One of the first major issues the Erie County Legislature tackled in 2024 was the decision on how to address the Administration’s plan to borrow $56 million, as laid out in his bond resolution put forth in early March. By holding firm and rejecting the plan to put more on Erie County’s credit card, we were able to provide a huge savings for Erie County residents. We knew there would be a 2023 budget surplus, which ultimately amounted to nearly $34 million. That meant we could pay more in cash for various projects. By rejecting the County Executive’s plan to borrow $56 million, our caucus forced negotiations that resulted in a huge savings for Erie County residents without compromising any of the scheduled work. By paying for more projects in cash, we reduced borrowing by $15.2 million. We also successfully increase the so-called “rainy day fund” and allocated additional money to the storm fund, which will ensure proper investments are made in case of weather emergencies. We shouldn’t unnecessarily be putting more on the county credit card, particularly when there are projects Erie County borrowed money for years ago that have yet to be completed, and taxpayers continue to foot the bill for the interest on that borrowed money. The County Executive finally agreed to meet with us on the day we were scheduled to vote on his capital borrowing plan, and we were successful in our efforts. Over the past three years, we have saved taxpayers more than $88 million in interest payments.
A bi-partisan group of county executives from across New York State recently visited the Texas-Mexico border to see firsthand the issues those communities and border patrol agents have to confront. Upon his return, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz held a news conference to discuss his observations, which largely focused on the confusion of migrants contemplating traveling to New York City. The New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) later issued a statement about their visit. It should be noted that every other County Executive saw chaos. In fact, they called the situation “dire,” and sent a letter to President Biden, urging him to prioritize addressing the migrant crisis and implement comprehensive reforms to the migration system, saying the well-being of our communities and dignity of migrants depends on it. The reflections of County Executive Poloncarz did not square with the observations made by other county leaders from across New York State. I agree that far more needs to be done.
Western New York has a small window in which to address many road construction and infrastructure issues. That work is now or soon will be getting underway. Please be mindful of this to ensure the safety of our road crews. We know there are many roads and infrastructure projects in my district that need to be addressed. It is imperative that this work, particularly where public safety is impacted, be completed.
With Spring now here, we are starting to see an increase in activity in our public parks. Erie County is fortunate to have many parks available for your enjoyment. Please remember you can secure a building or shelter rental by going to the county website at www.erie.gov. This year also marks the first time you can make camping reservations for up to 14 consecutive days.
If you have a county related issue, contact my office at 716-858-8676 or by email, Christopher.Greene@erie.gov
