Byron Brown | |
---|---|
58th Mayor of Buffalo | |
Assumed office December 31, 2005 | |
Preceded by | Anthony Masiello |
New York State Senator | |
In office January 8, 2003 – December 31, 2005 | |
Preceded by | Mary Lou Rath |
Succeeded by | Marc Coppola |
Constituency | 60th Senate District |
In office January 1, 2001 – January 8, 2003 | |
Preceded by | Al Coppola |
Succeeded by | Patricia McGee |
Constituency | 57th Senate District |
Buffalo, New York Councilman | |
In office January 1, 1996 – January 4, 2001 | |
Preceded by | David Collins |
Succeeded by | Antoine Thompson |
Constituency | Masten District |
Erie County Director of Equal Employment Opportunity | |
In office c. 1985 – July 1993 | |
Succeeded by | Luis Rodriguez |
Personal details | |
Born | Byron Brown September 24, 1958[1] Queens, New York |
Died | Byron Brown |
Resting place | Byron Brown |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Michelle Brown |
Children | Byron III |
Parent |
|
Alma mater | Buffalo State College (B.A.) |
Byron William Brown II (born September 24, 1958 in Queens, New York) was elected on November 8, 2005 as the 58th mayor of Buffalo, New York; He is the first African American mayor elected to serve Buffalo. He previously served Western New York as a member of the New York State Senate and as a member of the Buffalo Common Council. As a State Senator, he was the first African-American elected to the New York State Senate to represent a district outside of New York City. He is considered a serious candidate to be appointed to fill Hillary Rodham Clinton's vacated United States Senate seat if she is approved to be United States Secretary of State.
Brown rose to elective office after performing as an aide to local representatives in several legislative bodies (Buffalo Common Council, Erie County Legislature and New York State Assembly) and later getting involved in a regional political organization. Before these elective offices he had been appointed to an Erie County cabinet-level post as the Erie County Director of Equal Employment Opportunity. He was born and raised in Template:City-state. Both he and former Buffalo mayor Grover Cleveland originally came from the New York City region.
As both a New York State Senator and Buffalo Mayor, he has been closely involved in the development of the three Seneca Nation casinos that have been planned and built in Western New York since 2002. As a downstate native and upstate servant, he has also been active on the statewide political front with endorsements of several successful candidates on the Democratic ticket during the 2006 New York gubernatorial election. He is a close political ally of New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. He has also been active on with the National Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition in efforts to prevent gun-related crime. His legacy as mayor is his development of the Buffalo waterfront. His plan to revitalize Buffalo by demolishing its abundant vacant buildings has drawn opposition from preservationists.
Background
Brown was raised in Hollis, a southeastern neighborhood in New York City's Queens borough in a double that his family shared with his grandparents who were immigrants from the Caribbean island of Montserrat.[2] He grew up on 200th Street between 100th and 104th avenues and continues to have several relatives in the area.[3] As a Queens resident, he was a New York Mets fan as well as a New York Knicks fan.[1][2] Brown's father rose from a stock boy to an executive in the garment industry.[2] Brown and his sister Andrea were the first generation in his family to go to college.[2] He was a Boy Scout at Hollis Presbyterian Church in Queens and was also active in the Central Queens YMCA (now called Jamaica YMCA).[3]
Brown attended Public School 134 in Hollis, where he attended school in a suit and tie on his first day of first grade. Brown continues to be what is referred to as a suit-and-tie guy.[2] In high school, he played the trumpet in the school band and in college as a 5-foot-11-inch (1.80 m) guard he played a year of Junior Varsity basketball while dabbling with a potential medical career.[2][3] After he graduated from August Martin High School,[2] Byron Brown went to Buffalo as a college freshman at the age of 17,[4] earning a dual Bachelor of Arts in 1983 in political science and journalism from Buffalo State College,[5][3] which he attended in part due to grudging admiration for Randy Smith.[2] He also completed a certificate program for senior executives in state and local government at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
History
