The Buffalo Bills should leave Buffalo

Everyone should take a look at the Lease our legislators encumbered us with. Be warned, it's a lot to read, but will give you a better understanding of this gross example of corporate welfare.

As you read, you might want to ask yourself why government should get in the business of entertaining its citizens as opposed to educating them, and providing other essential public programs and services that benefit area residents.

Lockout or no lockout, county pays the Bills Taxes help team maintain stadium

NFL owners have declared a lockout, casting doubt on the 2011 season. But Erie County taxpayers by May 1 will deliver more than $640,000 to the Buffalo Bills for a category of support known as "game-day and operating expenses." That will be followed by a similar payment of more than $1 million Aug. 1, as quarterly checks to the team continue like clockwork.

Any discussion of the lease would not be complete without mention of the termination clause.

The Bill's can walk away by giving notice and paying a fee based on the following table.

Lease Year	Notice Date	Termination Date	Termination Fee
6	February 28, 2004	July 31, 2004	$20,000,000
7	February 28, 2005	July 31, 2005	$17,000,000
8	February 28, 2006	July 31, 2006	$14,000,000
9	February 28, 2007	July 31, 2007	$12,000,000
10	February 28, 2008	July 31, 2008	$10,000,000
11	February 28, 2009	July 31, 2009	$8,000,000
12	February 28, 2010	July 31, 2010	$6,000,000
13	February 28, 2011	July 31, 2011	$4,000,000
14	February 28, 2012	July 31, 2012	$2,000,000

So, if on 2/28/2010 they decide to seek greener pastures, they can abandon buffalo by giving written notice and paying $6,000,000.

Buffalo and Erie County continue to struggle. Despite this, the community continues to pour millions of dollars into sustaining Ralph Wilson's football team.

The Buffalo Bills are a private enterprise profit making organization, see Forbes (the link has been updated with 2010 info). In an already excessive tax climate, the people of this area allow our government to engage in Corporate Welfare. It's time to stop the folly and have Mr. Wilson pay for the operation of his business.

Perhaps we could make better use of this money by improving quality of life issues. How many police officers, firemen, or teachers could we have paid with this money? How many roads could have been improved? Perhaps the Zoo (an organization constantly struggling)could benefit from some of these dollars. We should concentrate on bringing people back to our area which would increase the tax base and be beneficial to everyone.

The only thing we gain from the current lease is bragging rights.

The Buffalo Bills are frustrated, and it has nothing to do with recent headline-grabbing events involving the Bills-in-Toronto series or the controversial Terrell Owens signing.

The Bills are fed up with the ongoing Erie County financial flap that has stalled more than a year and a half’s worth of county-funded stadium improvements at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

At issue are about $2.9 million in improvements the county is obligated to fund each year under its lease with the Bills. Source Buffalo News

• Set aside $4.2 million for operating and game-day expenses this year. It was $3.9 million last year.

• Continue to pay for stadium upgrades: $2.9 million for this year’s improvements.

• Again provide the Sheriff’s Office detail for game-day security, in addition to the private security firms the Bills hire. Using last year as a guide, the county will pay the deputies about $240,000 this year.