The financial challenges facing some of our communities cannot continue to go unaddressed. I point to the City of Buffalo, which has had warning signs for years that it was operating on shaky financial grounds, but rather than curb spending, more of the same continued. The situation became dire enough that in the proposed 2024 spending plan, then-Mayor Byron Brown proposed a tax increase of nine percent. That tax increase was eventually reduced to 7.5%, but it speaks to the need for controlled spending and careful budgeting to ensure the fiscal health of our cities, towns and the county.
In Erie County, the American Rescue Plan money is no more. That funding helped the County Executive balance budgets and provided services for several years. however, that money, which could have brought game-changing development to our region, instead was spent on adding jobs and funding small picture development. That is unfortunate, because it is highly unlikely this region will see that sort of a financial injection into the community for decades to come.
When we passed the proposed and amended budget last December for 2025, we expected that would be the spending plan we would be operating under for this year. Unfortunately, almost eveyr week since then we have had a proposal sent over by the Administration that adds still more jobs. For a community that is not growing, it is unacceptable that the Erie County Executive has doubled the size of county government since taking office. Jobs are being created and supported by the Erie County Legislature majority; with little consideration of the impact this has on taxpayers and the future of our region.
Leading up to the 2004-2005 budget crisis, spending in Erie County increased exponentially while taxes were cut. What followed was the closing of parks and libraries. Other services were impacted, and Erie County made national news when it couldn't even afford toilet paper for the Rath building. My fear is that the spending decisions made by the County Executive will be a burden put upon the next administration, which will be left to clean up a financial mess not of its making. That is not right, and it is unfair to pass along these budget challenges to a future County Executive.
One ongoing issue in my district is the condition of Erie County's infrastructure. Some of the projects scheduled for this year include mill and overlay work for Shimerville Road from Roll Road to Clarence Center, cold recycle with top-course treatment for all of East Avenue in Newstead, as well as Strickler from Main Street to Clarence Cetner. Oil and chip work will be done on portions of Tonawanda Creek, Goodrich, and Nice Roads in Newstead. Phase one of New Road rehabilitation is already underway, as is the bridge project on North French Road in Amherst. The County Road bridge project in Clarence has not yet bgun, but will later this year. Various bridge washing, deck sealing, bridge painting and work on joints and overlays will also take place this summer.
If you have a county related issue, contact my office at 716-858-8676 or email Christopher.Greene@erie.gov
