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Civil rights group alleges improper use of city finances

Thomas O'Neil-White

An East Side non-profit group is alleging conflict of interest issues in the City of Buffalo.

Following the FBI raid at City Hall two weeks ago, Nubian Citizens Alliance on Thursday called for elected and appointed city officials to make public the last three years of their personal finance disclosure forms.

The civil rights group wants to know how the city is spending government money and if any officials are set to gain from city deals.

Alliance President Taniqua Simmons said money attached to economic development plans for the East Side is being used to boost development in places like Gates Circle, and the FBI raid has raised skepticism among East Side residents the city is doing right by them.

Credit Thomas O'Neil-White
Nubian Citizens Alliance President Taniqua Simmons

“We’re talking about over $1 billion in funding and we’re talking about a high level of sustained poverty that is expanding,” she said. “And if we can’t fix the poverty with $1 billion, we need to start looking at how we’re spending it, who’s spending it, what is it being spent on.”

Furthermore, the Alliance is asking the U.S. Justice Department for their expertise to look further into this matter.

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Thomas moved to Western New York at the age of 14. A graduate of Buffalo State College, he majored in Communications Studies and was part of the sports staff for WBNY. When not following his beloved University of Kentucky Wildcats and Boston Red Sox, Thomas enjoys coaching youth basketball, reading Tolkien novels and seeing live music.
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