Last week we marked the 4th anniversary of the Tops shooting that killed ten people. The racially motivated attack was devastating, and the healing process continues. Let us never forget those we lost, and those who are still hurting.
My colleagues and I put forth a measure that would cap the county sales tax on gas, giving people a break at the pumps. It would have put more money in their pocket. Unfortunately, all but one legislator on the other side of the aisle disagreed. As such, the measure died at last week’s session. But we will keep fighting for our constituents. It’s difficult to understand why they wouldn’t want to help those negatively impacted by the high cost of gasoline.
We recently attended Mark Poloncarz’s 2026 State of the County Address. I was hoping for some creative solutions to the issues facing our region, and big ideas to move Erie County forward. Instead, what we got were plans that were anything but bold. There were no signature proposals, no creative solutions to invite people back here to work and live. If we want our children and grandchildren to stay and raise their own families here, then we need to take some risks and think outside the box.
One idea the County Executive put forth in his State of the County address was to invest five hundred thousand dollars for a lightbulb exchange program. The Legislature opted to redirect those funds for other projects that will go further to revitalize our communities. In addition, the Legislature voted to fund the Homebuyer Credit Program at $1.5 million, requiring the Administration to provide rules and regulations for legislative approval, while additional funds will go towards investing in our communities.
Meanwhile, homelessness has increased 24% in the past year in Erie County. That is a terrible reflection on leadership at the top and what direction our region is headed. Our County Executive continues to grow government and hit taxpayers with the bill, all while our region continues to lose population and constituents lose faith that the right policies are in place to move us forward.
The Erie County Legislature recently passed the Youth Hunting Bill. After passage, Mark Poloncarz held another public hearing on the matter where numerous supporters came out to speak in favor of the measure. Despite this, and the fact that the Department of Environmental Conservation said there have been zero incidents since the law was passed elsewhere in New York State, Mark Poloncarz vetoed the measure. I hope my colleagues all stand firm in support of this law, so that we can override the veto and implement the measure.
As always, if you have a county related issue, please contact my office at 716-858-8676 or by email at Christopher.Greene@erie.gov You can also keep up on Erie County issues on my Facebook page, Legislator Chris Greene. Thank you for the privilege of serving you.
