WNY Coalition working groups

Click here to see the proposed working groups for the WNY Coalition for Progress. As I've stated very clearly, I have no interest whatsoever in the working groups proposed for the National issues category. Honestly, I just think that all of the issues listed - like free trade, federal election reform, energy, gay rights, and abortion are amply being handled elsewhere by national groups with a national reach. I am, however, very interested in the Regional/local categories:

• State/Local Election Reform
• Cross Border Issues
• Employment Issues/Working Wage
• Local Fiscal Policy
• Medicaid Reform
• NY Tax Reform
• Buffalo Media Accountability
• City-County Consolidation/Gov't Accountability
• Reform Albany
• Low Cost Utilities (possibly merged with national "Energy & Environment")
• Education Reform
• Development
• Infrastructure/Transportation
• Downtown Development
• Various County Groups (Erie County, Niagara County, Southern Tier, Eastern Counties)

Why? Because WNY is in dramatic need of help right away. Because the group is supposed to be nonpartisan, and these local concerns cross party lines. The stuff being considered on the national front is, quite frankly, way partisan.

I'm a moderate. A centrist with a liberal social outlook but a conservative fiscal & government operations outlook. Abortion should be legal and taxes should be low. Church & state need to be separated by a high wall, and a minimal medicaid copay to ensure that the system isn't being abused isn't such a bad idea.

As Craig at Buffalog mentioned, although I'm ostensibly a liberal and he's apparently conservative, on the local/state/regional issues, I think there'll be a lot of agreement.