Last weekend’s assassination attempt on former President Trump in Pennsylvania demonstrates just how politically charged our nation is right now. While this is not unique in our country’s history, particularly in a presidential election year, the way misinformation is disseminated through social media is an aspect that we have failed to adequately address over the last 20 years.
Social media “factchecker” are often partisan and unable to keep up with the amount of information being published. In the end, I would encourage everyone to take a few minutes to conduct their own research before sharing a post that may contain twisted information. I can assure you, for every one person that “likes” an inaccurate post because they share your political ideology, there are at least two who think the post is foolish. At the core, misinformation is the root cause of the politically charged rhetoric we are experiencing, and we are all personally responsible for the information we publicize. If we stick to the facts, the real facts, then healthy debate can be done in a respectful manner.
As your Erie County Legislator for the last 3+ years, I have lived this life weekly. I am routinely engaged with my political opponents regarding policies and the direction Erie County is heading. It is not uncommon for us to raise our voices and passionately express our views, but when the gavel is dropped and our committee meetings or legislative sessions end, we put the debate behind and treat each other with civility and respect.
There are some hot button issues at the legislature before we go into our August recess. Typically held in June, we have yet to hold our mid-year budget hearing. These hearings are vital to understanding the financial climate of Erie County. With the budget director raising red flags and estimating that we are on pace to experience a $22 million sales tax budget shortfall, these hearings are crucial for us to begin making any financial adjustment before it is too late in the year.
I am also troubled by my colleagues across the aisle who recently raided a capital account intended to assist various cultural organizations. They diverted more than $2 million to help fund their own pet projects. What made this action even more troubling was the strategy to sneak this past the public and present it on a day when the headlines were being dominated by pay raises for elected officials and a new law to remove the public’s voting voice to extend sales tax increases. Thankfully, the media took notice, and their actions were rightly called out.
Lastly, I will address Mark Poloncarz’s column from last month, where he called the minority caucus liars regarding his new law. Rather than follow suit with attempted insults, I will stick to the facts. Under current Erie County law, the extension of sales tax increase can be passed with a simple legislative majority and the approval of the residents with a ballot referendum. Under his new law, the resident’s right to vote on the approval will be stripped from the Erie County Charter. While it is hard to imagine citizens having fewer voting rights, that is what you will be asked to approve at the ballot box this year. I would encourage all residents to vote no on the November ballot referendum.
If you have a county related concern, please contact my office at 716-858-8676, or by email at Christopher.Greene@erie.gov
