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It's Saturday morning. I'm sitting in the Goose's Restaurant, waiting for my City Hall connection, Ron N. Hyde, to show up. It's amazing how much real news you can get over a pot of coffee.
Here he is.
"Hey, Ron!" Ron looks around before he sits down. Settles back on his chair and greets me.
"Hi, Vince." He sounds like the weight of the world is on his shoulders.
I start the ball rolling with a very simple question.
"How are things at City Hall?"
Shaking his head from side to side, he says, "I heard that the department head meeting the other day was a hot one!"
I know I'm in for a good hour of City Hall news, gossip and tidbits not intended for publication. "The Mayor was really upset."
The waitress approaches our table and pours two coffees.
"What are you gonna have?" she asks.
"Dry Como toast for me. How about you, Ron?"
"I'll have the frittata."
I couldn't believe my ears.
"Frittata? Where did you learn to say that?"
Ron laughs and counters, "Hey, we're in Niagara Falls."
"What about the department head meeting?"
He looks at me, takes a slow slurp of coffee, looks up again and says, "Nothing's changed. Department heads overspend, the Mayor tries to justify it and the Council gets the blame." "I know," I reply. "I saw four years of that. When the budget is in the black, they call it good management. When it's in the red, the people are told the Council didn't tax enough. If we could just get the people to understand that the Council has to pass a balanced budget each year. By now, everyone should know that the responsibility of staying within the budget falls squarely on the Mayor and Administrator."
At this point, Ron realizes he's going to hear the same thing he's already heard a thousand times, but he listens politely as I continue. "
Every year, the comptroller certifies a balanced budget. If during the year a major problem develops, the City Charter authorizes the Mayor to call for an emergency budget."
Ron doesn't want to hear about the Charter and I don't blame him. No one does‹not even the lawyers at City Hall.
Sounding concerned, Ron says, "I guess last year's deficit is a lot higher than anybody thought. Irene is trying to figure out why."
"What are you talking about?" I asked. "How can that be?"
I reminded him that early last year, the Mayor told her department heads to cut their spending by 10 percent. At the budget presentation, she said they had met that goal. I paused and then added, "If that's true, then you're right. Nothing's changed."
Shaking his head, Ron murmurs, "The audit ought to be interesting. I can't wait."
As the waitress brings our breakfast, I ask Ron about openings in Public Safety.
"I see that the administration finally has filled 13 of the openings in the Police Department. Some of those positions have been open for a long time and no one's complaining."
"It's true," Ron cuts in. "A lot of us who have been at City Hall for a long time can't figure out why no one's complaining! Not the Block Clubs. Not the Police Clubs. Not any of the business groups. Not even the City Council. I give the Mayor credit that she's keeping them all quiet and in line. As a matter of fact, the joke around City Hall is that she changed the Council from watchdogs to lap-dogs."
I quickly move to another subject and ask Ron about labor negotiations. He says they are not going well and that the give and take is just as spirited as ever. Two unions already have gone to arbitration. He says he'll know more about it next time.
As I get up to pay the check, he reminds me that next time, we're meeting at the Marketside.