Page
Thirty-Four
07 NOVEMBER 2005
Geez. Vox Populi
à la Rochester can be fairly
entertaining. Who knew?
Old blog, Same scene:
|
Sunday, September 05, 2004
I know
you've all been waiting for an update on the oxymoronically named Fast
Ferry between
Rochester
and
Toronto.
You see, Kim and I took the posse to
Toronto
this past weekend for a little Canadian excitement. As the ferry was new
and sounded fun, we booked passage. The kids were quite pumped about the
opportunity to ride the ferry, the
Toronto
subway, public busses... well, let's face it, odd things amuse kids.
Anyway, the weekend was a success and I think everyone had a good time.
Although Kim is still struggling with the best answer to the surprisingly
frequent question, "Are all those kids yours?"
But
we were talking about the ferry. The ferry is a beautiful boat. It's very
roomy, has lots of food, drink, and entertainment aboard. It travels
smooth as silk, and is undeniably a damn comfortable way to cross the
lake.
The question I struggle with is, once the novelty is
gone, will anyone ride it? While it's a cool way to get to Toronto, it's
slow and it's expensive. The travel itself is just over 2 hours, but once
you factor in the other logistics, it's more like 5-6 hours. After all,
this is basically like taking a plane flight. You have to travel to the
port, arrive early, check-in, go though security, customs, get transport
on the other end. Door-to-door time is almost twice what it would have
taken to drive. And for the six of us it was only about five times the
cost of driving.
I'm glad we did it. It was fun. But I was originally thinking this would
be a reasonably efficient way to make the trip. It ain't. Take the trip
for the experience. If you're in a hurry... drive.
n
posted by Tim at 10:52 AM |
|
http://home.rochester.rr.com/tinnickels2/tinblog/archive/2004_09_01_oldblog.html |
Nothing to add. There's no
need to.
And this Oldie But Goodie
gem of a tantrum from the suburbs:
Oh Yeah? Well, I Don't
Like Toronto, Either!
Rochester woke up this morning to a
headline article in the Democrat and Chronicle informing us that
another reporter from Toronto has called
Rochester poopy. This time it's Jan Wong in a
Globe and Mail story on
Saturday. This same story was discussed today by the guy who took the place
of Bob Lonsberry on WGOP
WHAM.
Ms. Wong cited
"several important reasons" why
Torontonians would never want to visit Rochester when the
Fast Ferry between Rochester and
Toronto goes into operation (supposedly in May 2004). Included are reasons
like the homicide rate in the
city, declining work force at Kodak,
the Garbage Plate served at Nick
Tahou's, and the fact that George Eastman
shot himself to death in his East Avenue Mansion.
|
 |
|
(Ed.
This graphic wasn't part of the original blog... it just seemed to
fit.) |
I decline to dignify those last three
reasons with a response. As for the homicide rate, Mayor Bill Johnson was
quoted in the article as noting that most of the homicides are "execution
style hits. Only a couple times a year (does) a purely innocent person get
shot." (Oh, well then, that's different. A
suburban murder is a tragedy beyond description, but a city "execution style
hit" doesn't count? MMM-hmmm.)
Ms. Wong noted how it's supposedly
dangerous to venture into the neighborhood where the
Susan B. Anthony House is located.
It's in a rough neighborhood, but I've visited the Anthony House with our
son and my mother and we all lived to tell about it. You just have to use
your head no matter where you are.
Don't like it in Rochester, Jan? Well,
honey, the feeling's mutual. Rochester's no Toronto, but Toronto ain't New
York City, either. As I've been saying quietly for years, I'd rather save up
my money and go to New York City every second or third year than go to
Toronto on an annual basis. (And on behalf of
Torontonians and Canadians everywhere, may I be the first to thank you?)
The last time I was in Toronto, which
admittedly was several years ago, the Eaton
Centre (the giant downtown mall) was past its prime, as was the
Ontario Place waterfront amusement
center. The Ontario Science Centre
I remembered so fondly from my youth looked like it had stopped evolving and
was about to be naturally selected. The art galleries and museums can't hold
a matchstick to those of New York. Plays? There's a reason why they're
called BROADWAY musicals. Sure, Toronto's got good restaurants like New
York. So what? We do here, too. And not just Nick Tahous, baby!
(OOOhh!! Edgy stuff, sweetheart.)
Posted at
December 2, 2003 09:18 AM |
And 21 months later, after our little Time
Out in the corner, we seemed to have changed our tune:
September 19, 2005
Greece Post: Trip on the Rochester -
Toronto Fast Ferry
 Last
month, Jean and I took the kids to Toronto on The Cat, which is what the
fast ferry is called nowadays.
It wasn't a long strange trip. It was a
short strange trip. The strange part had to do with the fact the kids were
so amped up to be on the ferry, and had so much fun exploring it, they
hardly bothered me at all.
When we got back, I wrote the experience up
as a column for the Greece Post, which you can read below (originally
published by Messenger Post Newspapers, Canandaigua, New York):
Family had a ferry good trip to
Toronto
Back before the fast ferry started
service, when that Canadian reporter was talkin' smack about Rochester, I
decided right then and there I didn't need Toronto in my life. I was going
to take my vacation dollars and stay home right here in the good ole U.S.
of A. I mean, who really needs stinky old Toronto anyway?
