I hope you enjoyed the holiday season. The eleven Erie County Legislators were sworn in last week to serve our constituents in 2026. I want to thank you all for this great honor and am very grateful for the opportunity.
I was pleased that my colleagues joined me in passing a resolution I introduced supporting a bi-partisan State Senate bill mandating schools accept medical exemptions approved by a medical provider. I have heard from many school district leaders who are simply looking for guidance on what to do in these situations. This effort is the result of hearing about Kayci Rae, the Depew High School senior who is no longer allowed to attend class because a doctor exempted her from receiving another meningitis booster after having a very negative reaction to a previous one. It is unfortunate that Kayci is missing out on the many wonderful experiences associated with being a high school senior. My hope is that this bill is approved at the state level, giving more clarity to local school districts.
We are also addressing the issue of biometric data collection. A new law would establish dome transparency requirements. This came about after learning that Wegmans started collecting biometric information in some of its New York City stores. That collection could include retina scans, facial and vocal recognition. The supermarket chain says it is only using this system in a few stores with a higher risk of incidents and is intended to protect both employees and customers. No question, technology is everywhere. Doorbell cameras, street cameras, and other forms of technology constantly record and collect data. This law would simply require businesses to post that they are using such technology.
We have also sent a letter to the Chairman of the Finance and Management Committee, requesting a discussion about the findings of an audit involving the African American Cultural Center. The audit discovered numerous internal control deficiencies and improper financial practices from 2020 to 2022. The audit found that the organization was unable to substantiate the use of grant funds awarded them by Erie County, which makes them noncompliant with terms of that grant agreement. These are public dollars and taxpayers have the right to know if those funds were used appropriately.
The Buffalo Bills had a wonderful sendoff for the last game to ever be played at Highmark Stadium. I have many wonderful memories there and will be sad to see it go. However, our skilled labor force has done a tremendous job building the new home of the Buffalo Bills, and I am sure fans everywhere will have plenty to cheer about at the new stadium.
If you have a county related issue, contact my office at 716-681-2071 or by email at Frank.Todaro@erie.gov You can also follow my office on Facebook at Legislator Frank Todaro to keep up with what’s happening in county government. Thank you for the privilege of serving you.
