It's pretty unusual in Batavia, according to WBTA's Dan Fischer, for local politicians to buy media time and space for "issue advertising," but such advocacy is common in other media markets.
Fischer, who has a long history in WNY media said, "Public employee labor unions have often used paid ads to pressure elected officials to adopt their position on issues."
Ward 1 Councilman Bill Cox's purchase of air time on WBTA and a first-ever center-column fixed-position daily ad on The Batavian has certainly gotten a lot of people talking.
Some applaud Cox for standing up for his ward, others find it unorthodox and suspect that a small group of "well-heeled" residents are pushing him on the issue.
Cox says he's just doing what he thinks is right for his constituents.
"The people I represent expect me to lead the way when they have a serious problem," Cox said.
While Cox is pushing opposition to a possible athletic field expansion in open space owned by Batavia City Schools, he said that wasn't the impetus for his advocacy ads. He advertized to get people's attention so more would show up at the 7 o'clock meeting tonight when the school district unveils additional details of its North Street Extension plan.
Council President Charlie Mallow:
Whether I would agree or not with the position, I have to applaud the determination. Council people should act as neighborhood organizers and that is exactly what Bill is doing in this case. He is fighting for what he believes is in the best interests of his neighbors and it should be applauded. This isn't an election year for Bill, if he chooses to run again it won't be for two years. So, this is far from a political stunt. This is the person I knew Bill was when I supported him for his run for Council.
Others haven't been so kind. While we have no on-the-record comments, some people do see his advocacy on this single issue as a little unorthodox.
But for Cox, he said his neighbors and the people of his ward are greatly concerned about an upheaval in their neighborhood, including more traffic, noise, higher taxes, greater parking problems and garbage in the streets.
"They are up in arms and I'm their representative," Cox said. "I'm doing my best to protect their well being."
As for the scuttlebutt that this issue is being driven by "10 well-heeled residents," as I've heard a few times over the past week, Cox said the facts speak for themselves. Tonight he will present a petition signed by more than a 150 local residents living on 10 different blocks who all oppose the new fields. He said the petitions will be made available to any media outlet that wants to verify the authenticity of the signatures.
"If they're well-heeled and so concerned, nobody has donated a dime to help me," Cox said. "The well-heeled are usually people who donate money for their own causes. That hasn't happened here."
After the interview, Cox e-mailed the following additional statement:
A community is not houses on streets. It is the people in them. What effects some of us effects all of us.
The school district charges huge amounts of taxes and then historically ignores local issues like this one.
They appear immune to serious self examination of if they should do something. They look for free grant money and ignore the costs that occur later and the wishes of the people most of the time.
It is difficult to do anything by yourself when the school district does something that you feel is wrong. This effort is about a grass roots movement to stop unnecessary spending that will increase our taxes, lower our property values, and change the very character of a wonderful neighborhood.