(Well, if the price is right, apparently you
do.)
Can you tell I spend a lot of time around
kids?
But I have to admit I was a little
curious all the same. When CATS went to the big litter box in the
sky last fall, I was worried I'd missed the chance to ride the fast ferry.
Thankfully, I was wrong. But I still
lacked motivation to part with my evil Yankee dollars and book a trip
until Bay Ferries, the new operator of the fast ferry, started running
promotions this summer. When they offered to let kids ride free through
Labor Day, I was intrigued. When they upped the ante by offering ticket
holders a 50% discount on a return trip this fall, I took the bait.
(Sure; principles mean nothing when there's a
sale going on.) This past week, my mom and I took my two
kids to Toronto via the Spirit of Ontario for a couple days.
(Where's Dad? Oh, I guess somebody has
to work to pay for a four-person sortie taking the minivan on the ferry to
Toronto for a few days.)
If I may digress for a moment, one of
the things I really like about my current gig as a housewife is the
opportunity to sleep in during the summer.
(That... and somebody else's paycheque.) I quickly become
blissfully ignorant of the fact there are two seven o'clocks in the day,
let alone two five o'clocks. But somehow, it didn't matter that we had to
get up at 5:15 a.m. to make the 8 o'clock departure. We were riding
the fast ferry! All four of us were as giddy as little girls.
Especially the youngest member of our
entourage, who actually is a little girl. My daughter shouted "The fast
ferry is my favoritest boat in the world!" as she danced on the deck with
Charlotte pier receded in the distance.
(Adorable. Glad to see the Prozac's doing the trick. More sugar,
anyone?)
My son agreed. "I wish this ferry would
go on for an extra hour, so I could do more stuff." With two movie
theatres, an arcade, children's activity room, snack bar, duty free shop,
and two bars, who can argue?
We brought along my intrepid suburban
assault vehicle, a purple 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan. It couldn't have been
easier. We just lined up with the other vehicles outside the ferry
terminal an hour before departure and drove the beast right up the ramp.
It just passed inspection, so they had to take it.
Another thing that helped us decide to
take the plunge was a great deal on a hotel package. The one we booked
through the Greece AAA office included free tickets to the Toronto Zoo.
They got a lot of unusual animals at the Toronto Zoo. My son enjoyed
seeing
capybaras, which he'd only previously seen on the Discovery Channel
was they were being eaten by anacondas in the Amazon River. Capybaras are
giant rodents the size of dogs. Seeing them in person sort of drives
home the importance of not storing Miracle Gro where mice can find it.
(Whatta kneeslapper!!)
Pretty soon, it was time to reboard the
fast ferry for the trip back home. Once again, the check in and boarding
procedure went smoothing, despite the fact we were caught in the middle of
a torrential downpour. Thankfully, I spotted another purple 1997 Dodge
Grand Caravan as we made our way up the ramp. I was comforted by the
knowledge the species would continue, in the event the rain kept up and
the situation got a little biblical.
After watching Toronto recede in the
background, my kids suddenly realized it was 7:30 p.m. and they hadn't had
dinner. They're quick like that.
Despite the long line at the snack bar,
my son gave high marks to the food. "This cheeseburger tastes just like it
came from Schaller's!"
Be it ever so humble, there's no place
like home.
I don't post all of my Greece Post
columns, since some have to do with purely local stuff. This one's sort of
like that, but there's enough of you ex-Greecers out there that I thought I
could get away with it.
Posted at
September 19, 2005 09:17 PM
|
Plenty to
add. But you already know what I'd say.
Earlier, our
plucky journalist went On Scene to investigate the exciting marvels of the ferry
terminal. How DOES she manage such
challenging assignments?
|
Greece Post: Fast
Ferry Terminal
Here's the last article in my Greece Post
Fast Ferry trilogy. It was originally published on February 3, 2005.
Enjoy this Terminal Case of Heaven
We've heard a lot lately about the Fast
Ferry heading for the auction block later this month, but what about the
businesses located in the Fast Ferry Terminal? How have they been fairing?
I pulled into the parking lot just after
noon on a Monday. Inside the terminal everything was bright and clean.
Naturally, I took this as a sign I should stay for lunch. And as foretold
by the numerous cars in the parking lot, people were shopping and eating
at the terminal. Some were career people on their lunch hour, some were
retirees, and some appeared to be college students. A real cross section
of the community. (THAT'S a 'real cross
section' of the community? Thank GOD there weren't any of those
scruffy-looking dark-skinned Inner City Kids. We would have had to turn
around, leave the premises and head back to suburban bliss.)
From my table at Cheeburger, Cheeburger,
I enjoyed a panoramic view of the Genesee River through the large windows
overlooking the promenade. Sure, I'd seen the view almost every summer of
my life. But it was pretty darn interesting seeing it in winter from the
comfort of a fun '50s themed restaurant. In fact, not even a nearby sign
indicating Sanibel Island, Florida was a whopping 1,406 miles away could
diminish my enjoyment of the view.
