What might a Congressman want in the New Year? Two local elected representatives, one from each party, recently offered WBFO some of what they'd put on a wish list for the coming year.
The year 2017 is on the horizon and with it comes a new president and congressional majority. WBFO asked two local members of Congress what they might put on a wish list for things they'd like to see accomplished next year.
Republican Chris Collins, first out of the gates in the House of Representatives to support President-Elect Donald Trump's campaign, puts at the top of his list one of the incoming president's campaign promises, the repeal and replacement of Obamacare. Collins, in his most recent interview with WBFO earlier this month, suggested Republicans have a goal of installing their replacement health care plan by 2019.
There's more on his list of things he'd like to see happen in 2017.
"Fundamental tax reform, reducing marginal rates, making us competitive again in the world," said Collins. "Infrastructure, which will have bipartisan support, roads, bridges, airports, water systems and the like. Moving on from that, simply less regulations."
Democrat Brian Higgins, speaking to WBFO earlier in December, set the focus of his wish list close to home. He'd like to see continued momentum in Buffalo's economic redevelopment. He wants to see that growth expand to affect more people and neighborhoods.
"The Buffalo renaissance will mean nothing unless it can find its way into Buffalo's forgotten neighborhoods," Higgins said. "My hope is that we will continue to see progress, but that progress will be expanded to include people who it has not touched yet."
That includes, for example, the East Side. Higgins is among those who support putting a future Amtrak station in the dormant Central Terminal in the Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood, one of many parts of town considered as "forgotten."