After college, Brown worked for Bristol-Myers for a year as a regional sales representative, a position that came with a nice salary, expense account, and a company car. With visions of a glass ceiling, he quit and took the New York State Troopers exam before becoming Chief of staff for Buffalo Common Council President George Arthur for two years. He then spent two years as an aide to Erie County Legislator Roger Blackwell (later Erie County Legislature Chairman).[2] Then, he served two more years working for Arthur Eve, the Deputy Speaker of the New York State Assembly.[2][6] Subsequently, he served eight years as director of the Erie County division of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under Erie County Executive Dennis Gorski.[2][7][8] After eight years of service, he resigned in July 1993 to run for public office.[5]
Later Brown became a member of "Grassroots," which was founded in 1986 by a group of block club leaders.[9] The organizers had gotten a map of Buffalo's 437 election districts and found 29 candidates to obtain petition signatures to run for district committee slots. They won 16 positions.[10] It has become a political organization known for successful voter registration and elective political placements such as Brown in the Buffalo City Council and Eve nemesis Crystal Peoples in the Erie County Legislature.[6] Brown eventually served as a vice president of Grassroots.[7] By the mid-1990s, two Grassroots members were part of the City Council and Peoples had nearly defeated Eve, longest serving member of the New York State Assembly. Brown's State Senate victory confirmed the organization's appeal outside of Template:City-state. By 2003, Grassroots members included three Buffalo City Councilmen, a New York State Senator, and a New York State Assemblywoman.[9] The organization is a largely African-American group dominated by younger activists founded to challenge State Assemblyman Arthur Eve's control over State funding to the Buffalo area.[8][11]
Brown was recognized in the November 1989 issue of Ebony Magazine as one the "30 Leaders of the Future." with a caption that read "Byron Brown chosen for leadership skills."[12] The Buffalo Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1991 honored him with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for community service.[13] In 1993 he was selected by Business First to its "40 Under Forty Honor Roll." In 2001, he was awarded the Infinity Broadcasting/WBLK "Voice of Power Award" and the “Citizen of the Year” award in 2004. He also received the "Political Impact Award" from the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority in 2001.
In 1992, Brown was a delegate to the 1992 Democratic National Convention from the New York's 33rd congressional district. He was originally been pledged to Bob Kerrey, but switched to Bill Clinton after Kerrey bowed out of the 1992 Democratic Primary campaign on March 5, 1992.[14]
Erie County legislature race
In 1993, Brown was invited to attend Bill Clinton's Inauguration.[15] In his first attempt at public office in 1993, Brown ran for the third district of the Erie County Legislature against incumbent William Robinson and George "Butch" Holt, who had the endorsement of Eve.[5] Robinson earned the Democratic Party endorsement in June of 1993, with the help of Holt who voted for Robinson instead of himself.[16][17] In June, Brown was notified that he must resign his Erie County cabinet-level post in order to run for public office and he did so in July.[18] Holt won the September 14, 1993 Democratic Primary by a 267-vote 40%–37% margin over Brown.[19]
Buffalo City Council
Brown won the September 1995 Democratic primary for the Masten District Common Council seat.[20] Brown took time out from campaigning to attend the October 16, 1995 Million Man March.[20][21] Brown ousted eighteen-year veteran councilman, David Collins, to earn his seat on the Buffalo Common Council.[2] He beat Collins by a 5,391–1,670 (76%–24%) margin in the November 7, 1995 general election.[22] In his 1997 re-election campaign, he won the September 9 Democratic primary handily,[23] and he was unopposed in the November 4 general election.[24] In his 1999 re-election campaign, he again won the Democratic primary handily on September 14,[25] and he won the November 2 general election.[26] Beginning in January 2000, Brown enjoyed serving as part of the first ever African-American majority in the history of the Buffalo Common Council.[27]
In 1996, The Buffalo News described Brown as "Buffalo's Julian Bond".[28] While on the Council, Senator Brown was called "bright, creative and hardworking," in a Buffalo News survey.