Just before my enormous grilled
chicken sandwich arrived, the entire restaurant was treated to the sight
of 21 swans gliding majestically up river. Sure, we weren't in the
tropics, but at that moment we were all a little closer to paradise. No,
wait. Make that heaven. Elvis was playing in the background.
(Lady, I'll have two of whatever you're popping.)
After making my way through half of my
sandwich, I boxed up the remainder and checked out the terminal's retail
shops. A cozy little shop called Lakeside Floral and Antiques offered some
interesting items I haven't seen in Greece. And as my husband will tell
you, I do plenty of shopping. (Oh, I'll just
bet you do, you little scamp.)
For the low, low price of $9.00, you
could buy a reproduction Victorian wedding certificate. There were several
colorful styles to choose from. Insert the names of great-grandma and
great-grandpa in your best handwriting, and you've got an instant
heirloom. (I suppose if you consider nine
buck souvenir shop reproduction Victorian wedding certificates as
constituting 'heirlooms', you do.) Not to mention a
guaranteed A on your kid's family history project.
Out of the corner of my eye, just beyond
the Nutty Bavarian and Quiznos Subs, I saw a colorful storefront tucked
away on the Lake Ontario side of the terminal. Lots of gift shops claim to
be unique boutiques, but the Chestnut Tree really is one. But don't read
that as a code word for expensive. There were lots of interesting,
reasonably priced treasures, as well as Rochester-themed gifts, and items
commemorating the Fast Ferry itself.
('Treasures'? In a souvenir shop? Try Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls.
You'll be in 'treasure' heaven.)
Here's the investment tip of the month: Spirit of Ontario memorabilia just
might be collectible some day. Even if you lost your shirt when the bottom
fell out of the Beanie Baby market, I urge you to weigh this advice
carefully. Especially in light of the recent highly publicized concerns
about the future of Social Security.
(OH MY GOD!! STOP IT! STOP IT!!
YOU'RE KILLIN' ME, LADY!!!)
As I left the Fast Ferry terminal, I
pressed my nose up against the door to California Rollin' II, the sushi
restaurant located nearest to Greece. They're closed on Mondays, but I was
able to take a peak at the hip urban décor. If you dine at California
Rolling, you're as good as dining in Toronto.
(...CAN'T.... talk.... ohhhh.... STOP.. it hurts.... stop...)
Plus, you can still get Abbott's for dessert afterwards.
Once the Fast Ferry Terminal was a busy
port of entry welcoming passengers to Rochester. Hopefully it will be
again soon. But for now, it's a fun destination in its own right.
Posted at
February 25, 2005 08:00 AM |
Ohhhhh.... my
stomach hurts too much from laughing!!!! I'm dyin' here!!!
Phewww!!!
W H A T . A . T O O L . Ladies and
Gentlemen: I present one of the funniest, most pathetic and most typical
Rochester suburban residents on the web. This lady has 'Fame' written all over
her.
No... I can't do
it. I just can't respond. I'm at a total loss for words... and you know how
bad it has to be for me to get like THAT.
Toronto? You
read it for yourselves. I can't make stuff like this up.
Biography
"I am a housewife with two kids and an
under-utilized law degree living in the town that my ancestors helped
settle.
I am interested in junk and junking,
garage sales and antiques. From time to time I can be found in cemeteries.
As of March 2004, I am a columnist for
the Greece Post and a regular contributor to City Newspaper's
{Family Valued} feature. So I'm no longer a complete and utter
embarrassment to my family and friends. But my law school alumni
association still won't return my calls." |
Quite the dossier, no? A Real Gal About
Town, this suburban Greece hausfrau is more
than qualified to write about international city and transportation critiques,
doggie bags, urban homicide rates, junk, Broadway plays, garage sales, regional
demographics... as well as offer insider tips on the Beanie Baby trade and
hedging the Social Security crunch. With a law degree gathering dust amid the
hand-stenciled geese-with-bows and dried flower arrangements, our intrepid
reporter risks life and limb as she engages in grueling mall excursions
searching out those elusive bargains on Elmer's Glue, potpourri and SpongeBob
SquarePants underwear.
Astonishing. Simply astonishing. And to
think this area has THOUSANDS more like her, it's a wonder anybody can keep a
straight face around here. No, I'm not going to give her web address either;
such insipid crap deserves no more traffic than it already receives. She's
bringing down the curve enough as it is.
Moving on....
The high price of subsidies--From the Buffalo
News
What is wrong with government
subsidies? A great deal!
Deciding what projects to invest in is hard work. And often times
we do make mistakes, but time and time again the evidence shows
that free markets make the best decisions. (In class terminology,
markets make the best allocation decisions and funnel the money
to its highest valued use.)
However, all too often politicians can not help but to play the
game as well--but not with their money, but with taxpayers money.
This is a classic agency cost problem whereby the politician gets
benefits while each tax payer pays a small portion. This is
problematic because it often leads to investments in projects that
yield no reasonable chance of being profitable. To make
matters worse, there is often no easy way to measure success
(unlike the stock market), and the project often being popular in
some sense or to some people, or for a short period of time.
The result? More money is spent on the project than should be—in
class terms we invest in negative NPV projects.
