Erich Weyant 🏳️‍🌈 🫏

No more 'collusion': Compromise reached after year of disagreement involving mortgage taxes in Erie County After a year of disagreement, accusations and budget gaps involving the previously uninteresting "mortgage tax," Erie County Clerk Michael "Mickey" Kearns and the County Legislature have reached a compromise.

This is a case study in the politics of tax collection. Yes, it's one of those how-the-sausage-is-made stories, but it'll give you a lot more insight than your high school civics class.

In all fairness, can you blame him? 😀

Diamond Jim Radio Hour - Ep 12 - 2025 Election Recap | The Diamond Jim Radio Hour

Had a great time joining Diamond Jim to talk through the 2025 results: what surprised us, what didn’t, and what the numbers say about where Erie County is heading. Always fun and a little chaotic. If you're curious how the cycle shook out across the county, give it a listen.

As Cheektowaga goes, so goes the nation The headline of this post is an old saw that at least anecdotally is truer than not.  How the Town of Cheektowaga votes often lays out a pattern that is duplicated countywide, statewide, and n…

In today's Politics and Stuff, @kenkruly.bsky.social reminds us of the old political saw: As Cheektowaga goes, so go the state and nation. After what happened a week ago, we can only hope that holds true next year. politicsandstuff.com/2025/11/11/a...

The 2024 Trump "realignment" is over already Claims of a conservative realignment of non-whites, the working class, and young voters have been highly exaggerated

The 2024 Trump "realignment" is over already open.substack.com/pub/gelliott...

For first time, anyone from the public who wants to speak before Erie County Legislature can Starting with this week's Erie County Legislature meeting, the public will have the chance to address the Legislature on agenda items and other topics related to county business during public

Have an Erie County issue to bring before County Legislature? Starting Thursday, for the first time, you'll get the chance to address the governing body directly. Here's how that will work.

A solid overview of this year’s races for Erie County Legislature.

After lengthy silence, Garcia to appear before the Legislature to address Granville case Erie County Sheriff John Garcia has agreed to appear before the County Legislature on Thursday to answer questions in relation to the Daniel "D.J." Granville case.

Here's how it Erie County Sheriff John Garcia agreed to speak with the Erie County Legislature regarding the Granville case after a lengthy silence.

Hell yes, Pittsburgh. Love Yinz. No Kings.

Over half of Iowa's energy comes from wind power. Because of Ashley Hinson's vote to gut clean energy tax credits via the "Big Beautiful Bill," Iowans will see their utilities go up by hundreds of dollars a year and thousands of Iowa workers are at risk of losing their jobs.

My View: Acts of service must be their own reward The lesson is that service does not wait for perfect conditions, nor is it just the responsibility of those in elected office. It belongs to the ordinary people who choose

We inherit stories from our families, reminders of how people chose to act when there were no easy answers. The Buffalo News has published my column about my ancestor, whose choice to enlist in the Revolutionary War has lessons for finding courage in our uncertain times. rb.gy/ygkjkq

100%

Ever since an Iowa-based newspaper chain bought @buffalonews.com in 2020, they have only taken from The Buffalo News and this community. We need ownership that invests in local journalism. But we don't have one. That must change.

Outside audit of Clerk's Office uncovers 'extortion' emails and faults lack of access to information Emails referencing 'extortion,' information delays and other issues were found in outside forensic audit of the Erie County Clerk's Office, which was released this week.

An outside forensic audit of the Erie County Clerk's Office found no additional public money missing from the Clerk's Office. BUT auditors refused to conclusively state that no other money was taken. The full scoop:

Erie County legislators want an outside investigation into Granville case, as Granville looks to return to work next week Erie County Democrats in the County Legislature are asking for a state probe of the case of Daniel "DJ" Granville, the high-ranking member of the Sheriff's Office who crashed his county-owned pickup truck into seven parked cars.

Following the Granville case? Read this early exclusive on D.J. Granville's plans to return to work, his intent to make restitution, and the latest on whether the Erie County Legislature is going to investigate anything after saying in March that they would.