State Senate election
In 2000 he competed for the Democratic nomination for the New York State Senate 57th District against incumbent Al Coppola and Samuel A. Herbert.[29] Coppola was endorsed by Buffalo Mayor Anthony Masiello.[7] Brown won the September 2000 primary by a wide 18% margin.[29][7] However, Coppola remained on the ballot in the general election on the Conservative Party of New York, Working Families Party and Green Party lines.[7] The Republican Party nominee was the lightly-regarded Harrison R. Woolworth. Although Brown began the race without organized political support, he earned endorsements from many non-Western New York heavyweights such as H. Carl McCall, Andrew Cuomo, and Hillary Rodham Clinton.[7]
When he was sworn in to the State Senate on January 1, 2001,[30] Byron Brown became New York's first African-American State Senator elected outside of New York City.[7] He also made history by becoming the first minority member of the New York State Senate to represent a majority white district.
State Senate service
During Brown's tenure in the New York State Senate his Democratic Party was in the minority.[2] Brown was part of the majority that backed New York Governor George Pataki's 2001 plan to build up to three Western New York casinos on Seneca Indian land. The legislation was controversial because it granted slot machine rights to casino operators for the first time in New York State. Both of the previous casinos used video gambling machines with debit cards. Brown supported the casinos as a way to support the local economy.[31] When the casino was completed in 2003, Senator Brown was on the seven-member commission that was to apportion the state's agreed 18% cut of the slot machine revenue which was approximated to amount to US$40 million.[32]
By spring of 2003, Brown was a rising star in the declining years of the "Harlem Clubhouse" that had dominated state politics. He was envisioned as a front-runner for the 2006 Democratic nomination as Lieutenant Governor of New York or as Buffalo's first black Mayor.[33][9] By 2004 it seemed clear that he was eyeing the mayor's office.[34] In the 2004 elections, Al Coppola opposed Brown as the Republican nominee for the redistricted 60th District and garnered only 23% of the vote.[35]
Mayoral election
In February 2005, Brown announced his candidacy to be Mayor of Buffalo.[36] On April 29, 2005 three-term Democratic Mayor Anthony Masiello announced he would not seek a fourth four-year term.[37] Masiello ran on both major party lines for his final two terms and twice endorsed Republican Governor George Pataki. During his tenure, the city population and industrial tax base decreased.[37] He was considered to be an ineffective but amiable Mayor.[38] Four candidates, including Brown, quickly emerged for the race,[37] and eventually a total of six candidates contested for the office.[39] but Brown accumulated many endorsements and the backing of organized labor.[39] New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer described helping Brown win the Mayoral race as his "biggest campaign priority" in the last month and a half before Primary Day.[40] The city, which had a 6:1 Democrat to Republican ratio and a 38% black population, was 75% contained in Brown's State Senate district.[39] Brown carried 59% of the vote in the September 13, 2008 Democratic Primary and faced a former City Council colleague in the general election.[41] Brown was the sixth African-American to win the Democratic Mayor Primary since the 1960s, but all before him had failed to win the general election even though the city had not elected a Republican since 1961.[42] His Republican opponent, Kevin Helfer, beat him on the Conservative Party Primary as a write-in candidate, a wake up call for Brown who had been endorsed by the Party.[41] Brown outdrew Helfer by more than 5:1 in terms of fundraising, however.[41] Brown carried 64% of the vote in the general election to Helfer's 27%.[43]
Mayoral service
Economic development
Brown was sworn in on December 31, 2005 at the Buffalo Convention Center.[44] During his first day in office as mayor, Brown toured the Buffalo Waterfront to show his commitment to its development. At that time restoration on the original point where the Erie Canal met the Great Lakes was underway.[45] Brown presented his plans for the development on tours by top state leaders, including future New York State Governors Eliot Spitzer and David Paterson.[46] Erie Canal Harbor eventually opened on July 2, 2008.