The
SportEconomist has long railed against subsidization. For
instance he posted a great article on the
lack of success Cleveland has had after they funded their Gund
Arena. (But even in this instance, note the difficulty in
measuring success.)
I would like to extend the disagreement with subsidization beyond
just Sports complexes and teams. It is unclear why governments
should be allowed to pick favorites in any business.
Recently Buffalo and the state of New York granted tax breaks to
Bass Pro Shops to open a new store in Buffalo. That Bass is
coming to Buffalo is great. There are few cities that need more
jobs more than Buffalo. I just wish Bass had looked at the area,
and concluded that it was a good place to locate a business and do
so without government spending.
Why? Because by picking Bass, the government is paying for a new
project. Who is paying for it? Among others are other retail
stores that will now face increased competition.
Why play favorites? What about all of the already struggling
businesses in Buffalo and elsewhere in New York State that did NOT
get tax breaks? A better idea is to lower taxes to all so that
businesses (and not just Bass) would willingly relocate to New
York State.
But of course the temptation is great. From today's
Buffalo News - The high price of subsidies: The "'silver
bullet' projects sometimes are off target. Just as Buffalo
officials are celebrating the Bass Pro announcement, Rochester
leaders are figuring how to bounce back from a celebrated
public-private partnership that fizzled in their city. Rochester,
New York State and the federal government contributed an estimated
$35 million toward a high-speed ferry project, for a terminal and
for the vessel. The goal of that project was similar to Buffalo's
Bass Pro deal - to spur development of a city's waterfront. But
the debt-laden private operator of the Rochester-to-Toronto ferry
halted the twice-a-day round-trip crossings in September, just
three months after launching the service. Now, Rochester Mayor
William Johnson Jr. wants the city to buy the ferry for an
estimated $40 million, using the proceeds of government-backed
bonds. Service would restart in April under the proposal."
While the examples of this type of subsidization are ubiquitous,
maybe, just maybe, economic sense is entering the picture.
From the
Buffalo News article:
"The National Taxpayers Union
views cash grants and tax abatements differently. "Giving tax
abatements isn't a great idea compared to cutting tax rates
across
the board,...." "
and some areas may be finally making
the right choice:
Last month in Syracuse, Onondaga
County lawmakers said they did not like the idea of a public
subsidy worth at least $20 million for a 350-room hotel next to
the county's convention center. That has delayed the deal as
county officials and the developer look for ways to reduce the
subsidy.
and
In October, Philadelphia Mayor
John F. Sweet recommended rejecting developers' plans to
redevelop a 13-acre riverfront site at Penn's Landing. Two
finalists each proposed plans that needed a public investment of
as much as $100 million, and Street called that "too much, given
our priorities, and simply doesn't seem likely to happen,"
according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Do these successes mean we will see markets return to their role
as allocator of capital and politicians look for ways to make sure
investors have the money to invest (i.e. cutting taxes). I doubt
it. Politicians have too much at stake to give up their pet
projects so easily; projects all too often financed with our
money. (Sound familiar?)
|
Written last year, this blog is still pretty relevant,
isn't it? Subsidizing pet projects based on political agendas is more than just
raiding the taxpayer henhouse; it makes little economic sense for the subsidized
business. That's not to say there aren't instances when using public money on a
private business to induce benefit for the public isn't a good idea. Some
ventures make a lot of sense using public money as the payback is felt both
economically AND socially.
But that certainly doesn't apply to the Rochester Ferry
Corporation because not only are the benefits dubious at best, they're
unmeasurable. It's no secret people with limited means won't take the ferry.
Where's the benefit to them? The paltry few non-livable wages which are
provided by the ferry business have little impact on the general population of
marginal incomes and even less on the general regional economy. The return on
investment just isn't there.
The ferry hasn't done its job. It was touted as some
panacea bringing Canadian visitors and Canadian cash to this side of the lake to
prop up the Rochester area. Instead, it's the Rochester area which is propping
up the ferry... and for what? Pride? Self-image? The desire to hang with the
'in' crowd? Whatever the reason may be, it's patently obvious the ferry will
ALWAYS need a public subsidy in order to cover expenses. There isn't enough
demand for the service -- certainly not in the amount that will provide the
needed revenue to offset operating costs.
Subsidizing the ferry is a lousy idea just as subsidizing
ANY business which has no prospect of ever turning a profit is a waste.
Rochester's former biggest flagship employer, Eastman Kodak, is sinking almost
as fast as the ferry and with the tens of thousands who've been laid off in the
past ten years, it's small wonder the local economy is tanking. But there's no
movement afoot to subsidize Eastman Kodak as its business decisions of the past
are the reason it's crumbling now. Pumping public money into Kodak isn't going
to reverse the downward trend anymore than subsidies for the ferry is going to
revive the ferry business. Helping keep Kodak afloat would have more of an
impact on the local economy than would the ferry, yet there aren't many who'd
even consider it.
Obviously the ferry is now a publicly-owned business and
there's the imperative for the public to take care of their business whereas
Kodak is just another private business catering to the greed of its investors
and pretty much giving a flying fig about taking care of its hometown. Why
should it? It's laughable to think business ethics are at play when the private
company is struggling with its poor business choices. Kodak messed up when it
sniffed at digital photography and now it's paying the price.
