By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – The region's largest business organization is endorsing Republican Kevin Helfer for Buffalo Mayor.
Both Helfer and Byron Brown filled out an extensive questionnaire issued by the Buffalo Niagara Partnership. But in the end, the organization says Helfer's suggested reforms for City Hall match up with the Partnership's efforts to change the way Buffalo conducts business.
The Partnership says Helfer is proposing real reforms for the Department of Permits and Inspections, making it a priority in his campaign. Partnership President and CEO Andrew Rudnick tells WBFO News the questions submitted to the major party candidates were based on the Partnership's initiatives.
"The basis for this endorsement is pretty clear. We have a set of initiatives that are designed to improve the way business development occurs in the city of Buffalo," Rudnick said. "That's pretty much the mayor's role now, now that the control board is in place."
Responses to the questionnaire by Brown and Helfer are posted on the Partnership's web site. Brown's responses filled up 12-pages. But Helfer's were very extensive. He delivered 51-pages of responses to the Partnership's questions.