In early 2006, the Seneca Nation filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission to build the third of the three Western New York casinos that had been legislated in 2002. In 2007, Brown was not sure he was in favor of the third casino which seemed to cater to local residents instead of luring tourist revenues. Tom Golisano, founder of Paychex, owner of the Buffalo Sabres National Hockey League franchise and three-time candidate for New York State Governor noted that the Buffalo economy would not benefit from a business designed to transfer money from local citizens to the Seneca Gaming Corporation. Brown withheld support while awaiting clarification of the target consumer for the third casino.[47] In October 2006, the Seneca Nation and Mayor Brown came to terms on the final sale of a two-block stretch of city road that runs amid the 9-acre (36,000 m2) construction site. As part of the sale the nation agreed to both marketing terms (regarding marketing beyond the local region), and hiring preferences for city residents.[48] However, in January 2007, a federal judge ruled that the granting of permission to run the third casino by the National Indian Gaming Commission was improper.[49]
Political dealings
Brown and Erie County Democratic Party chairman Leonard Lenihan were at odds over various political positions after Lenihan played a major role in Brown's election to the office of Mayor. Brown supported Andrew Cuomo for New York Attorney General in the 2006 general election, David Paterson for Lieutenant Governor of New York in the 2006 general election and Antoine Thompson for 60th District New York Senator in a special election on February 28, 2006. Lenihan disagreed with each of these choices.[50] Thompson had run Brown's last common council campaign,[51] and Brown was upset that he did not get to select his successor in the 60th District and there was a consideration of boycotting the special election due to a perceived racial slight. Lenihan pointed out that neither of the previous State Senators turned Mayor Anthony Masiello nor James Griffin was granted the right to pick their successor.[52] Lenihan noted that Thompson had not been timely in entering the special election process.[53] The Erie and Niagara County Democratic committees bypassed Thompson as their nominee in favor of Marc Coppola despite Brown's backing in the February special election.[54] Thompson subsequently decided to run for the New York Senate seat in the November general election.[55]
The week before the 2006 New York State Democratic Convention, Brown was described as a political confidant of Democratic New York Attorney General candidate, Andrew Cuomo.[56] Brown seconded the nomination of Cuomo at the convention on May 30, 2006.[57] Throughout the campaign Brown was described as a close political advisor to Cuomo.[58] Brown was noted as (along with Charles Rangel) one of the important black political leaders that Cuomo courted on his road victory.[59]
During the 2008 United States presidential election, like most of the New York State Democratic establishment,[60] Brown was a supporter of United States Senator from New York, Hillary Rodham Clinton. This marked a break from his earlier political organization, Grassroots, which supported Barack Obama from the outset.[61][62] Brown even ran to be a delegate for Clinton at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.[63] During the New York state September primary elections for state office, The New York Times alleged that Brown was aiding Golisano's attempt to unseat Sam Hoyt in the New York State Assembly.[64]
Crime and poverty
Brown was one of original fifteen mayors from United States cities such as Washington, Dallas, Philadelphia, Seattle and Milwaukee who convened at a meeting hosted by Michael Bloomberg and Thomas Menino at Gracie Mansion to confirm their support for more serious attacks on the use of illegal firearms. Bloomberg and Philip A. Amicone, Yonkers Mayor, were the only Republicans. The mayors all signed a six-point "statement of principles" focused on punishing gun possession "to the maximum extent of the law," prosecuting dealers who knowingly sell guns to criminals through so-called straw purchasers, opposing two United States House of Representatives bills to restrict cities' access to gun-tracing data, endorsing technologies to detect illegal guns, and coordinating strategies and outreach to other cities in hopes of reconvening with at least fifty mayors by year end.[65] A little over a year later the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition co-chaired by Bloomberg and Menino included 225 bi-partisan municipal leaders in pursuit of legal, political and media strategies to stem gun crime and had a stated goal of "making the public safer by getting illegal guns off the streets."[66][67] Brown noted that he learned several techniques that became useful in Buffalo in reducing the homicide rate 21% from the coalition and talks with specific mayors.[67]
