I hope you enjoyed America’s 250th birthday celebrations. We are fortunate to live in a country that offers so many opportunities. It was wonderful to see so many of you come out for Lancaster’s annual Independence Day parade. It is a great tradition that I truly look forward to every year.
Unfortunately, there were some issues in Buffalo that dampened the celebratory July 4th atmosphere. The violence was troubling, and anyone responsible for ruining what should have been a very special time should be brought to justice. It was disappointing to hear Buffalo’s Police Commissioner mention Lancaster residents as contributing to the problem. No one from Lancaster was arrested in Buffalo on the July 4th weekend. The Commissioner has since apologized, which is commendable. I joined my colleagues at the local, county and state level to call out this troubling behavior. We must be tough on crime. It is a necessary deterrent to keep our neighborhoods safe and welcoming.
We started mid-year budget hearings this week. It is a time when we meet with each department head to get a better understanding of where their finances are at the halfway point of 2026. My hope is that they will be in sound fiscal shape. Spending has increased exponentially under the Administration of Mark Poloncarz, even though our population has remained flat. The size of Erie County government has grown despite the fact we are not increasing in numbers. It is unfair to taxpayers that the Administration keeps adding jobs when we aren’t adding people. This needs to stop.
We are introducing a local law that would opt into the new disabled veterans tax exemption which would provide a 100% exemption to qualifying veterans. This exemption would be for seriously disabled veterans; those who suffered a debilitating injury in performance of their service to our nation. We appreciate all those who served. Many return home from the battlefield with serious injuries. These veterans have been deemed permanently and totally disabled because of their military service.
Erie County has a suite at the new Highmark Stadium. There is an application process now open for non-profits and charitable organizations to access the hospitality suite. That would include tickets and parking passes for a game. The application period closes on July 24. If you or your organization are interested in applying, go to https://www4.erie.gov/suites/ This suite should be used exclusively by those who may not otherwise have an opportunity to attend a game. I was disappointed in my colleagues on the other side of the aisle who rejected an amendment that no elected officials be allowed access to this suite.
I want to thank you for the privilege of serving you. If you have a county related issue, please reach out to my office at 716-681-2071 or by email at Frank.Todaro@erie.gov You can also follow me on Facebook at Legislator Frank Todaro to keep up to date on county happenings.
