More hours of daylight and warmer days are ahead. It’s always nice to welcome spring to western New York. Be sure to take advantage of our beautiful parks. To reserve a shelter, go to www.erie.gov
I’m pleased that our caucus was successful in our negotiations regarding the Administration’s capital borrowing plan, which ultimately saved taxpayers millions of dollars. The County Executive’s bond resolution sought to borrow $56 million for 2024. I knew we had a 2023 budget surplus of nearly $34 million that we could use to pay cash for some projects. By doing that my colleagues and I reduced the interest taxpayers would be paying on borrowed money for several years by $15.2 million. We did this without impacting any project. We also were able to allocate more money to the storm fund, so that Erie County would have money available in storm emergencies. In the end, because of our efforts to borrow less and pay more in cash, over the past three years the Republican caucus has worked to save taxpayers more than $88 million in interest payments.
The County Executive recently visited the Texas-Mexico border and returned with observations that centered on questions migrants had about going to New York City versus another location where they had family. The rest of the bi-partisan delegation with the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) described the situation there as a “war zone,” and “dire.” The organization sent a letter to President Biden calling on him to do something about the crisis immediately. Curiously, this portrayal of what is happening at the border was not the account Mark Poloncarz shared with the public. Ensuring the safety of our country and protecting our borders needs to be a priority.
I hope you were able to enjoy the solar eclipse experience. It was certainly something I won’t forget. Unfortunately, I’ve spoken with a number of business owners who expressed frustration about the threat of a state of emergency and the recommendation to close. Many people lost wages and businesses lost customers at a time when they could have capitalized on visitors to our region. The County Executive’s decision to leave town was most unfortunate. While we would all like to get the best view possible of the eclipse, there are sacrifices that come with the job of leading a county, and it was not appropriate for him to leave, particularly after he advised county residents to stay home and businesses to close.
As construction continues on the new Bills stadium a number of people have expressed frustration over the cost of a Personal Seat License. We are a working-class community with an incredibly devoted fan base. Those loyal fans should not be expected to pay big market prices for PSLs. The NFL would be wise in remembering the people who have backed organizations through thick and thin and honor that dedication.
The Buffalo Zoo recently announced price increases in their “Zoo for All” program. The initial $30 per ticket for adults is more than the Central Park Zoo, the Toronto Zoo, and the nearby Rochester and Syracuse zoos. I appreciate the effort of making it more affordable for those on public assistance, but this initial 67% general admission rate increase will likely result in fewer visitors to the zoo.
If you have a county related issue, contact my office at (716)681-2071 or by email, Frank.Todaro@erie.gov
