Poloncarz said, 'but I think you see the residents who live in the City of Buffalo, the elected officials are making their choice. And there are four other candidates in the race for the Democratic primary. And I just think we need a new leader who's got the proven experience through what he's done.' Ryan added that he does not have the intention of running an independent campaign if he loses the June 24 primary. Acting Mayor Chris Scanlon and former Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield, who are both in the Democratic primary, have filed with the Erie County Board of Elections to run independent campaigns should they lose. The five Democratic primary candidates for Buffalo mayor are set to debate at D'Youville University's Kavinoky Theatre on Tuesday night, hosted by WIVB News 4. To find more information, including how to watch, click here. Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Poloncarz says proposed federal budget cuts could cost Erie County over $100M by 2028
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Proposed federal budget cuts and changes to Medicaid and SNAP could cost residents of Erie County hundreds of millions of dollars by 2028, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said Friday. Erie County would be hit with a direct cost of $12.3 million next year and over $100 million annually by 2028 if the proposed changes become law, according to estimates by the Erie County Department of Social Services. Poloncarz said Erie County would have to pay ECMC to cover cut federal funds estimated at up to $50 million. Additionally, the county might have to pay for its portion of state SNAP cuts at around $84 million, among other costs. He said the proposed budget would target poor, elderly, sick, and hungry Americans above all. 'While the president is accepting a $400 million bribe from a foreign dictator he's simultaneously taking away critical programs and services that residents in communities nationwide, including Erie County, rely on to improve their everyday lives,' Poloncarz said. 'Now is the time to speak up against these injustices and I implore everyone to do so.' The tax break bill did not pass in the House Budget Committee on Friday, but the committee plans to reconvene on Sunday. Some right-wing lawmakers are reportedly calling for even steeper cuts to Medicaid before they vote in favor. Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Niagara 8 group to discuss border trade amid tariffs
Leaders from eight municipalities along the Canadian border in the Western New York area will convene to discuss their 'deep concern' over the impact of tariffs imposed in recent months. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz announced Monday that he will join leaders from seven municipalities bordering lakes Erie and Ontario as part of what's being called the 'Niagara 8.' Included in the group with Erie County will be representatives from Niagara County and the cities of Buffalo and Niagara Falls on the U.S. side and the Regional Municipality of Niagara, Ontario, the City of Niagara Falls, Ontario; the Town of Fort Erie and the Town of Niagara-On-The Lake, Ontario in Canada. The group's purpose and mission were outlined in a letter signed by representatives of each municipality that acknowledges a collective need to better position the two sides as they navigate big economic changes that have happened since U.S. President Donald Trump took office and imposed substantial tariffs on Canadian goods. In response, Canadian officials have upped tariffs on U.S. goods. Poloncarz noted that $2.5 billion worth of goods, based on U.S. dollars, cross the border each day, with $6 billion in lumber and wood products for the U.S. homebuilding industry coming from Canada in 2024. He also said in a release from his office that 70% of all Canadian imports to the U.S. are used to manufacture other U.S.-made products. The numbers suggest both sides have a mutual stake in ensuring conditions remain favorable to continued trade and commerce. 'Western New York and Southern Ontario have a rich, interconnected history and we remain committed partners and neighbors, regardless of the climate in Washington or Ottawa,' Poloncarz said. Niagara Falls, Ont., Mayor Jim Diodati first spoke of reconvening the 'Niagara 10' last month. The group of elected officials from both sides of the border met for years to discuss issues of common interest but had not done so since the COVID-19 pandemic. Diodati indicated that leaders from both countries have shared interests when it comes to creating a welcoming environment for tourists. 'We have a great opportunity with the exchange rate right now,' he said. 'We could have a huge uptick in American visitation. We don't want them to not feel welcome anymore than we don't want to feel welcome when we visit our family and friends when we go to the U.S.' Niagara Falls, Ont., Councilor Mona Patel noted that Americans represent about 25% of the visitors in Ontario and 50% of the spending contribution and that any drop in visitation will impact the local economy. 'We welcome Americans in our city,' she said. 'We are pro-Canadians, but we are not anti-Americans either.'
