Although President Barack Obama remains in office for a few more weeks, Buffalo's mayor has made his final scheduled visit to an Obama White House. Byron Brown reflected on the visit and what the Obama Administration has meant to his city.
Mayor Brown appeared in Washington earlier this month as one of several honorees recognized for efforts to help homeless veterans. Upon his return, Brown admitted to WBFO that there were bittersweet feelings knowing it was his final visit to an Obama White House.
"Certainly it is always an honor to be able to go to the White House, really a symbol of our democracy and what our nation offers in terms of promise and hope for every resident of this country," Brown said.
There is no ruling out the possibility of a visit to the White House after Donald Trump moves in, of course, but the Obama Administration is - as Buffalo's mayor sees it - one that was good for the City of Buffalo.
When asked what that administration did for Buffalo, Brown pointed to the millions of dollars in stimulus aid sent to his city. He also praised Obama for the mentorship program known as My Brother's Keeper.
"The impact of the administration goes on and on and on, and certainly is undeniable in Buffalo and in communities all across the nation," the mayor said.
Brown was not the only Western New York mayor honored this month for responding to First Lady Michelle Obama's challenge to eliminate veteran homelessness. Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster, Lockport Mayor Anne McCaffrey and City of Tonawanda Mayor Rick Davis joined Brown last month to announce what they called an effective end to veteran homelessness in the region.
