Democratic mayoral hopeful Paul Dyster's recent efforts to convince members of the city's unions that he's looking out for their best interests have resulted in a much-needed bit of comic relief in the run-up to the Sept. 9 primary.
Despite the fact he has voted repeatedly for the continued retention of the union-busting Albany law firm of Roemer, Wallens & Mineaux, and also for the elimination of 26 positions in the police and fire departments over the past three years, Dyster recently sent a letter out to city employees that all but claimed he has a union label stitched into his underpants.
Dyster said the purpose of the letter was to "set the record straight" and clear up the "misinformation out there" concerning his record on labor issues.
In reality, the purpose seems more to chastise union members for supporting Dyster rival Vince Anello.
"A great amount of money -- your money -- has gone into the coffers of one of my political rivals," he wrote. "To win in the primary, I have to raise money to counter your money, from the same people who pay taxes to pay your wages."
While he is apparently unaware that municipal workers pay taxes too, Dyster is clearly frustrated by his inability to raise money within the Niagara Falls city limits. That frustration is such that, last week, the candidate trekked off into the wilds of Cambria in search of campaign finance.
On Aug. 21, Dyster held a major fund-raiser at Cambria's Warm Lake Estate Vineyard and Winery. We're not sure how many city workers, or blue-collar workers of any type, attended, but we can report that the turnout at City Council candidate Babe Rotella's fund-raiser the same night at the Oasis in Hyde Park was unaffected.
Much of Dyster's support has come from outside Niagara Falls, from the same people who brought us the Robert Moses Parkway disaster. His advocacy of "eco-tourism" jibes well with their plans to turn that portion of the city adjacent to the Niagara gorge into a wilderness preserve.
We believe there are far more pressing issues facing the people of Niagara Falls, not the least of which has been the hundreds of thousands of dollars squandered, with Dyster's full support, on needless litigation with the city's unions.
| Niagara Falls Reporter | www.niagarafallsreporter.com | August 26 2003 |