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New York Shopping Trips by Canadians Dwindle Over Trump's Taunts
(Bloomberg) -- For years, Canadians from southern Ontario have made the short drive across the border to Buffalo, New York, to load up on cheap milk and shop at retailers like Target and Trader Joe's that they don't have access to at home. Trump DEI Purge Hits Affordable Housing Groups NYC Congestion Pricing Toll Gains Support Among City Residents Electric Construction Equipment Promises a Quiet Revolution Open Philanthropy Launches $120 Million Fund To Support YIMBY Reforms Prospect Medical's Pennsylvania Hospitals at Risk of Closure But those trips have been happening less often since President Donald Trump took office and began threatening tariffs and disparaging Canada, even saying that the country should become the 51st US state. Vehicle and truck crossings at the US-Canadian border in western New York are down 13% this year as fewer Canadians make the trip, said Mark Poloncarz, who runs Erie County, which includes Buffalo. The county's initial sales tax receipts have slipped 7% through mid-February, a $4.9 million reduction in revenue. Poloncarz blames the decline at least partly on a drop in Canadian visitors. 'We are now starting to see the negative impact of tariffs in western New York,' said Poloncarz, a Democrat who has served as Erie's county executive since 2012. 'No one wins in a trade war between the United States and Canada.' The pain in the Buffalo area exemplifies a broader fraying of the deep economic ties that have long united the two countries. In some cases, Canadians are even selling US properties and moving back home. The US is poised to lose about 3 million Canadian visitors this year, a 15% drop that will translate into $3.3 billion of lost spending, according to Tourism Economics. 'The setback will be large enough to affect profits and seasonal hiring in destinations that count most heavily on Canadian travelers,' said Adam Sacks, president of Tourism Economics, a unit of Oxford Economics. The travel effect is unfolding against a backdrop of an intensifying trade war that's roiling ties between longtime allies. Canada announced new 25% tariffs on about C$30 billion ($20.8 billion) of US-made products on Wednesday, including steel and aluminum, striking back after Trump went ahead with global duties on imports of those metals. For the US tourism industry, the latest blow came earlier with the revelation this week that the Trump administration is preparing a tougher new travel rule for Canadians, who typically make up the largest group of international visitors to the US. The regulation would require them to register their information with the US government and submit to fingerprinting if they cross by land and plan to stay longer than 30 days. That would potentially affect many Canadian snowbirds, retirees who spend the winter in warmer US states such as Florida and Arizona. In total, about 20 million Canadians visited the US in 2024, spending $20.5 billion and propping up 140,000 jobs, the US Travel Association estimates. Canceling Disneyland Already this year, Canadian visitors traveling by car fell 23% in February to 1.2 million, the second straight month of year-over-year declines, according to Statistics Canada. Another drag is coming from the Canadian dollar, which has fallen about 6.1% against the US dollar during the past year. Some would-be travelers, including British Columbia Premier David Eby, have canceled trips. Eby said he had to break the news to his children that their spring vacation to California's Disneyland theme park was off, even after spending C$1,000 on tickets. He's been urging residents to avoid US travel if possible. 'We are starting to see groups that typically have trips planned saying, 'You know, we are going to stay in Canada,'' said Fred Ferguson, chief executive officer of the American Bus Association. At first, many tourists were only avoiding Republican states but now many are skipping all US travel, said Laura Mezzacapo, accounting manager at Vancouver-based The Travel Group, a travel agency. Ahead of a payment deadline at the end of March, a group of more than 20 travelers backed out of a trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico, saying they were holding off on visiting the US for now, Mezzacapo said. Each client got a C$700 deposit back and avoided paying the trip fee of between C$4,500 and C$6,000. Santa Fe is one of Travel Group's most popular destinations due to its arts and wellness scene. But the agency is no longer promoting that city or any other US trips on its social media, marketing or advertising campaigns. 