(Mohawk anecdote time for non-Rochesterians: There's an
unsubstantiated story which has been making the rounds for years. Just before
the advent of digital photography, Kodak's ex-CEO Kay Whitmore was known for his
nodding off during business meetings. Hey -- those things can be boring, but
when the corporate CEO can't show enough interest to stay awake, that's pretty
bad. One time, another corporate CEO was at a Kodak meeting to pitch the new
digital photography technology to Kodak as it really made sense for the film
giant to jump on board. Kay, convinced digital was just a niche fad which would
never bump out the conventional film business, nodded off at the meeting.
The other CEO's name was Bill Gates.)
The subsidizing of the ferry might not be a bad idea if it
was the public who wanted the the ferry in the first place. They were never
asked. CATS strolled in, gave the pitch and the ferry was up and running. And
failing. Then the city of Rochester rushes in and says, "We'll buy it" and
restarts the ferry. It fails again. And once again, the public was never asked
if they wanted it even though they're paying... and paying... and paying for it.
Now Mayor Bill says the public needs to pay yet
more to keep the ferry moving and once
again, the public isn't being allowed to say 'yes' or 'no'. It's just done.
With their money. If Bill Johnson and the Ferry Board don't want to take the
heat for the failure of the ferry, they should have asked the voter via a
Proposition whether to pursue the ferry business or not. That way, if the
voters had voted 'yes' it would be the voter's fault for buying into some dud of
a deal and not just the community leaders'. Considering the tens upon tens of
millions of dollars this whole deal cost, that's a significant enough amount of
cash to warrant polling the public.
No time to ask the public? In the past five years of the
ferry history there was no time to ask whether the public thought it was a good
idea or not? Unlikely.
The public speaks:
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October 19, 2004
Rochester-Toronto Ferry
Bids Adieu
The Rochester-Toronto seems
to have made another new speed record - this time for shorted
operating time for a new ferry.
Courtesy of one of our
readers, I recently found out that the Rochester-Toronto
Ferry, which accounts for at least 50% of our google search
hits, shut down in September due to serious financial
troubles. It was not the most loved of projects, as evidenced
by a recent article in the Syracuse Post-Standard, which
begins:
There's a five-story-high
floating monument to borrowed pork-barrel spending, and it
sits on Rochester's shoreline of Lake Ontario.
Evidently, the ferry was paid
for with major grants from and bonds covered by the state of
New York. The ferry stopped running on September 8 with a debt
of almost $1.7 million dollars. A judge then impounded the
boat in late September due to unpaid fuel bills. However, a
plan is in the works to get the boat back operational, as
CATS, the organization that runs the ferry, has found new
investors and is putting together a new operating plan.
Anyone want to make bets
on how long before they abandon the whole project and move the
$42.5 million ferry to a route that actually has passengers?
Post Author: amg |
08:16 AM | Link | TrackBacks
Rochester just needs to
advertise that prostituion is legal in Toronto. "Toronto -
What happens here,happens at a favorable exchange rate."
Pfft. By all accounts
ridership was far exceeding expectations. There were
frequent reports of people being left behind due to sold
out trips. But, nonetheless, it still managed to go
belly up, showing that the service wasn't inherently
viable (a fact that Toronto media and politicians seemed
to realise, much to the disdain of the media and
politicians of Rochester). So, as Rochester spent
millions subsidising the ferry and building a new ferry
terminal, Toronto threw up some portables and waited to
see how things turned out before investing resources.
People in Toronto
following the ferry issue predicted the venture would
sink (heh heh) within a year. Imagine when it went down
after three months.
Major impediments to the
service included addition of repair and interest costs due
to a crash of the ferry in New York during its trip toward
Rochester as well as the inability for the ferry to carry
freight. Though, even if these matters had been solved,
viability is still questionable.
Any other questions I can
help you with?
Here we go again:
The ferry is starting again TODAY (June 30, 2005). Live
coverage from the three Rocherster TV stations, zip from
Toronto's.
If the new ferry company
can make it work between Bar Harbour, Maine, and Yarmouth,
Nova-Scotia, surely they will be successful between
Rochester and the Centre of the Known Universe (Toronto)!
(Not if it's primarily a one-way
flow of cash in the wrong direction.)
Company web site:
http://www.nfl-bay.com/english/fast/
About the boat:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_of_Ontario_I
The Democrat and
Chronicle has published enough articles on this thing to
fill a book. Mark my words, this thing will be studied in
academia. Check out the following link for a good summary:
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050626/NEWS01/506260364&SearchID=7321277390982
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Flashback to pictures of Rochester 'leaders' glad-handing
and back-slapping visiting Toronto officials. Let's recall all those Rochester
news reporters on the streets of downtown Toronto interviewing Joe and Jane
Toronto who gushed on glowingly about the swell ferry service. Let's remember
all the reports of Grand Poobahs prattling on about how the ferry would make
travel between the two communities easier (it doesn't), fill the streets and
stores of Rochester with Canadian cash (it hasn't) or have a positive economic
impact on both communities (it's had just the opposite).