As mayor of Buffalo, he presided over emergency relief from blizzards such as the mid-October 2006 two-foot snow storm.[68] The storm more than doubled the previous record for single-day October snowfall. Despite the fact that about 200,000 city residents were without electricity, the city saw no spike in criminal activity, according to Brown.[69]
Buffalo is second only to St. Louis among cities nationwide in terms of percentage of vacant properties per capita. Thus, in fall 2007, Brown committed to a $100 million five-year plan to demolish 5,000 houses, which is about half of the city's total of vacant houses. However, since Buffalo has the second highest residential poverty rate (to Detroit) homes continue to be abandoned. The program may have large benefits nonetheless because abandoned house costs the city an approximate average of $20,060 over five years in lost taxes, debris removal, inspections, and policing. Also, 41% of all fires in Buffalo are in vacant buildings, and more than 90% of all arson cases involved abandoned houses.[70] Subsequently, during the first ever "State of Upstate Address", New York Governor Spitzer suggested committing $100 million in state funds to build or rehabilitate 10,000 homes and apartments.[71] The mayor's initial demolition plans met with resistance from preservationists and he had to negotiate with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which got him attention from coast to coast.[72][73]
Public relations
On June 13, 2008, upon the death of NBC News Washington Bureau Chief and Meet the Press moderator Tim Russert, who was a proud Buffalo native, Mayor Brown ordered that all flags on city property be lowered to half-staff in order to honor Russert's memory.[74] Although Mayor Brown called Russert one of Buffalo's finest ambassadors, his decision to lower the flags in honor of Russert, a civilian who never held elected office, was both unusual and touching. Brown was joined by several other officials in recognizing Russert when United States President George W. Bush signed a bill that named a stretch of U.S. Route 20A that passes in front of Ralph Wilson Stadium (home stadium of the Buffalo Bills) Timothy J. Russert Highway.[75]
In a public relations controversy, Brown got caught in a fight against the movement to replace traditional lawns with front yard gardens. His office had issued an edict that a resident remove her landscape renovations. However, an e-mail campaign in defense of the resident caused the mayor to rethink his stance.[76]
Higher office
If Hillary Clinton resigns her United States Senate seat to assume a position in the United States Cabinet under United States President-elect Barack Obama, New York Governor David Paterson must appoint a temporary replacement until a special election in 2010 for the balance of her term. Some think that New York State may appoint a minority Senator such as Brown, Gregory W. Meeks, H. Carl McCall, William C. Thompson, Jr., José E. Serrano or Nydia M. Velázquez.[77] However, Andrew Cuomo is the front-runner for the seat and the next most likely candidates are Velázquez, Steve Israel, Nita Lowey and Meeks.[78] Prominent women who have been mentioned include Carolyn B. Maloney and Caroline Kennedy.[79] Prior to Paterson's ascension to the governor's office Cuomo, Paterson and Brown were the three names most often mentioned.[79]
Personal
Byron Brown is married to the former Michelle Austin and they have a son, Byron III (Byron, Jr. by some accounts).[2] He enjoys basketball and has attended high-level youth basketball camps. He played for City Honors School.[80] On the national level, he was an unheralded point guard in the 2008 high school graduating class,[81] and he went on to attend Queen City Prep in Template:City-state.[82] The Brown family belongs to St. John Baptist Church.[44]
Byron Brown is a chapter president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity,[2] a past President of the Buffalo State College Alumni Association Board, and at the time of his mayoral inauguration he sat on the Board of the Boy Scout Council of Western New York.[83] and the Community Action Organization of Erie County. Byron Brown also is a member of the Erie County Democratic Committee. He was a delegate to the 1992, 2000 and 2004 Democratic National Convention.
