By Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz
I am happy to share that Erie County’s credit rating was recently reaffirmed “AA” by two credit rating agencies. This is a significant achievement for my administration to earn the highest rating Erie County has had in modern history. I’m proud that our fiscal prudence and sound management remains steady despite the economic uncertainty being forced upon our nation by federal government decisions mostly focused on fear and cruelty and lacking any type of financial responsibility.
The recent passage of the federal government’s massive spending and tax bill proved that billionaires will always prevail with President Trump in the White House. The impact it will have on healthcare coverage for tens of millions of Americans is unconscionable and the tax debt it will burden generations to come is monumental. The big ugly bill includes significant spending reductions to Medicaid and will add $3.4 trillion to the national debt over the next decade.
Simply put, the bill is shameless, nasty and vindictive. It isn’t about cutting waste or balancing budgets – it’s about taking from the poor to give even more tax breaks to the rich. The harm that will be caused to families across our nation will lead to future chaos, confusion and dysfunction, including here in Erie County. I vow to hold all responsible for the passage of the bill accountable for their actions. The legislation will likely have a devastating impact on members of our community, including children, people with disabilities, senior citizens, and other vulnerable adults.
I was pleased to speak at the recent “Elbows Up” rally at Freedom Park in Buffalo. It was inspiring to see Western New York residents come together to support Canada and express their opposition to tariffs put in place by the Trump administration. It’s important we continue to denounce the nasty comments President Trump continues to make about his desire to see Canada become our 51st state.
Canada is a strong independent nation. We love and support our neighbors to the north. I hope other elected officials join me and ask for the attacks on Canada to stop. The damage being done to the U.S.-Canada relationship is directly impacting our local economy. Instead of trying to annex Canada we should be working with them to strengthen our long-standing relationship and operate from a point of mutual respect. The devastating blows to the U.S. tourism industry caused by the impact of tariffs and President Trump’s bullying antics and bombastic language is evident locally.
I remind anyone affected by the Rite Aid store closures that Erie County recently partnered with the Pharmacists Association of WNY and created a user-friendly webpage that shows the exact location of all pharmacies in Erie County. With nearly 70 Rite Aid locations having either closed or scheduled to soon close in our region, this online tool should assist anyone who was impacted. You can access the point-and-click webpage and find other helpful information by visiting www.erie.gov/health/pharmacies-and-prescriptions .