Looks like all the carte blanche generalizations and
assumptions were wrong. It's been proven wrong all over the internet and has
been since at least 2001.
But hey, what does the public know anyway? We're just the
ones who'll make or break a business, that all.
Certainly not worth consulting.
08 NOVEMBER 2005
Canadian readers: Testimonies from city of Rochester mayoral candidates:
|
|
Robert J. Duffy
 |
We must do everything we can
to make the Fast Ferry successful, which may include a change in the way
the Ferry is operated. I want to make sure that we have experts in the
field of transportation, tourism and marketing on the Ferry’s oversight
board. I also want to make sure that the Ferry is looked upon as a
regional resource: as the service brings benefits to the Finger Lakes as a
whole, regional governments and agencies should be a part of its marketing
and development, and should share some of the costs. We will also
undertake a comprehensive redevelopment of the Port of Rochester site
based on the city’s on-going master plan work and the city’s Local
Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP). My team will conduct a thorough
search for a developer or development team for the Port Site that
encourages and promotes private investment in the area. This team will
work with the Bureau of Planning to implement a phased, market-driven,
long-term development program for the Port site that addresses the goals
and objectives of the city’s LWRP and preserves the character of the
Charlotte Harbortown village concept. Our goal is to identify and build at
least one key public facility or infrastructure component (marina, tourism
information center, museum, entertainment complex, etc.) to be developed
to serve as a catalyst for new public and private investment and to
further draw public interest in the area. Tourism is an area that will
continue to expand, thanks to the Fast Ferry and other efforts. As a
centralized unit in my administration, grant procurement staff will seek
new sources of federal, state and private funds to support our
international hub for transportation and tourism. |
Tim O. Mains
 |
Whether or not any of the
candidates for mayor want the city to be in the ferry business, the
reality is that we are. To credibly support investment ventures in the
future, the city must make a clear commitment to the success of the
current venture. My view of the current ferry board is that it does not
have a diverse enough set of viewpoints to make it a valuable executive
body. As mayor, I will seek people to serve on the ferry board who would
add a wider variety of business perspectives with the goal of maintaining
cost-effective ferry service. This is a unique endeavor contributing to
our economy and to our tourist initiatives, and we must find a way to make
it work. The next mayor must have as a goal to avoid a subsidy for the
ferry, if possible. I am not opposed to a subsidy for the ferry if it is
absolutely necessary. My intention is to monitor the viability of the
current ferry operation over the first three years. We must remain
committed to ferry service, but we need not necessarily commit to
preserving it in its current form with the vessel that we recently
purchased. If ridership data support a smaller vessel, we must consider
selling the current ship and switching to a smaller vessel to allow
retention of the service in a more cost-effective way. I strongly support
broader development efforts in Charlotte and a concerted effort to connect
Charlotte to downtown more solidly. We must maximize both housing and
commercial opportunities and ensure ample marina space for visiting
boaters. Finally, I oppose the lease deal with MapleStar and will be very
skeptical of tax dollars being used to subsidize development of the
terminal under current circumstances in which MapleStar receives benefits
while bearing little or no risk. |
Chris Maj
 |
I supported the ferry from the
public beginning as a great way to transport ideas with our neighbors to
the north. It helps float the idea that Rochester is an international
city. That's great. We need more big thoughts like that to move this city
forward. And in the back of my mind was always the idea that if it didn't
work, then it's pretty easy to get rid of it. After a couple of years, if
the ferry is more trouble than it's worth, then it should be pretty easy
to sell it and ship it to the new location. It's a ship! Contrast that
with building a highway or an underground bus terminal. Those pieces of
infrastructure can't easily be moved if they don't work out. One different
idea I have is charging city residents less to ride the ferry. We own it
now, and we should pay less. Maybe offer some better package deals to make
it more affordable to city residents. I'm sure folks from the city
wouldn't mind taking a vacation on their boat. Someone recommended to me
that we start up service between more locations than Toronto, and I think
that's a great idea. Send it to the Thousand Islands, Niagara Falls,
Oswego, and Hamilton. The latter two are actually in discussions to run
their own truck ferry. Let's get Rochester involved. On top of adding more
destinations, I think we should allow booking for private parties when the
ferry is docked -- especially in the winter. Also, I support adding slot
machines on the ferry. When I'm the mayor, the ferry won't need a subsidy. |
Wade Norwood
 |
I believe that our goal should
be to get the ferry business operating on a sustainable basis without
public subsidy, and then seek private sector ownership. Commercial and
housing development in the area should be pursued by opening up the
process to a wide variety of private investment options- the City should
not try to control every detail nor predetermine which types of businesses
it wants to attract. |
John Parrinello
 |
I don’t believe the City has
any other option concerning the ownership of the fast ferry even with its
past and current problems. I would require public disclosure of monthly
operating statements of Bay Ferries. I favor gaming on the Ferry with all
revenues paid to the City. If the Ferry cannot operate during the winter,
I envision it being used for parties and weddings and the like with all
revenues coming to the City. I support private development around the
Ferry Terminal as a way of increasing tax revenues. |
Summation: "Torontonians and Canadians? You guys are fairly insignificant when
it comes to the viability of the ferry business. We'll make the business work
either with or without you."
