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Power?
Authority?
 Freshman
congressmen generally start out with few aces in their hand.
Maybe that’s why Brian Higgins has turned his back on his
constituents, supporting bills like the absurdly unconstitutional
Terri Schiavo legislation and (and the flag-burning amendment),
and won't articulate a definite position on the war in Iraq
other than the vague War On Terror nonsense spouted by the
Bush administration. In previous issues, we've mentioned
his voting for reauthorization of the Patriot Act, and the
new bankruptcy legislation that was written by the credit
card companies at the expense of struggling middle class families,
as evidence of his misguided ways.
On
one issue, however, Higgins appears to stepping up for his
constituents, and it's not the waterfront. This
summer Higgins has been very outspoken, portraying himself
as our local David in the renegotiation of the Niagara Power
Project’s license with the Goliath State Power Authority.
Higgins laid the foundation for this campaign long before
running for Congress. Few Western New Yorkers would argue
with his premise that the Buffalo area gets the short end
of the stick under the license that the Power Authority is
trying to renew for the next fifty years. After all, the authority
receives over $500 million in profits each year from its operation
of the Niagara Power Project. The authority has divined that
Erie County deserves a meager $2 million a year from their
booty for our proximity to the project and the years of environmental
damage it has done to the area and its citizens. Higgins,
however, is demanding we deserve more, i.e. $10 million plus
interest, which doesn't seem like near enough to us.
Problem
is, this issue is not up for public
referendum. Public opinion in Buffalo will do little to sway
downstate politicos to give Higgins a share of the revenue
generated by the hydroelectric plant on the mighty Niagara.
So why all the wasted ink in Artvoice?
Well, it looks good; remember, House
members have an election every two years, which means they’re
pretty much always campaigning.
Brief
2 -- "Swan" Song
Brief
3 -- The Joy of Gioia
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