Another elected official wants state attorney general to investigate Granville case Add Erie County Legislator Taisha St. Jean Tard to the growing list of elected leaders asking that the New York State Attorney General Letitia James investigate the Granville case as public pressure mounts.

Erie County Legislator St. Jean Tard is adding her name to the call for an outside investigation into the Granville case.

How Seattle fits into the modern Christian Nationalist playbook Stoking outrage in progressive cities is part of the game plan for evangelical preachers like Sean Feucht, whose influence has been steadily growing.

Ahead of this weekend's Revive in 25 event in Gas Works Park, Dominick Bonny took a deep dive into Sean Feucht's background, ideology, and right wing political affiliations and the provocative Christian nationalist playbook he uses www.cascadepbs.org/news/2025/08...

Diamond Jim Radio Hour - Ep 9 - Erich Weyant Podcast Episode · The Square Podcast · 2025-08-21 · 1h 26m

I first walked into the Rath Building in the early ’90s, a young gay man unsure if government had room for me. Today I help lead the Legislature that decides how it serves all of us. I shared some of that journey, along with a few behind-the-scenes lessonson the Diamond Jim Radio Hour.

Tariffs create dysfunction and unintended consequences... we are moving into the FO phase this Fall.

Why upgrades to one Erie County sewage plant could cost more than $200 million, and who pays Erie County's Southtowns sewage treatment plant is undergoing its first major expansion in 45 years at a potential cost of more than $200 million. That has implications for certain taxpayers.

There aren't many people who can make county sewage treatment sound interesting. But I know a guy. buffalonews.com/news/local/a...

Hochul: "This is a war. We are at war. And that's why the gloves are off and I say, bring it on."

Deal to turn sprawling nursing home property in Alden into a marijuana farm was years in the making Brothers Ryan and Luke Rich's vision of transforming an abandoned, Erie County-owned nursing home property into one of the most successful marijuana growing and distribution facilities in the state is taking shape.

We have stories going back 20 years of @eriecounty.bsky.social trying to sell its sprawling Erie County Home nursing complex in Alden. So why have two men have finally decided to take the property and turn it into a cannabis growing operation? Find out here: buffalonews.com/news...

CEO pay is up 1,085% since 1978, while typical worker pay is up just 24%. 

Why do we always hear "we can't afford to pay our workers more" but never "we can't afford to pay our CEO more"?

Eric Holder gets it. Finally, someone’s echoing what I’ve been screaming for months: GOP map-rigging is a power-play...not policy. He sees the same threat so many of us have warned about...so let’s ride his voice...expose the fraud...fight for fair maps. No more mamba-pamby BS.

Who Owns the Media Who owns the 35 most powerful media companies in America? Learn how these giants came to dominate the U.S. media landscape through mergers, acquisition and manipulation. Free Press rates their ability...

Essential reading on the suicide of Corporate Media by it’s greedy billionaire bastard owners
Hitler shut down all free press
These assholes shut themselves down!
Why?
$$$
Bravo
@freepress.bsky.social
www.freepress.net/who-owns-med...
2- thx @sulliview.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/margaret...

I doubt that there is a single family in America that hasn’t benefitted directly from the NIH.

Opinion | Republicans are adding health care taxes — but not on the rich It’s not too late for Congress to extend existing tax breaks for working families.

‪@genesperling.bsky.social‬ calls it: Middle-class families lose big under this plan. A $65K construction worker ends up $3,160 in the red after meager tax cuts are swamped by tariff hikes and health premium spikes. A $32K hairdresser? Nearly $2k worse off. Higher costs, not help, is their agenda.

This property has been a white elephant for the county for years, great to see it being put to use and returned to the tax rolls.

Trump Administration Plans to Give A.I. Developers a Free Hand

UnitedHealth allegedly misused AI to deny medical claims.

Delta plans to use AI to set individualized flight ticket prices for passengers.

AI data centers from companies like Meta and X are reportedly harming nearby residents.

The list of harms from AI goes on and yet...

🚨 Scoop: Roy Cooper will announce a Senate bid before next month, multiple sources tell Axios

Democrats will land their top recruit of the cycle. Cooper, a popular former governor, will boost Democrats' chances in NC.

www.axios.com/2025/07/23/r...