BUFFALO, N.Y. — 2 On Your Side has confirmed that the Buffalo Teachers Federation will be endorsing India Walton for mayor.
The federation's political action committee interview both Walton and Mayor Byron Brown and made a recommendation to their executive committee.
Both candidates were given the same questionnaire and asked the same questions by the federation's committee.
2 On Your Side spoke to Buffalo Teachers Federation President Phil Rumore about the endorsement Monday afternoon. Here is a portion of his response as to why the union endorsed India Walton:
"Some of the reasons that the political action committee recommended to the executive committee and into our full council of delegates is that the mayor has not increased educational funding for the board of education for our kids for over three years," Rumore said. "Also, we wanted to work with the mayor and common council as well as the board to set up like Rochester has -- a fixed formula so that every year that the board would know how much they got. She was in favor of, he was not.
"Bottom line is that the committee of teachers that interviewed both of them with the same questions felt that the mayor did not answer the questions in a way that they felt was succinct, where she seemed more supportive of providing the funds and resources for our kids."
2 On Your Side reached out to Mayor Brown's campaign to ask about the BTF endorsement, the campaign sent the following:
Brown for Buffalo has proudly announced the support and endorsement of Mayor Brown's candidacy for re-election by a significant number of labor unions including:
• Buffalo Central Labor Council
• Buffalo Building & Construction Trades Council
• WNY CWA Council
• AFSCME Council 35
o Local 264
o Local 650
o Local 2651
• AFSCME, Local 1095
• CSEA, Local 815
• Ironworkers Local Union No. 6
• NYSNA (NYS Nurses Association)
• SEIU1199
• SMART Local 71
• UFCW
• U.A. Plumbers & Steamfitters, Local 22
2 On Your Side reached out to India Walton's campaign for a reaction to the endorsement but did not hear back from the campaign.