Who Profits?

The Montante Family

The Montante family own Uniland Development, the largest commercial real estate development company in Western NY. They make $1.95 million a year in rent from ICE, plus another $0.56 million a year from Customs and Border Protection. With a total profit of $2.5 million a year, the Montante family is the largest local profiteer from immigration enforcement in the region.

Carl J. Montante

Executive Chairman, Uniland

Michael J. Montante

CEO, Uniland

Laura A. Zaepfel

VP Corporate Relations, Uniland

Carl J. Montante Jr.

VP Marketing & Strategic Initiatives, Uniland

They profit at the expense of our community safety. Yet they managed to get a deal to take our tax dollars to “benefit the community.”

250 Delaware was built with $9.6 million in public tax breaks the Erie County Industrial Development Agency approved in 2013, over public opposition, to “benefit the community.” The building still collects a property-tax abatement on top.

$9.6M

ECIDA tax breaks

Handed over by Erie County taxpayers, who were told the subsidy would build the community up. WBFO →

$521Kevery
year

Property tax abatement

Erie County taxpayers · net of PILOT, 2017–2024 average ($4.17M total) NY State IDA project data →

And the breaks rarely stop there. Through IDA PILOT deals, developers pay a fraction of normal property tax, payments that often start at just 10–20% of the real bill. Commercial real-estate owners are also documented using depreciation write-offs to owe little or no federal income tax for years. Personal returns aren't public, but the public subsidies are a matter of record.

Network of Influence

In 2025, Buffalo Business First ranked Michael Montante No. 27 and Carl Sr. No. 139 among the most powerful people in Western New York. That power is built deliberately: they fund politicians, buy seats in the business groups that shape development policy, and earn tax breaks through philanthropy. Every donation, board seat, and charitable gift is another lever of influence. Map their network of deals, donations, and favors, and we can start to hold them accountable.

Who Pulls the Strings

The Jacobs family donated $65,000 to Trump's transition, paid Governor Hochul's husband hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, and have said nothing about what happens in the building that bears their name.