The current economic difficulty facing the NFTA provides the WNY area with an unique opportunity to offer to its citizens a community wide benefit provided in few other locations in the world. It also may be a kick start to a change in attitude that our community sorely needs, where we can become a region that is looked on by others as a place where its citizens are progressive, economically smart and world class leaders.

In reviewing the NFTA’s operating budget it appears that its total operating cost is 250 million dollars. The revenue it generates from its passengers is about 60 million dollars, or 24%. The other 76% of the cost is paid for primarily from various governmental subsidies (41%), capital contributions (17%), other sources of income (14%), and what seem to be annual deficits (4%). Nationally, the average subsidy to US public transit expenses approximates 75%, so this seems to be the norm, and clamoring for the NFTA to do more with what it has seems like a no win proposition.

Let’s now imagine a system without fare boxes on its buses and light rail cars, where passengers freely board these mass transit vehicles to go to work, school, or shopping (nationally these three categories comprise 75% of all mass transit rides). Further imagine the same system safely transporting our aging population, encouraging increased urbanization, reducing traffic congestion, avoiding the need for roadway expansion costs, parking lots, and also providing increased health and environmental benefits. (more…)

Tags: buffalo, nfta, public transit, western new york, wny

We are pleased to announce that HoganWillig has won silver in the medium business category of the Best Places to Work in Western New York.  This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all the staff and management here at HoganWillig.  One of HoganWillig’s best practices is that we encourage ideas and suggestions that can improve our business from employees at all levels. Management offers genuine respect to everyone; an attitude that permeates through the entire organization that creates an open and honest environment to share ideas. We believe that our system where employee feedback is welcomed and listened to results in positive impacts for the firm and increased job satisfaction. We are a full service law firm conveniently located in Amherst, New York.  We have a skilled team of 39 attorneys, as well as an extensive support staff to best serve our clients needs.  This February, we moved to a new office located at 2410 North Forest Road.  We are excited to serve as the anchor tenant in this 80,000 square foot Class A, LEED registered building.  Our new building has state of the art features such as under-floor heating and cooling, which produces cleaner and healthier air to breathe, ambient lighting sensors that are energy efficient and provide better lighting that fluorescents.  These features, as well as many others in our new space, are shown to increase productivity and employee satisfaction in the workplace.  We will continue to serve Western New York, as we have since 1975, with the utmost commitment to ethical and professional standards.  Visit us on the web at www.hoganwillig.com.

Tags: Best places to work, hoganwillig, western new york, winner

HoganWillig has been named as a finalist for this year’s Best Places to Work in the Western New York area. On March 26, 2010, Business First will publish a special section featuring the Best Places to Work.

Tags: Best places to work, western new york

HoganWillig is the 12th largest law firm in Western New York according to Business First. The list of the top law firms are ranked by the number of attorneys. HoganWillig continues to be the largest law firm in suburban WNY and is the only suburban firm to make the list.

Tags: hogan willig, largest firm, western new york