By Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz
I was pleased to share late last month that Erie County has been upgraded from “positive” to “stable” by credit rating agency Moody’s and that our rating will remain at “A1.” This is independent proof that we are doing great work managing county finances. It was a nice way to end 2025 and enter a new year with the knowledge that future borrowing for infrastructure improvements and capital projects will be less costly because we have continued to maintain prudent reserves while still making necessary investments. This recognition proves Erie County’s credit is in the best shape it has ever been in. Our sound fiscal management remains steady despite the economic uncertainty being forced upon us by federal government decisions often lacking strategic financial responsibility.
I recently joined my New York State Association of Counties colleagues in calling for an immediate end to President Trump’s freeze of federal funding. Those monies are used to pay child care costs for thousands of Western New York families. The action was done without merit. Legitimate fraud concerns should obviously be investigated and addressed, but the feds should restore funding and enforce payment from this crucial family assistance.
Before I became an attorney I worked part-time jobs to help pay for my schooling, including stints at Sears and Tops Markets. While I understand the desire of major retailers to prevent shoplifting and other forms of theft, the recent revelation that Wegmans, Home Depot, Walmart and others are using facial recognition and other biometric technology to collect data on its customers is very concerning. The Erie County Division of Consumer Protection already is involved with oversight at various retail locations in our community. This topic is something that has prompted us to begin researching the potential for a new local law to prohibit any public retailer or related entity from collecting and retaining biometric data. I am very troubled that this serious invasion of privacy would have severe negative ramifications on residents and visitors of Erie County.
Anyone suffering from a case of the “winter blues” who is physically able to do so should consider participating in one of our free winter programs offer by the Erie County Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department. The guided hikes scheduled to take place in January and February have various themes and offer fun for the entire family. To learn more about these winter park programs please visit www.erie.gov/parks/events .
I thank all who attended my town hall meeting last month in Tonawanda. I enjoyed sharing information with residents and holding a civil discussion. Future town halls will take place soon and information on those events will be shared once we finalize the locations and dates.