Brown collects tropical fish and maintains an aquarium in his Buffalo Mayor's office.[3] Brown's parents divorced and at the beginning of his mayoral tenure, his mother was living in Buffalo.[3]
On Saturday February 24, 2007 at about 6:55 A.M., Brown's Chevrolet Equinox was stolen from an on-street parking location by someone with key access and crashed into three parked vehicles before being abandoned a few blocks from the family home. Brown had driven his son to play in a basketball tournament in Jamestown, New York on Friday February 23. They returned home at approximately 10:30 P.M. from the tournament. In interviews at the end of March 2007, Brown claimed that all members of his family with known key access had alibis. At the time Brown III possessed a learner's permit. Canisius College security cameras recorded parts of the accident, including the driver leaving the scene of multiple accidents.[84] In April a second video recording with more fluid movement was revealed in contrast to the original recording of thirty-six frames per minute.[85] In a news conference Brown announced that Byron Brown III, took the senior Brown's car without permission and drove about the area near his house and Canisius College campus. Brown III admitted to the damage and was charged with driving without a driver's license and/or leaving the scenes of multiple accidents. He was scheduled to appear on April 16 in Buffalo CIty Court on the charges.[86]
Election history
Democrat | Republican | Independent | Conservative | Liberal | Right to Life | Green Party | Workers | ||||||||||||||||||
District | Name | Votes | Pct. | Name | Votes | Pct. | Name | Votes | Pct. | Name | Votes | Pct. | Name | Votes | Pct. | Name | Votes | Pct. | Name | Votes | Pct. | Name | Votes | Pct. | Total |
2000 NYSS 57th[87] | Byron Brown | 47011 | 57.7% | Bob Woolworth | 11069 | 13.6% | Woolworth | 1473 | 1.8% | Al Coppola | 13501 | 16.6% | Brown | 1672 | 2.1% | Anthony Murty | 1285 | 1.6% | Coppola | 3385 | 4.2% | Coppola | 2052 | 2.5% | 98370 |
2002NYSS 60th[88] | Byron Brown | 41436 | 62.4% | Al Coppola | 20236 | 30.5% | Coppola | 2918 | 4.4% | Brown | 1824 | 2.7% | 79854 | ||||||||||||
2004 NYSS 60th[89] | Byron Brown | 65609 | 67.4% | Al Coppola | 22328 | 22.9% | Brown | 3736 | 3.8% | Brown | 1990 | 2.0% | Brown | 3696 | 3.8% | 112267 | |||||||||
Notes
- ^ a b Watson, Stephen T. (2008-09-27). "Off Main Street: A giving mood ..." The Buffalo News. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Fairbanks, Phil (2005-10-02). "Two who would be mayor - An achiever since boyhood, Brown is disciplined, polished -- and 'sphinxlike'". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ a b c d e f Cassese, Sid (2006-03-17). "In the big league Byron Brown is calling the shots as the first African-American mayor of Buffalo". Newsday. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ Staba, David (2006-08-28). "To Burnish Its Image, a City Stages an Alumni Reunion". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ a b c Heaney, James (1993-09-09). "Younger Faction of Black Leadership is Itching To Take Control". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ a b Hicks, Jonathan P. (2000-09-05). "Contest for Albany Seat Hinges on a Veteran Legislator's Relevance". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ a b c d e f g Hicks, Jonathan P. (2000-10-18). "To Be State Senator, He Must Beat the Incumbent, Again". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ a b Montgomery, David (1992-11-15). "Essentially Eve Arthur O. Eve Has Turned His Life Into A Crusade. The Question Is Whether He Should Lighten Up". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ a b c Hicks, Jonathan P. (2003-03-20). "To Beat the System, They Infiltrated It; A Political Force Grows in Buffalo". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ Esmonde, Donn (1994-10-23). "Grass-Roots Politics Pays Dividends". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ "Off Main Street". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. 1993-09-05. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ "People In The News - Ebony Features Brown Among Leaders". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. 1989-11-04. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ "Honor Roll". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. 1991-10-20. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ Borrelli, George (1992-03-14). "10 Buffalo-Area Delegates Switch To Clinton". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ "WNY Figures Invited To Event". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. 1993-01-17. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ Heaney, James (1993-06-13). "Democrats Back Robinson in Contest For Legislature". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ "Off Main Street Just One Legacy of Jimmy". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. 1993-06-27. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ Collison, Kevin (1993-07-27). "Martin's Objection To His Firing Dismissed Commissioner Serves At Pleasure of County Executive, An Authority Points Out". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ "Olma, Holt Capture County Legislature Races Incumbent Peoples Has Slim Lead in 7th District, But It's Too Close To Call". