Sedlacek: New ideas necessary in NT
Guest view: Bronko Sedlacek
Monday, September 27, 2026

I recently attended the American Legion Post 264 annual party. I was surprised at the number of people that approached me on my letter writing.

Some were business men, both retired and still in business. Some were elderly and some were regular residents. I often wondered if anybody read my letters, because it seems the same people get elected over and over again.

The people I mentioned seem to favor high paid public employees and out-of-this-world high paid school teachers. Most recently the North Tonawanda Common Council passed a 9.8 percent tax increase. Some months ago, they passed a 3.5 to 4 percent wage increase. At that rate, it won’t be long that you will be seeing “for sale” signs, doubling what you have seen in the past. May I offer some suggestions on tax relief?

n Combine the police department with the county. The town and villages pay only one tax. North Tonawanda pays millions for police and still pays the county sheriff’s department. North Tonawanda is double taxed.

n Combine public works. North Tonawanda pays millions of dollars for its public works and the city still pays millions of dollars for town road repair and rebuilding. Not to mention the snow removal. City residents are double taxed.

n The county should take over the water and sewer department. Have North Tonawanda residents pay the county.

n Have North Tonawanda and Niagara County pro-rate property taxes on earnings as the governor did on school taxes.

n Freeze wages on all public employees as the control board did in the City of Buffalo and Erie County. This will entail a law suit. It’s better to pay now and try to reduce our taxes instead of paying these big increases every year. If successful, this will help maintain our workforce and improve our services.

n Seek grants on state and federal levels as Buffalo and Erie County have been doing for years. They get $10 or $15 million a year. It’s only after Buffalo and Erie County asked for $40 million that the state stepped in.

In North Tonawanda, some of those millions could be used to improve and remodel the downtown business district, and build more businesses, and improve the waterfront by making it more attractive to tourists.

All these ideas will bring in more money and elevate more tax dollars to be paid by the city taxpayers. You can’t just write a letter seeking these grants. Our policy makers must be more visible and verbal to state and federal agencies. You can’t just sit back and wait for somebody else to do the city and county’s work.

You city residents are going to hear this can’t be done, that can’t be done. My question is, how do you know? You people haven’t tried anything, but sit on your can. As a former builder, you can’t build anything until you drive the nail to the hilt. Just starting the nail doesn’t do anything.

So let’s get going. If you can’t get things done, then what are you doing in office? Quit taking the taxpayers’ money. So let’s hear some rumbling and get moving.

Branko Sedlacek is a North Tonawanda resident.
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