'We won't promote Santa Fe until everyone feels it's OK to travel again,' Mezzacapo said. Shifting Opinions Contributing to the decline is a change in attitudes. In a survey released last month, polling firm Leger found that almost half of Canadian travelers said they were less likely to visit the US in 2025 compared with last year, a response that was particularly prevalent among people over 55 and higher-income households. Only 10% of respondents said they were more likely to visit the US, with 43% reporting no change in their intentions. In a subsequent poll, Leger found signs of a broader breakdown. According to that survey, most Canadians have reduced their purchases of US goods and 30% said they considered the US an enemy country. By comparison, 31% said they considered the US an ally. Still, after years of largely seamless North American integration, many Canadians are hesitant to turn away from the US even as they grit their teeth at recent White House policies. While Trump's tariffs and his talk of the 51st state offend many Canadian snowbirds, there's little evidence they're leaving en masse, said Gwendal Gauthier, publisher of Le Courrier des Ameriques, a monthly newspaper that targets French-speaking Canadians in South Florida. He said he has no trouble distributing 50,000 copies of the free publication. 'The Canadians don't like what is happening, but they are not running away from Florida,' said Gauthier, who also administers a 98,000-member Facebook group called Les Snowbirds Quebecois en Floride. 'There is no panic.' But there is anger. Constance Bonneville said she decided to leave the US after Trump's election in November, citing his anti-LGBTQ stances and trade policies with Canada. She put her house up for sale in Scottsdale, Arizona, and left her career as a real estate agent after more than 10 years in the US. 'The vibe for me is, I'm out of here,' she said. Now that she's in British Columbia, she said Trump's escalating trade war 'made me realize how much of a right decision I made about being on this side of the border. Canadians are very united, and we're taking measures to protect ourselves against the United States of America. I mean, that's crazy.' --With assistance from Michael Smith, Eliyahu Kamisher and Anna J Kaiser. How America Got Hooked on H Mart How Natural Gas Became America's Most Important Export Germany Is Suffering an Identity Crisis 80 Years in the Making Disney's Parks Chief Sees Fortnite as Key to Its Future The Mysterious Billionaire Behind the World's Most Popular Vapes ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
CBS News
30-01-2025
- General
- CBS News
Some BWI passengers anxious after deadly plane crash in Washington, D.C.
BALTIMORE -- Some passengers felt a little uneasy at BWI Thurgood Marshall on Thursday as they grappled with the news from officials that there were no survivors in the Flight 5342 crash in the Potomac. The 60-passenger American Airlines flight was preparing to land at Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) when it crashed with an Army Black Hawk helicopter over the river, prompting an overnight ground stop at Reagan. Air traffic controllers were heard over the radio instructing other incoming flights to divert to nearby airports, including BWI and Washington Dulles International Airport. BWI confirms that a few diverted flights landed there. Anne Arundel County resident Adam Pohl told WJZ he was a little nervous to fly. He was traveling to Boston with a local basketball team. "Well, I feel very safe, but no doubt, when you're taking off or you're landing, you're going think a little bit more about it than you would normally," Pohl said. The NTSB says the investigation is ongoing. An initial report is expected in 30 days. Reminiscent of 2009 Many flights were canceled until DCA re-opened on Thursday morning, including Mark Poloncarz's flight to Buffalo, N.Y. He eventually rebooked out of BWI. Poloncarz told WJZ the atmosphere in one of the country's busiest airports went from bustling to somber in a matter of moments. "It was different," Poloncarz said. "It got really quiet, and just people realizing that not too far from where we were meant a lot of people lost their lives." Poloncarz said he watched as emergency crews rushed to the runway and then riverbed, searching for victims and debris. As Erie County Executive in Western New York, Poloncarz knows how devastating a crash like this is. The last U.S. commercial airliner crash with fatalities happened nearly 16 years ago. In February of 2009, Continental Flight 3407, operated by Colgan Air, crashed into a home in Clarence, N.Y., a suburb of Buffalo. The flight from Newark Liberty International was just minutes from landing at Buffalo Niagara International when it crashed into a home, killing 49 people onboard and one person inside the home. "When I realized that this was a plane crash that was going to result in a lot of lost lives, immediately, my mind went back to Flight 3407," said Poloncarz, who was the county's comptroller in 2009. "But what really struck me is, I'm sitting in this terminal looking out where the emergency vehicles are, realizing that there are probably dozens or more of people deceased in the Potomac and their family members don't even know about the incident." Flight 3407 led to sweeping reforms in the FAA, including new training requirements and scheduling for pilots. It also led to changes in the safety management systems and equipment inside the cockpit.
