Seneca Nation officials are dismissing Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster's threats to withhold firefighting services from the Seneca Niagara Casino.
Earlier this week Dyster indicated that the city's budget crisis could force the elimination of some services, notably firefighting at the casino.
The city is awaiting nearly $60 million in casino revenue sharing payments from the Seneca Nation, funds that have been withheld during an ongoing dispute with New York State.
Seneca Nation President Robert Odawi Porter called the Mayor's comments "a grossly misguided public relations statement."
In a written statement, Porter said, "I hope that the Mayor will re-think such an ill-considered approach to public safety."