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. 1993-09-15. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ a b Warner, Gene (1995-10-22). "Experience Empowers Participants". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ Allen, Carl (1995-10-15). "Area Black Men See Washington Event As A Call To Action". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ Fairbanks, Phil and Harold McNeil (1995-11-08). "Collins Out As Newcomers Win 4 Seats - Pitts President". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ Fairbanks, Phil (1997-09-10). "In Close Races, Incumbents Czajka and Lockwood Lose - Council Seats". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ Collison, Kevin (1997-11-05). "Newcomers Manley, Fontana Win Seats On Council ; 7 - Incumbents Re-Elected Easily". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ McCarthy, Robert J. (1999-09-15). "Double Win By Giambra Poses Threat to Gorski". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ Dolan, Thomas J. (1999-11-03). "Strong Democratic Victories Put African-Americans In - Majority". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ Hammersley, Margaret (1999-12-30). "Newcomers to Council Speak Out On Their Goals". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ "Buffalo's Power 2010 Roll Call Comprehensive, Yet Incomplete. When Predicting The Future, We May Miss A Few. But Bet On These". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. 1996-09-22. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ a b Levy, Clifford J. (2000-09-13). "New York Primary: The Legislature; Most Incumbents Prevail Over Primary Challengers". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ Violanti, Anthony (2001-01-05). "Glory Days - Prayers Answered as Singers Find a National Stage". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ Sengupta, Somini (2001-06-22). "Lawmakers Are Ambivalent On Pataki's Casino Proposal". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ Stone, Stacey (2003-12-27). "As Tribe Plans Hotel for Casino, Niagara Falls Weighs Effects". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ Hicks, Jonathan P. (2003-02-03). "As Political Lions Go Gray, Harlem Wanes as Center of Power". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ McCarthy, Robert J. (2004-03-29). "Brown's Team Albany - As State Sen. Byron W. Brown Prepares To Run For Mayor Next Year, He's Crafting A Staff Rich With Political Operatives -- Including Democratic Insider G. Steven Pigeon". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ "The 2004 Elections: New York Region; The Races for the New York State Assembly and Senate". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. 2004-11-04. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ "Metro Briefing". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. 2005-02-14. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
{{cite web}}
: Text "New York: Buffalo: Mayoral Candidate Announces" ignored (help) - ^ a b c Staba, David (2005-04-29). "Buffalo Mayor Won't Seek a Fourth Term in the Fall". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ Esmonde, Donn (2006-01-01). "Here's hoping Brown gets his 'Better Day'". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ a b c Hicks, Jonathan P. (2005-06-04). "All Eyes on a Black Candidate in Buffalo's Mayoral Race". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ Healy, Patrick D. (2005-08-08). "Off The Trail: 2005 Mayor; Ferrer Has Spitzer's Endorsement. He's Had It for Six Months. You Could Look It Up". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ a b c Staba, David (2005-09-15). "State Senator Captures the Democratic Nomination for Mayor". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ Hicks, Jonathan P. (2005-10-13). "Race Plays Silent Role in Campaign for Mayor of Buffalo". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ Staba, David (2005-11-09). "Buffalo Elects First Black Mayor, Who Claims Mandate". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ a b McCarthy, Robert J. and Brian Meyer (2006-01-01). "Brown takes office as mayor - Inauguration ceremony, City Hall reception highlight diversity". The Buffalo News. Newsbank. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ Staba, David (2006-09-18). "After a Half-Century of Decline, Signs of Better Times for Buffalo". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ Confessore, Nicholas (2006-11-15). "Spitzer, on Upstate Tour, Speaks of Reviving Region". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ Staba, David (2006-04-17). "A Casino Proposal That Was Once Lauded Is Now Drawing Criticism". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ "Buffalo: Casino Moves Forward". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. 2006-10-06. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ Belson, Ken (2007-02-19). "Buffalo Looks for Work but Debates Casino's Value". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
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{{cite web}}
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- ^ 2000 New York State Senate
- ^ 2002 New York State Senate
- ^ 2004 New York State Senate