A longtime member of the Erie County Legislature is weighing whether or not to enter the race for Mayor of Buffalo.
Legislator Betty Jean Grant tellls WBFO News her decision will depend on the response she gets from the community. And so far, Grant says, she's been getting a lot of positive feedback.
"People are saying, 'you know, why not? We have never had a female mayor in the city of Buffalo. And maybe it's time for the other gender to get an opportunity to lead.' And so I am seriously considering that," Grant said.
She says she recognizes that Buffalo has many neighborhoods and they all need attention.
"You know you can't just focus on the waterfront and the Canalside," Grant said.
While there's been plenty of economic development in some parts of the city, she says, the East Side has been forgotten. And she questions the lack of jobs and training programs for unemployed youth.
"We've had over $2 billion between the Joint Schools Construction and the billion dollars for Solar City. But if you look at the make up of those who benefited, and the make up those who worked, you will see very few minorities, particularly African-Americans," Grant said.
The Northland corridor training program, Grant admits, will help. But she says it will take another two years before it's up and running. Legislator Grant says she expects to make a decision on the mayor's race sometime between March and June.