Higgins idea seen as good for Niagara - to a point

   As Rep. Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo, continues to push the New York Power Authority to give the region what he says would be its fair share of profits from the Niagara Power Project, officials in Niagara County are saying the same things they said to the Power Authority during years of negotiations in the power project's relicensing process.

The Lewiston plant, the transmission lines, the underground conduits for the hydropower facility - they all call Niagara County home.

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Read the full story.

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   It was an argument that got them a 50-year settlement valued at hundreds of millions of dollars.

   Higgins, who earlier this month released a proposal calling for Western New York get 36 percent of the Power Authority's annual profits, was widely praised for his efforts.

   But his proposal that would give Erie County roughly 60 percent of the local share, while Niagara would get 40 percent, needs to be tweaked, several elected officials from Niagara County said.

   "Simply put, at the end of the day that plant is located in our confines," Lewiston Supervisor Fred M. Newlin said in today's story in The Buffalo News. "Not to say Erie County isn't deserving of its fair share, but it has to be put in proportion, when considering where the actual location of that plant is."

   Higgins told me he is open to discussing the matter with Niagara County officials.
 
   Here's a list of his specific funding proposals.

   -- Aaron Besecker

Comments

[frquarter]

Higgins,,,,,,lets reverse your proposal.....Niagara County 60% Erie county 40%,,,Why Not Higgins?

[Dan Asta]

It should be 50/50 according to per capita. Just do a per capita average of both counties. The truth is, Buffalo suffers colder winters because of the ice boom that drops temperatures 5-10 degrees because of the ice buildup. That sends heating bills soaring in Buffalo, all so the plant can generate electricity.

[Former WNYer]

We could quibble all day about the percentages. The point is that Higgins is bringing home the bacon for WNY, so any long-term use of the monies ought to benefit the region as a whole, not any particular county or municipality.

[john]

What a joke. Especially the jobs projection. I hope Higgins realizes that if this goes through, he will be laughed at in Albany and Washington when asking for more money there, while holding this huge bucket of cash.

[jd]

Him voting yes for the cap and tax bill says it all.
It will be rejected by the Senate but the people should not forget that Higgins voted to more than double your energy bills in the next few years and hit us with the largest tax hike in history.
He is a party hack like most of the rest, has he ever voted outside the party line ? He gets great press because nobody asks the tough questions, like Brian did you read the bill before you voted for it?
And Brian did you hear Obama admit in his own words that this bill will make energy bills skyrocket ?

[pgr88]

Higgins is full of cr@p. The Power Authority authorizations were expiring anyway.

This clown voted for "stimulus," "cap and trade" (neither of which he read) and a host of other bills which will raise your taxes by thousands of dollars each. Meanwhile he gets a few extra bucks for the City of Buffalo to spend - big deal.

[Ex-WNYer]

You're right, he's a hack, right out of the South Buffalo political machine. He voted for cap and trade, stimulus, everyting destined to drive this nation into bankruptcy and our children and grandchildren into 3rd world poverty. Bring home the bacon? Call it a few crumbs!

[wd802]

Forget the money. Sell the electricity in its intended area - within 35 miles of the plant and there will be a sustaining flow of money into the WNY economy from the jobs generated by the cheap electricity. 1st step - YAHOO. Mission accomplished. Next?