Faso: “My door is always open”
HUDSON – Republican Congressman-elect John Faso Wednesday discussed
his successful campaign and future plans with the media at his City of
Hudson headquarters.
Faso said he would follow in the footsteps of predecessor Chris Gibson.
Running on just four hours sleep, Faso spent his Wednesday afternoon thanking
supporters. He wound up having lunch in a Warren Street delicatessen,
informally blending in with downtown regulars. “I hope to get a
haircut,” he said.
On Thursday Faso will be meeting with Gibson in Kinderhook, to hammer
out a transition plan – going over what projects they’ve been
working on, and how he can pick up the ball, without dropping it, he said.
Faso plans to keep the same office locations in Kinderhook and Kingston.
“My door is always open; I plan on meeting people from all throughout
this district, who may have views different from mine, to try to advance
the goal, and explain my position as well,” he said. “It’s
really important that we each understand each other’s positions,
in a fair and non-hyperbolic way, in order to fix the problems that face
the country,” Faso said.
“I’m not going to automatically foreclose an idea because
it comes from a Democrat. I know that all wisdom does not reside on one
side of the political aisle,” Faso said. “We work best when
we work cooperatively.”
Social Security, tax reform, national debt, and the Affordable Care Act
represent several front-burner concerns for Faso. “We’ve got
to change it, repeal it frankly, and replace it with something that will
work; the Affordable Care Act is anything but affordable,” he said.
Medicare reimbursement is another challenge Faso wishes to sink his teeth
into, rectifying the long-standing disparities suffered by Kingston Hospital,
in relation to competitors across the river.
Faso also wants a more cooperative relationship between local farmers
and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection.
