Zimm's: this is turning into a great advocacy vehicle for you. Fight the good fight my friend. One question I would like to pose the international commerce aspect. It is an important consideration in this all.

The arguement whether globalization is good or bad for the United States provided valid reasons for both. The fact is that for better or for worse we are living in a global economy and it is highly unlikely that public policy pertaining to globalization and free trade will change substantially regardless of which party is in power now or in the future.

The challenge then for companies and businesses in the Buffalo Niagara region is to capitalize on how to benefit in a global economy. One avenue is to enhance opportunities for companies here to export goods and services throughout the world.

The only impediment to increasing our region's prosperity is identifying international markets for local companies to sell their goods and services as well as providing those companies with the pathways to successfully enter these new markets. Increasing the exports of goods and services from our region will only increase economic wealth for employers and employees alike. Regardless of one’s position on the pros and cons of globalization this should be a collective goal for our region. It is not the shared goal right now and our businesses and community are suffering because of it.

While we may not be able to effectuate change in public policy regarding free trade at the national level we can certainly work together to make sure that we can reap as many benefits locally as possible. By exporting as many goods and services as possible from our region to the world, we can do just that.

The bridge plays into this, let's further the conversation

Zimm's: fight the good fight. Let further the conversation about the importance of international commerce to our region. The Bridge plays into this, although as I will fully admit we do not receive the benefits yet due to unclear thinking but if we are to sell an idea it must be part of it.

The arguement whether globalization is good or bad for the United States provided valid reasons for both. The fact is that for better or for worse we are living in a global economy and it is highly unlikely that public policy pertaining to globalization and free trade will change substantially regardless of which party is in power now or in the future.

The challenge then for companies and businesses in the Buffalo Niagara region is to capitalize on how to benefit in a global economy. One avenue is to enhance opportunities for companies here to export goods and services throughout the world.

The only impediment to our region's propserity identifying international markets for local companies to sell their goods and services as well as providing those companies with the pathways to successfully enter these new markets. Increasing the exports of goods and services from our region will only increase economic wealth for employers and employees alike. Regardless of one’s position on the pros and cons of globalization this should be a collective goal for our region. It is not the shared goal right now and our businesses and community are suffering because of it.

While we may not be able to effectuate change in public policy regarding free trade at the national level we can certainly work together to make sure that we can reap as many benefits locally as possible. By exporting as many goods and services as possible from our region to the world, we can do just that.

The bridge plays a party in all this.

This rant is getting ridiculous. These answers about the makeup of the PBA are easily looked up and don't have to turn into some personal attack against Ron Rienas. He's not a commissioner -- he's the bridge manager. Do some basic research and then ask the questions. These issues have been argued for the last decade, so acting like they're something new is counterproductive.

Yes, it's a bi-national bridge, so there are Canadians involved. It is one thing to disagree with the PBA's plan and there is plenty to criticize -- but the tirade that has been building on this post shows a basic lack of research into some very basic facts about what the PBA is and how it functions. It's not a secret -- just look it up!

Bill Z e-mailed me and asked me to answer each of his 25-plus questions one-by-one. While I can't asnwer questions like how the GSA "feels" about certain things, I may be able to get started on a few basics.

The PBA is a bi-national authority, with five US and five Canadian commissioners. The Chairmanship alternates between a US and a Canadian member. Four of the five US commissioners are appointed by the New York State Governor (and I think one traditionally has been named by the NYS DOT), and one is appointed by the New York State Attorney General. So those two elected officials, I guess, are the "bosses" of the PBA.

Ron Rienas is the bridge manager, an employee of the PBA. He answers to the ten commissioners, whose names should be listed on the PBA website. So while it is perfectly fair to challenge the PBA's decision to build a certain plaza and take properties, it is not fair to charge that "a Canadian citizen" is responsible for all that.

I think Shared Border Management is the way to go, and that waiting for a new administration in Washington might bring that about. But, in addition to the PBA, local elected leaders such as the Mayor and Congressman Higgins, in addition to local business leaders such as the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, decided not to wait and to go forward with a full-blown US plaza. I would suggest doing some digging in that direction as well as setting your sights on Ron Rienas. He may be the public face of the PBA, but he certainly does not act alone.

OK, when I said "I guess," I didn't mean that I didn't know! I just meant that the Governor and the Attorney General are who the US commissioners answer to, and then of course to the People who elected those officials. I only said "I guess" because calling them the "boss" of the PBA might be oversimplifying a bit. But I appreciate your passion for this issue as well.

One question I would add to this list that continues to go unanswered -- Everyone keeps talking about supporting the Ambassador plan and Ambassador simply "going forward" with their plan. This is creating an international border, and as far as I know Ambassador has not gotten ANY approvals from either the US or Canada to do so.

How does Ambassador intend to get the permission, and the resources (border guards, staffing, infrastructure) from either government to go ahead with its plan?

xosder, I agree and am puzzled why ABG has seemed so passive and ineffective at getting their message out. But I don't think their focus should be BRO. They really need a PR campaign with a much wider audience, so they will have to find ways to use the Buffalo News, TV, talk radio, and so on. And on the web their near term priority should be making their web site much more professional looking and with much clearer messages. Probably at this point they should hire the best communication firm they can, one with very serious credentials to help focus and spread their message. Weird they should even need to have such things pointed out. And yes, BRO would also be a good place to publicize all details of their plan as well. I just don't think they should proceed as if that's anywhere near sufficient. Seems to me right now they're losing badly, unless they've quietly lined up some strong political support behind the scenes. But if their public campaign has been so weak I don't see any reason to assume their lobbying efforts have been any better. But who knows, I could be wrong about that.

Let's get the Ambassador Plan out in the open for all to see right here on BRO.

I will be quizzed in great detail? Some of you are assigning me a much more important role than I deserve!

I can't tell you why a Mayor and a Congressman make the decisions they do -- ask them! I can't tell you why the PBA makes the legal decisions it does -- ask them! I am only pointing out that there are more pieces to this puzzle than one bridge manager, and that making him your whipping boy doesn't solve any problems.

Bill, I've conveyed the advice I can to them via comments here (see above, especially the need to quicky hire a major communications firm - probably not one from Buffalo). I disgree that it's "all about" getting voices to join in via BRO. I think they've got to greatly improve the effectiveness of their campaign across the board. They've already won over whoever they're going to win over via BRO, for whatever that's worth to them. If BRO is a main part of their strategy to shift public opinion and political influence in their favor vs the PBA, they have no chance. I don't claim to be an expert about their business, but all that's my amature opinion anyhow. Perhaps they're having much more real successes behind the scenes than I'm aware of. If they waste their time having me "interview" them, IMHO they'd be setting their effort back.