City of Tonawanda
2 mayoral candidates in Tonawanda trade reassessment charges
The two candidates running for mayor of the City of Tonawanda may have worked together for several years, but that hasn’t stopped them from slinging barbs at each other over the past few months.
Mayor Ronald Pilozzi is fending off a challenge from Councilman Rick Davis, who says the first-term mayor is running his administration without any accountability or long-range plan for Tonawanda. A two-term councilman for the 4th Ward, Davis, 36, has the Democratic and Working Families lines.
“Over the past four years, the way City Hall is being run is not something I agree with,” Davis said. “The mayor is the spokesperson for the city, and he should be doing whatever is necessary to ensure the long-term health of the city but also being available to residents with concerns. As an elected leader, you’re elected to do a job.”
Pilozzi, 62, disputes Davis’ claims, noting that as mayor he works at City Hall all day and even comes in during weekends. A former longtime councilman, Pilozzi is hoping to win a second four-year term with the Republican, Independence and Conservative lines.
“[Davis] will stand back and say the mayor doesn’t do any of that stuff, but by the charter, the mayor is responsible for the day-to-day operations [of the city],” Pilozzi said. “For some reason, he thinks nothing happens without the Common Council’s [approval].”
A number of issues are affecting the city this year, including last year’s citywide reassessment project that has angered homeowners in the affluent River’s Edge community where taxes went up significantly. Two residents have successfully sued the city to have their assessments lowered.
Davis said he wants to settle the assessment disputes and head off any additional assessment problems.
“Regardless of whose fault it is, let’s all sit at the table and see if we can come to an amicable resolution,” Davis said. “It’s not that I don’t disagree with the 2008 assessment as it was done . . . It has to do with minimizing expenses to the taxpayers.”
Pilozzi criticized Davis’ stance as a ploy designed to score political points in the River’s Edge neighborhood. He noted that Davis was among the Council members who initially approved the reassessment project.
“Out of the clear blue sky, all of a sudden Mr. Davis decided to not step back and let the professionals do their job,” the mayor said. “You can’t have a knee-jerk reaction to these things. I’d rather sleep at night, knowing I did the right thing.”
Pilozzi cited his record on redevelopment throughout the city, including bringing businesses such as Leisure Living into Tonawanda and supporting the continuing rehabilitation of the former Spaulding Fibre property. “My dream and my vision is to change the facade of this city and make sure everybody is aware the City of Tonawanda is a great place to live,” he said. “Everything we’ve done, we’ve done with a measured focus behind us.”
Davis is unimpressed with the mayor’s record, noting two failed opportunities to turn over a city-owned abandoned water plant property on the waterfront to developers.
“The reason I got into politics was because I wanted the city to be a better place, like it was for me,” Davis said. “This wasn’t the city I remembered. It was less of a community.”
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