Island Dispatch, 2007-09-28

              Island Dispatch 20 Pages 773-7676 $1.00 September 28, 2007 Vol. 63 No. 28 SS?S!V Niagara fn pi *p°n*'er 'L rjr Publications proud publishers of Island Dispatch ' Lewiston-Porter Sentinel Grand Island Penny Saver Niagara-Wheatheid Tribune www.wnypapers.com for Home Delivery of the Island Dispatch Call 773-7676 Helping Out in Uganda page 6 Aquarium Honors NFP page 7 Going All Out page 13 Grand Island's Relay For Life nets $128,000 Neither rain nor wind nor gloom of nightcould stop the fifth annual Grand Island Relay For Life from raising $128,000 for the American Cancer Society. That figure was announced Tuesday at a Relay For Life awards ceremony in the Grand Island High School Auditorium. According to Mary Dunbar-Daluisio, co-chairperson of the event with Peter McMahon, approximately 2,500 people attended June's Relay. The Luminaria Ceremony in June epitomized the spirit of the Relay participants. Candles in decorated bags honor survivors of cancer or memorialize those who succumbed to the disease. The ceremony Was nearly washed away in the wind and rain; but went on as scheduled. In the morning, McMahon said, some of the luminarias were still burning along the track. "And we actually had to go out at 6 or 7 in the morning, and put some of them out," McMahon. "Not only did the Luminaria Ceremony come off, but they lasted until daylight, which I thought was really something special." * ■ ■ Money is still coming in, Dunbar-Daluisio said. The total of funds raised has grown from a mere $12 in the Relay's first year, an exponential increase in just five years. "I just can't believe that this year is under our belts already," Dunbar-Daluisio said. - - .The 2007 event was held overnight in June despite a severe storm that forced relayers indoors for a short while. "That's as scared as I've been by a storm in a long time,'' McMahon said. Tuesday, volunteers and some of the 83 teams organized for the Relay were given awards for such categories as spirit, creativity, best in theme, and for the first mini-Relay ever in Western New York, held at Kaegebein Elementary School. The Relay Committee is planning for next year, with a Mckoff event set for February, Dunbar-Daluisio said. June 6 is the date for the 2008 Relay For Life, whicti will coincide with Class Day at Grand Island High School, the host of the event. Peter McMahon and Mary Dunbar-Daluisio, cochairs of the Grand island Relay For Life, announced Tuesday the fundraiser brought in $ 128,000 for the American Cancer Society, (photo by Larry Austin) Tolls expected to rise on Thruway The New York State Thruway Authority announced Monday that "revenue options need to be progressed," a widely considered euphemism for toll increases. "Isn't that surprising," Grand Island's Rus Thompson said, sarcastically, upon hearing the news of the toll increases. "I think what they're trying to do is throw a little scare out there." Thompson, a candidate to represent the 10th District of the Erie County Legislature, which includes Grand Island, has made a name for himself in his efforts to have the toEs eliminated at the Grand Island Bridges. The Thruway Authority reported Monday that any preliminary proposal will evaluate the Authority's existing E-ZPass discount programs and the possibility of what the Authority called "modest fixed adjustments between 2008 and 2011." The Authority added that any revenue actions would be phased in, allowing the strategy to be revisited should traffic volumes return to previously projected levels or the Authority's financial circumstances change in any significant way over the next four years. The Thruway Authority cited a study done by a traffic consulting firm, Stantec, that revised its traffic growth projections for the Thruway, resulting in projected out-year funding gaps in the Authority's 2005-2011 Multi-Year Financial Plan. Stantec has attributed the reduced traffic growth projections along the Thruway to the continued high gasoline prices. "Actual traffic growth on the Thruway is below that of the lastforecast,-In fact, the lower growth is consistent with the trends seen nationally," said Gerald Y. Nielsten, senior principal at Stantec. Traffic statistics provided by the Federal Highway Administration have shown that the average number of vehicle miles traveled nationally has been nearly flat over the last two and a half years, reflecting the longest period with no growth patterns since statistics were first reported by me FHWA in 1981.'? "They've got a twisted way of thinking,'' Thompson said of the Thruway Authority. "Its gotten more expensive for people to drive because of the higher cost of gasoline, so we're doing the right thing by conserving and not driving as much. So they're not making enough money, and they have to charge us more to be able to do something that's too expensive to do anyway." "It's utterly ridiculous, and it just gives you the good idea about the way these unelected appointed authorities behave," he added. He said the Thruway Authority will rather raise rates than cut costs. Thruway Authority Executive Director Michael R. -* Fleischer said, "The Authority's Audit and Finance Committee has directed staff to further limit future annual operating costs and explore additional revenue options." The Thruway Authority claims that since 1995, the number of fulltime staff has declined by 453 jobs; the Authority will continue to reduce staffing levels in future years. Even after constraining operationaloperational costs to a low level, significant operational deficits and low debt service coverage ratios would remain in the out-years of the plan. As a result, absent substantial reductions to operations and/or the capital program, revenue options need to be progressed. Thompson called now "the perfect time" for local state leaders to tell the state the unfairness of tolls, especially to Grand Island residents who make the daily commute across the bridges. He noted that he "was inspired" by a recent visit by State Assembly Majority Leader Sheldon Silver, a Democrat. Thompson said Silver claimed the increases would never make it into his state budget. "He actually sounded like me for a couple minutes, which was surprising," Thompson said. AAA of Western and Central New York, in a statement issued Thursday, asked: 'What about the Erie Canal?" Few drivers know that their tolls fund most of the upstate canal's annual operating and capital expenses, including the maintenance ofthe system's locks and bridges, the AAA release said. In 1992, a budget shortfall prompted the state to shift responsibility of the canals from the Department of Transportation to the Thruway Authority. AAA urged Gov. Eliot Spitzer to consider legislation that would take the canal system out of the Thruway Authority's hands and create an independent canal system."We understand the importance of the canal system to tourism and economic development in Upstate New York; however, we also feel that toll revenues should be fully dedicated to matataining a level of service motorists have come to expect of New York state's superhighway," said Tom Chestnut president/CEO of AAA Western and Central New York. "Investment in our infrastructure is vital and bridge and roadway improvements are top-of-mind for the motoring public* especially in light of the recent Minnesota bridge collapse,"Removal of the Erie Canal system would provide $305 million towards additional toll and debt relief and capital investments into the Thruway over the next six years. "We urge Gov. Spitzer and the Thruway Authority to address the funding shortfall by first considering a plan that does not require an increase in tolls," Chestnut said. AAA is upstate New York's largest motoring and travel organization with 880,000 members. Rus Thompson Linda pilifel Kutzbach IP^PI Associate Broker LBE'vSr*' #m_ 628-1719 __fc*__i 773-2S7z<jrmm 9,tr mm. I me other* / «. North ownpd & operate" ■FMgWWM -'.:;' " - :|K_U_i__aii_i 1" «gjj|gjr Call Joan for a RHSB FREE No Obligation WSmm Market Analysis on your home j ioanillugoldnsldByahoo.com