Here is the beginning of the letter I am writing to the politicians and other community leaders of Western New York.  Please continue to use your strengths and connections to empower the endeavor of the Eclipse Escapade in all ways possible.  I can contact politicians and publish in the media, but, ultimately, it will be the might of many minds mustered for the magnificence of our municipalities that makes material reality of what we imagine.  

Dear Leaders of Western New York;  

The petition for the Eclipse Escapade to anticipate the total solar eclipse that will grace the skies of Western New York on April 8, 2024 now has 113 signers and 6,371 views.  It is time to let the media know about this petition, but it seems appropriate to let you, the leaders of Western New York, to know first.  Plus, candidly, I am attempting to persuade you to act.  This letter is a preliminary version of what I will send to the media, and contains considerations, salient points, and proposals regarding how Western New York might anticipate the total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024 through housing renewal.  

The expression Win/Win came into vogue in the 1960’s, and now has become commonplace, perhaps even a cliché.  The concept of a Win/Win is simple; in all the interactions of humanity, and particularly in all the problems we contend with, it is not necessary for one party to lose and another to gain.  Yes, board games, competitive sports, and warfare tend toward the ultimate discrimination of the victor from the vanquished, but these contests need not set a pattern for every human interaction or problem. In the real-world situations we encounter, there are ways all parties can benefit.  Yet though the virtue of the discernment of Win/Win solutions is readily apparent in the abstract, in the concrete, real world, actual circumstances humanity encounters, finding Win/Wins is difficult.  It usually takes extended thought and consideration of the respective needs and desires of demanding adversaries.  As much as we would like the universe to hand us solutions that satisfy all, these solutions don’t fall from the sky.  Usually. Except now, in this time, and in this place, we have an utterly unique occurrence happening.  We DO have a solution quite actually FROM THE SKY.   

I know it must sound mystical and a tad absurd for me to assert that we have a solution from the sky.  However, the physics of the solar system really are presenting us with a once-in-a-lifetime impetus and an opportunity for a great Win/Win.  I am referring, of course, to the coming total solar eclipse over Western New York.  This coming eclipse will occur less than seven years after the last American Great Eclipse, which was in 2017.  The memories of that last eclipse are still fresh in the minds of many, even most Americans.  Those who witnessed the last eclipse in totality will wish to repeat the experience, and those who saw the eclipse at least in partiality (numbering about 216 million) will have heard what an ethereal experience totality is, if they did not experience it in person.  All this eclipse-interest in our nation is bound to inspire many to travel places where totality might be witnessed.  Western New York is one of these fortunate places.  Of course, Western New York should be hospitable to and resplendent for the guests that will come to our city to witness the wonder of the eclipse, just because it is virtuous to do so. We should also be mindful of the economic sky-fall this rarest of all astronomical events presents, stated bluntly, we should make money.  Consider that, merely to witness a two minute, thirty-six second sky show in 2017, about 1.6 million people traveled to or within the State of South Carolina.  This travel generated $269 million in economic impact for the state.  Similarly, nearly 192,000 people traveled to Wyoming to view the 2017 eclipse, bringing in an estimated $63.5 million.  Totality will be visible all over Erie County.  And Erie County should band together to get prepare for the influx of umbraphiles (that is, eclipse-chasing tourists.)  

I am a writer, a minister, a lover of theater, and for at least this one endeavor, a song-composer, but I lack skills in strategy.  However, I believe conversation and planning by our community leaders could produce a strategy whereby many Western New Yorkers could benefit.  The wealth to be generated by a great influx of tourists for one weekend could be shared across our county.  I can’t handle all the financial planning.  Economics 101 was the one class in college I got lower than a B in, and God knows I am not an economist. Thus, I must rely on you, our community leaders, to envision, plan, and strategize.  Nevertheless, since I have been thinking about the opportunity of the eclipse for over three years, I can’t help but offer a suggestion.  What if Erie County were to offer tax credits to county citizens willing to invest in housing renewal for the sole purpose of the creation of hostels for eclipse tourists?  Keep in mind, those citizen-investors would still be contributing capital to the county; the county would not lose revenue, though the revenue would be ear-marked toward housing improvement. In essence, potential citizen-investors would be given a choice about how their contribution is to be spent.  Let’s say, hypothetically, a sector of the East Side was set aside to become a sort of village for eclipse tourists.  Investment from all corners of Erie County might be funneled in for neighborhood improvement and the creation of a kind of village for eclipse tourists.  Whatever property improvements happened would be compounded by property improvements all around.  Thus, citizen-investors are likely to receive a return on their investment when the properties are sold.  As noted at the outset – the coming eclipse presents an impetus and an opportunity for a great win/win.  The economic activity from an endeavor to renew the East Side, and all the economic activity from the influx of tourists, will surely generate money for the county.  After houses are renovated, they could become homes for war refugees, climate change refugees, and whatever newcomer’s circumstances might bring to Buffalo.  Greater occupancy in Buffalo means greater tax revenues for the county.  Therefore, I don’t believe a tax-credit offer to investors in capital improvements in the East Side would disrupt the county budget extensively, though there would certainly be some one-time adjustments to be made.  It could be, I believe, a cross-county Win/Win.