Over the past several months, I have noticed a troubling pattern in Erie County government. Common sense safeguards designed to protect taxpayers are increasingly being treated as inconveniences rather than necessities.
Take ErieNet, for example. Taxpayers have already invested more than $44 million into this broadband project, yet years later there are still no major customers using the network and no proven track record of reliable service. Despite that, Erie County is now being asked to become one of ErieNet’s first major customers and transfer critical operations, including 911 communications, onto the network.
When a resident calls 911, there is no room for trial and error. Reliability is not optional. Before moving public safety communications onto a network, taxpayers deserve confidence that it can operate successfully, handle outages, and provide uninterrupted service. ErieNet has not demonstrated that capability.
The process is equally concerning. A project of this magnitude would typically involve a competitive Request for Proposals process to ensure taxpayers receive the best service at the best value. Instead, county leaders are being asked to bypass that process.
There are also ethics and governance concerns that deserve answers. Several members of the Poloncarz Administration advocating for this proposal also serve on the ErieNet board. Whether intentional or not, that overlap creates the appearance of a conflict and raises questions about independent oversight. Those concerns should be addressed before another dollar is committed.
The same disregard for common sense was evident during the debate over the county-owned suite at the new Bills stadium. I introduced an amendment prohibiting elected officials from using the suite. If the purpose is to provide opportunities for community organizations and residents who would not otherwise have access, politicians should not be included. The amendment was rejected.
That should not be controversial.
Government earns public trust by holding itself to the same standards it expects from everyone else. Transparency, accountability, competitive bidding, and avoiding even the appearance of conflicts of interest are not partisan ideas. They are basic principles of good government.
The same can be said for the county’s rollout of the new biometric data law. Businesses are being threatened with significant fines while county officials acknowledge that additional guidance is still forthcoming. Employers deserve clear rules before penalties are imposed, not after.
The common thread in these issues is simple: government should follow the same common sense standards taxpayers expect in their own workplaces and households. That means transparency before secrecy, accountability before excuses, and proven results before taking unnecessary risks with taxpayer dollars or public safety.
If you have a county-related question or concern, please contact my office at 716-858-8922 or by email at Lindsay.Lorigo@erie.gov. You can also stay up to date on county issues by following my Facebook page, Legislator Lindsay Lorigo.
