The Erie County Legislature worked in a bi-partisan manner to make amendments to the proposed 2025 budget, and in so doing, passed a spending plan that better reflects our financial challenges, while still acknowledging the needed funding levels for various community organizations and infrastructure work. The federal dollars that had helped to sustain Erie County these last few years no longer exist. Because of that, my Republican colleagues and I understood that further expanding government, or adding services is not a responsible thing to do. As such, we eliminated some jobs that were added to the budget, and we also did away with an increase in parks fees. As taxpayers you are already funding our parks. Requiring you to pay more for the shelters was not a wise decision, and I’m glad all legislators agreed.
The Erie County budget has increased drastically over the past 12 years, nearly 43%, and it is important to note that we will be dealing with expenses on the horizon; payments that have been pushed off by this Administration that we will need to address. As a result, we must be extremely mindful of costs going forward. The property tax levy has also gone up significantly. These are costs that Erie County taxpayers cannot continue to bear. So many of our neighbors flee the state or region because the cost of staying becomes far too challenging. We need to do all we can to make it affordable for our friends and family to remain in Western New York.
We were able to secure a revenue stream that local communities have come to rely on, protecting their share of the mortgage recording tax revenue. This was important, as many towns and villages prepare their annual budgets anticipating this revenue.
The budget process did allow us to provide funding for organizations or programs necessary to our communities. I was pleased to ensure that the Hull House Foundation received money for their ongoing work. The Hull House is a treasured historical location in our community. I was also pleased to provide needed dollars for food pantries, Meals On Wheels, the Pediatric Cancer Collaborative, senior centers, snowmobile clubs, shooting, archery, the Disc Club Course located at Como Lake Park, as well as money for a dog control vehicle for the Town of Lancaster. Other organizations within my district also received necessary funding to continue the good work they do in our community.
Our parks remain a popular destination, even in winter. There are many planned events, including a guided winter hike at Como Lake Park on December 23rd. For more information on the many events planned, go to www.erie.gov and click on “Visit our Parks.”
I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah. I hope you are able to spend time with loved ones during this season. If you have a county related issue, you can contact my office at Frank.Todaro@erie.gov or by phone at 716-681-2071.
