Happy New Year! I hope you were able to enjoy the holidays with loved ones. The eleven members of the Erie County Legislature were sworn in last week, and I am grateful to have once again been selected as Minority Leader. We have many issues that need to be addressed in 2026.
I’ve said it often, but it bears repeating; the spending practices of this entire Administration are troubling. We have seen the size of the county budget grow exponentially over these past many years under Mark Poloncarz and the 16th floor leadership that has been assembled. This puts an unfair burden on Erie County taxpayers and the community at large. We need to do all we can to encourage businesses to come here, and residents to stay. Driving up those costs does little to attract people to our region. There is much to offer here, but we must make it attractive for prospective business owners and homeowners.
The Legislature will be considering the Customer Biometric Privacy Act. This proposed law comes after Wegmans revealed it was collecting biometric information in some of its New York City stores. While the reality is that cameras are everywhere, posting signage to make customers aware is a measure we are discussing.
We have also sent a letter to the Chairman of the Finance and Management Committee, expressing concerns about proper use of cultural grant funds by the African American Cultural Center. This comes after a report identified numerous internal control deficiencies and improper financial practices from the grant period of 2020 through 2022. Many in the community have sounded the alarm before, noting they have been unable to substantiate the use of grant funds awarded to them by Erie County, causing them to be noncompliant with the terms of the agreement.
As we continue to cheer on the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs, fans gathered for the final time at Highmark Stadium for an emotional farewell to the stadium we have called home to the Buffalo Bills for 52 years. There are so many memories, exciting wins, disappointing losses, playoff games, the greatest comeback, plus numerous concerts and other special events. The new stadium is an incredible structure that employed many of our local skilled labor workforce. They have done a tremendous job constructing the Buffalo Bills next home. Still, it is bittersweet as we reminisce about the memories shared over many decades. The stadium is in the district that I represent, and I am thankful our Orchard Park community has been a destination for thousands through the years.
If you have a county related issue, contact my office at 716-858-8850 or by email at John.Mills@erie.gov You can also stay up to date on Erie County issues by following my Legislator John Mills Facebook account. Thank you for the honor of serving you.
