My favorite story of the week has to be WIVB’s tale of a witness to the murders at City Grill who tried to call 911, 10 minutes before the shootings, and was placed on hold for a minute a half.

The 911 system has been doing this since 2007 or so, right about the time Chris Collins took office as County Executive.  In true rethuglican fashion, he has not adequately funded this and many other public services that Erie County provides.

e-911 budget
2005 $2,523,004
2006 $2,864,648
2007 $3,860,800

Chris Collins takes office and chops the 911 budget by about $100,000 (and changes how the 911 budget is reported)

2008 $3,765,800 ($2.74 per call)
2009 $2.63 per call
Collins reduced call center overtime
2010 budgeted $2.63 per call

Even though the number of 911 calls has increased every year, Collins anticipates that there will be no increase in 2010.

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And while I’m at it, what’s with all the gang bangers in my neighborhood? First the police round up the usual suspects and arrest Keith D. Johnson of 141 Minnesota Ave for the City Grill murders. Ok, Keith turned out to be the wrong guy, but what’s a felon on parole who drove a stolen getaway car in a drive by shooting doing less than a block a way from an elementary school (Public School 63), besides for living with good ol’ mom that is.

Next up is Steven Tally of Englewood Ave, picked up as a person of interest in the City Grill murders.  Steven has a bit of a history as well:

• 2004 procession of crack cocaine and a weapon
• 2009 An Englewood Avenue man accused of robbing someone sitting in a parked car at gunpoint early Sunday was arrested by Northeast District officers, Buffalo police reported. Steven A. Talley, 24, is charged with first-degree robbery, criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of stolen property, reckless endangerment and possession of marijuana. Police say Talley was one of two men who walked up to the victim as he sat behind the wheel of a car parked at Fillmore Avenue and Gesl Street at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday. One pointed a gun at the man and told him to empty his pockets.

Hey Mayor Browneye, if the Downtown party zone gets more police, maybe you should put some in the Heights as well.  Besides being a dumping ground for ex-felons, we are after all, the underage drinking capital of Buffalo.  And we all know where that leads.

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