To those who knew him, John LaFalce was a statesman in every sense of the word. But look around Western New York, and one can still see sizable samples of his work and dedication to the area.
Respect for LaFalce runs deep, as former Congressman Brian Higgins explains.
“He had a keen intellect. He was just curious about the world, not only in politics, but about human nature, about people, about places, and about the great traditions of the American democracy,” Higgins said.
LaFalce pulled no punches in vocalizing failures of federal and state agencies in the Love Canal disaster. That advocacy, still early in his congressional career, spurred his fellow lawmakers and President Jimmy Carter to create the Superfund legislation still used today to remediate contaminated areas and hold polluters accountable.
Former Buffalo Mayor Tony Masiello knows the tenacity LaFalce brought to Washington.
“He never backed away from a challenge,” Masiello said.
The growth of M&T Bank came because of legislation he championed as the House Finance Services Committee chairman.
Local developer Paul Kolkmeyer, former president and CEO of First Niagara Bank and also an M&T Bank executive vice president, saw that on a first-hand basis.
“If we had some concern about some legislation, it was always easy to just call him up. He'd always call you back and at least listen to whether he could do something or not. Least, he would listen to your concerns,” Kolkmeyer said.
A Buffalo native and Villanova University School of Law graduate, LaFalce served shortly in the state legislature before being elected to Congress in the fall of 1974. LaFalce served 14 two-year terms in Congress before leaving office in 2003.
Well educated and thoughtful and never one to have a knee-jerk reaction, LaFalce was close with Presidents Carter and Clinton, but also just as comfortable meeting with small business owners in Kenmore.
LaFalce used his amassed clout to work with others such as Senators Schumer and Clinton to save the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station and its 3,000-plus employees when it faced a possible closure.
Those were all hallmarks of his political career, says Higgins, who considered LaFalce a mentor and a friend.
“To get to know John was to really admire him,” Higgins said.
LaFalce is survived by his wife, Patricia, and son Martin.
