I was incredibly disappointed with the County Executive’s recent State of the County Address. After 14 years in office and a county budget that’s doubled, we didn’t hear bold ideas—we heard more of the same: grow government, spend big, avoid accountability. Mark Poloncarz touted the strength of Erie County, yet his solutions to critical issues like homelessness, affordable housing, and rising crime were not strategic. Instead of addressing the root causes, his approach is to throw money and bureaucracy at the problems and call it progress. Taxpayers want to hear initiatives that will help grow our region and economy. This address did not do that.
He announced a $6.7 million bailout of a golf course in Amherst. The town of Amherst purchased the golf course for $7.8 million, without a plan of what to do with it. Now, the county is going to acquire it as an asset, sticking the bill to taxpayers. This is nothing more than Mark bailing out his political allies in an election year over this failed project. He claimed victory on broadband after six years and millions spent, yet not a single household is connected. That’s not progress. That’s waste. His plan to address homelessness involves building units that cost taxpayers, on average, $500,000 per unit, without addressing the root of the crisis. His solutions don’t fix our problems. They fund more bureaucracy, pass the cost to taxpayers, and call it success.
Last week, the Erie County Legislature approved a plan to close out the year with a surplus totaling $26.3 million. This is a clear sign that Erie County taxpayers are overtaxed. Instead of using those funds to reduce liabilities or offer tax relief, the County Executive and majority caucus chose to grow government. They added dozens of new jobs, launched new programs, and took on costly new assets like the Amherst Park. These are recurring expenses funded by a one-time surplus. The only change from the majority caucus was adding an extra $2 million in district spending for select members. This is not tied to need, strategy, or long-term planning. It was nothing more than political maneuvering. It’s short-sighted, irresponsible, and lacks results.
This money would be better spent taking care of our current county assets, such as buildings we own that are crumbling and pose safety threats to the public, our deteriorating county roads, and reducing the tax levy to provide real relief to Erie County taxpayers. By focusing on these areas, we can ensure that our existing infrastructure is safe and reliable, while also providing tangible benefits to our residents.
On a positive note, I was proud to co-sponsor and see the Erie County Legislature vote in support of a resolution opposing wind turbines in Lake Erie. This is a step forward in protecting Lake Erie and our local environment.
I have several upcoming community outreach events. The next scheduled outreach is at Springville Village Hall on June 10th from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. As always, if you have any county concerns, contact my office at 716-858-8922 or by email Lindsay.Lorigo@erie.gov.