Well,
of course you will! After all, have any of the above candidates bothered
broaching the subject that maybe... just maybe... there isn't enough demand on
the Canadian side to warrant keeping the ferry business operating?
Nope. It's not the American Way to consider Rochester is merely a PART of a
much larger regional entity; it IS the
entity. The whole Native zeitgeist of "we are only a
part of a larger cosmic plan" is for granola crunchers,
hippies and... oh yeah, those Dances With Wolves-types.
Duffy:
"Tourism is an area that will continue to expand, thanks to the Fast Ferry and
other efforts."
Tourism is dependent on tourists... people. Not advisory boards, corporate
'experts' or community initiatives. It is the public's desires, motivation and
dollars which drive tourism, not a bunch of suits sitting around tables noshing
on Starbucks and fruit danish.
Mains:
"Whether or not any of the candidates for mayor want
the city to be in the ferry business, the reality is that we are."
And God
said, "You WILL have a ferry business and that's THAT."
The city got itself into the ferry mess and it can get itself out if it wants.
Saying, "We have it, so we have no choice but to support it" is like
saying, "I accidentally started the house fire, so I have to let it
burn".
Maj:
"Someone recommended to me that we start up service
between more locations than Toronto, and I think that's a great idea. Send it to
the Thousand Islands, Niagara Falls, Oswego, and Hamilton."
Oh, there's
a Great Idea. The ferry can't make a go of it to the greatest population centre
and economic powerhouse on Lake Ontario, so let's try locations with even less
people and less money. Question: How will the ferry negotiate the Lower Rapids
near the Niagara River whirlpool?
Norwood:
"I believe that our goal should be to get the ferry business operating on a
sustainable basis without public subsidy, and then seek private sector
ownership."
Notice the lack
of saying HOW to get the ferry business operating on sustainable basis. It
already IS operating on a public subsidy via public money. And turning it back
to a private company à la CATS already hasn't worked.
Parrinello:
"I favor gaming on the Ferry
with all revenues paid to the City. If the Ferry cannot operate during the
winter, I envision it being used for parties and weddings and the like with all
revenues coming to the City."
The ferry
requires customers. Gaming requires customers. No customers on the ferry? No
customers on the gaming. Canadians aren't going to fork over a huge cover
charge just for the thrill of losing yet more money in the 2-½ hours of
gaming they might play IF the Canadian government
allows it (and they already said they won't). How much would it cost to rent
the ferry for a four-hour wedding reception? A two month winter shutdown has
eight Saturdays; eight wedding receptions are going to cover the maintenance,
loan payment and operating costs for two months of the ferry?
Canadians? Ehhhh, who needs 'em anyway? WE'LL make this work on our
own.
Delving into investigative journalism with
unabashed gusto and zeal, the Native Canadian wastes no time in taking every
opportunity to hurl literary pies in the faces of pretentious corporate suits.
Background: Based in Rochester, the
conservative think tank of consultants called the
Center for Governmental Research,
Inc. (GCR)... those darlings of the business set... put together a Very
Important Looking 120-page report on the economic impact of the Seneca Niagara
Casino in Niagara Falls, New York.
Seneca Niagara Casino Fiscal & Economic Impact on
Niagara Falls, NY
Client: USA Niagara Development Corporation
Engaged by Empire State Development
Corporation (through its USA Niagara Development subsidiary), CGR assessed
the net economic and fiscal impact of the Seneca Niagara Casino on the
City of Niagara Falls. CGR
identified significant positive economic impact for the Niagara Falls
region, although observed that the benefit was limited to the activity of
the casino and the spending of its employees. Consistent with other
studies of casino economic impact, CGR was unable
to identify a significant catalytic impact in the City of Niagara Falls. |
|
download full report / printable version (.pdf, 512 kb) |
link |
"Yeah, so what?"
Well, it's like this. Despite having one of
the world's most visited attractions on it's doorstep, and while the casino and
its employees enjoyed the benefits of gaming, the City of Niagara Falls NY
hasn't experienced any significant economic growth spurt from rehabbing the old
Convention Centre. Just drive down Main Street, NF NY and have a look around.
Pine Avenue east of Packard Road has all the charm of an abandoned heavy
industrial site. But at least Niagara Street around the casino area is looking
better than it has in decades. That is, the street itself -- not the
neighbourhood.
It's a myth that casinos and gaming are
guaranteed cash cows for a community. Parrinello's Grand Plan calls for a
chorus of blinking slot machines plopped smack dab in the middle of an urban
economic desert... a Las Vegas of Upstate... as well as on the city's junket
across the lake. The findings of the CGR, well-stocked with Republican and
corporate types, said it didn't work in the Falls yet John says it has to work
in Rochester... which doesn't even have enough tourist draw to support a boat.
"Build it and they will come"? Hasn't
worked with the main attraction, the ferry.
Oh. Then there's the little matter of
only Native Nations being allowed to operate casinos in New York State.
Parrinello, in his self-grandiose style, seems to think he can simply call
1-800-Buy-An-Indian and he'll have his pick of who operates his 'Sims'-inspired
creation.
