Buffalo News - Courthouse funds revived

The Senate has given Buffalo’s proposed $115 million federal courthouse, blocked by President Bush’s budget last month, a fighting chance of being restored to the budget for the federal fiscal year that will begin Oct. 1. Thursday night the Senate unanimously approved an amendment, promoted by Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., and several key Republicans, that restores funding for the project.

Here comes the best part.

Thursday, Rep. Brian M. Higgins, D-Buffalo, wrote to the same subcommittee, asking it to provide the $115.5 million. The Michael Dillon Courthouse on the east side of Niagara Square is no longer adequate and has “major security issues,” Higgins wrote. “The judges’ chambers are directly across the street from a multilevel parking garage, with a clear view from the garage floors into the chambers, making them vulnerable to attack,” Higgins said.

Glass block the windows and put fish tanks in the judge’s chambers. That would save a ton of money. Do I detect a bit of dissension among the rank Democrats here?

Higgins reportedly had wanted the two other House members whose districts include parts of of Erie County - Reynolds and Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, D-Fairport - to join him in the request for funds. That failing, Higgins wrote his own letter. Slaughter’s spokesman Eric Burns said, “Congressman Higgins never approached Rep. Slaughter about supporting this request.”

With all of the finanial problems in the City and County, $115,000,000 is not a justifed expenditure. Between the courthouse, BassPro and the new Waterfron plans, approximately $1800 will be spent for each resident of the City. If that money was in your pocket, is that how you would spend it? That is nearly $10,000 per a family of 5.