Dyster's Letter to Employees

 

Friends of Paul Dyster

P.O. Box 127

Niagara Falls, NY 14305

www.dyster.com

 

 

October 13, 2015

Dear City Employee,

 

I am writing to ask you for your support for a third term as Mayor of the City of Niagara Falls. You’ve had time to judge whether I’m right for the job. Just give me a fair chance.

I hope you’ll agree that these last 8 years have been a good time for members of the USW. No one has been laid off, and you have received numerous pay increases, even though -- unlike the public safety unions -- you are not covered by binding arbitration. Whatever they got, I gave to you too. I know how many of you had the chance to buy homes, get new cars or finance college education for your kids because of the stable employment my administration provided.

Naturally, I’m hurt I had to face a member of your union in the Democratic primary. This only served to weaken our cause against the anti-worker forces in our local political scene.

We should be working together.

I believe in you. Without spying on you, or second-guessing your way of getting things done, I’ve tried to show my support. You’ve seen me on the road at 3am during blizzards, or checking on the paving crew when it’s 90 degrees in the shade. Day or night, you’re on the job somewhere. You protect your neighbors, respond to their emergencies, fix their roads, help them get their paperwork straight, do the dirty jobs, and address their many needs daily -- and often don’t hear a lot of praise in return. Except from me. I’m proud to be your leader.

In spite of the chorus of boo-birds, most of our citizens appreciate what you do for them every single day. I challenge anyone to find a single instance in 8 years -- even when I have been under severe political attack myself on TV, talk radio or in the hateful local tabloid -- where I threw you under the bus to save myself. I stuck up for you every time.

My wife and I both come from large families (I’m the oldest of 10, she’s the oldest of 6), but the closest relation we have who works for the City is my wife’s sister’s brother-in-law -- and I had nothing to do with him getting hired. The job I didn’t give to one of my family members may be the job you have now, that supports you and your family. Think about it.

We’ve hired a lot of people since I’ve been Mayor. Some of you weren’t even born when my opponent, John Accardo, was last in office. I think he’s hoping the elders will forget to remind the younger ones that he presided over the days of double-digit tax increases and layoffs. As Chairman of the City Council, in 1997 alone, he had 10 firefighter layoffs, 38 sanitation layoffs and a 13% homestead tax increase. He claimed this would lead to a year end surplus. Instead, the Councils he led raised property taxes a total of 45% between 1992 and 2001. Niagara Falls lost jobs, investment opportunities and residents. Let’s not go back there.

Commitment, involvement, trust, and cooperation are the cornerstones of any successful organization. I have worked to weave those values into the fabric of this administration.

There are those in this community who are attempting to destroy what we have built for their own personal gain. They don’t care about you, and are willing to gamble with your future and the future of this community.

We have come too far to go back to the bad old days. I’m a straight-shooter, not a glad-hander. I stick to the facts and do my job. I hope you’ll look back on my record, compare it to my opponent’s, and use your vote to help me move this city forward for the next four years.

Sincerely yours,

Paul A. Dyster