The view from a member of the Mohawk Nation?
Get bent, John. The Rochester area hasn't
exactly bent over backwards supporting its First Nations residents; why should
WE do YOU any favours now? Get the city and county to fund and support a Native
centre in the area and then we'll talk.
Until then, bite me.
Speaking of the mighty Mohawk Nation:
| |
51º | Hi 55º /
Lo 39º |
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Mohawks push Pataki on casino deal
Tribe says it has federal OK and needs
governor's for Catskills site
Yancey Roy
Albany bureau
(November 8, 2005) — ALBANY
— A week after switching locations
for a potential casino, the St. Regis Mohawks urged Gov. George Pataki to
hurry up and sign off on the deal Monday.
The tribe said it has all the necessary
federal approvals to move forward with a casino at Monticello Raceway in
the southern Catskills region. Previously, the tribe had considered a
gambling hall at the old Kutsher's resort, also in Monticello.
|
Background
Two Native American-run casinos were built in New
York in the 1990s. Lawmakers in 2001 approved six more, although
only two have opened. Here are the locations and the tribes of the
currently operating casinos:
Hogansburg, St. Lawrence County/St. Regis
Mohawks.
Vernon, Oneida County/New York Oneidas.
Niagara Falls/Senecas.
Salamanca/Senecas.
|
All it needs now is Pataki's approval,
said tribal chief Lorraine White. If the Republican agrees, it would be a
major breakthrough in the tribe's long-running attempt to build a
Catskills casino, officials said.
The switch of locations was just the
latest in a series of twists since Pataki and the Legislature agreed to
greatly expand gambling in New York just weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks.
With the economy tumbling, lawmakers approved measures to sanction
three Native-American run casinos in Western New York and three in the
Catskills. So far, just two in Western New York have been built.
(Exactly. And the third has been planned for
downtown Buffalo. That's all she wrote.)
A factor in the delay in the Catskills:
Casinos proposals have been tangled with Indian land-claim lawsuits.
The Pataki administration had bargained with the idea of settling lawsuits
while granting casino rights. Last year, the governor announced an
agreement with five tribes for five casinos.
But a subsequent U.S. Supreme Court
decision fatally undermined the agreement with all the tribes, save the
Mohawks. (And the Mohawk Nation isn't beating a
path to do business with Rochester. You can go sulk now, John.)
The Mohawks had also changed sites and development partners more than
once.
They originally targeted Monticello
Raceway, a struggling harness racing track, and had received partial
federal approval.
(The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act requires that federal and state
officials approve a potential site if a tribe picks a site off reservation
lands.) (Hear that, Johnny? I DO believe
that would pertain to Rochester, unless, of course, you'd like to turn the
city of Rochester over to the Mohawk Nation. No? No problem.)
In 2000, the tribe abandoned the track,
joined Park Place Entertainment and said they wanted to build at Kutsher's.
But the Bureau of Indian Affairs never signed off.
Mohawk officials asked federal officials
if the approval for the racetrack was still valid.
In September, the BIA said yes and last week the Mohawks sent a letter
back saying it had plans with a new developer to build at the racetrack.
Pataki told the tribe he still had
questions about the timeline for the casino and the potential
environmental impacts.
YROY@gannett.com
|
Parrinello seems to think all he has to do
is say, "I want a casino" and Presto! The tables are moved in. Sorry Mr. Power
Trip; you and the city of Rochester have little to no say in whether a casino
opens.... that power lies with the First Nations, the Feds, the New York State
Legislature and the Governor. Quit with the unsubstantiated assumptions; just
because YOU want a casino doesn't mean any of the Native Nations want to open
one in Rochester. Those negotiations take YEARS to finalize as the state and
Mohawk Nation can attest from the Catskills proposal. Do your homework first,
Mr. P, before you spout off about something that has a miniscule chance of
becoming reality. Twit.
Remember our friend Ben Rand from the Democrat & Chronicle
blog a few pages back?
Well, he received comments: ("...pull the curtain back, Fred")
Ferry Ferry, How Does Your Garden Grow?
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"Lets use
the media as a way to get more people using the ferry.."
Uh, 1Bigcoach? Just how DOES
the media 'get' people to use the ferry? Threaten to stop broadcasting if they
don't? Withhold the Sunday comics section until they do? How does the media
have any power over personal decisions to either take the ferry or not?
"The
local radio talk show host said I should take the ferry, so I guess that means I
have no choice." As frightening as it is to imagine, there are
actually a handful of local residents who do exactly that. A handful. Not
enough to even cover the costs of starting the ferry engines.
"Our
friends in Canada have a lot to offer and so do we..."
Evidently, from the lack of
passengers, that statement is only half right. At least as it pertains to
attracting ferry customers to the Rochester area; just take a look around the
Rochester area. How many Ontario or Québec license plates do you see? Think
that's a coincidence? Think that might be saying something? No? OK. Throw a
few more million into the ferry and repeat until it sinks in that Canadians
aren't interested.
Oh, and be sure to whine
incessantly about high taxes and a ferry project that can't turn a profit.
That'll convince the rest of the state the Rochester area is capable of managing
large sums of money every time.
