By Frank J. Todaro | 8th DISTRICT | ERIE COUNTY LEGISLATOR | on September 19, 2024
I hope everyone enjoyed their summer; it is always a busy time in our home getting the kids back to school. The Erie County Legislature is back in session, working to address on-the-horizon budget challenges.
I am disappointed we did not hold mid-year budget hearings, something that is typically done every July. That is when we have the opportunity to discuss the financial outlook with department heads. Given that the County executive has doubled the size of the budget since taking office and continues to try adding jobs and services best left to the private sector, we need to have a firm understanding of the administration’s plans for controlling costs. We also need to examine whether or not the county executive is unwilling to cut spending and if that is the case, it is the County Legislature’s responsibility to do so.
Erie County is projected to see a sales tax budget shortfall of $22.5 million, and we need to hear concrete plans from the county executive, along with concrete solutions from the county comptroller, on how that deficit will be addressed.
It would have been nice to have these difficult but necessary discussions, and I am disappointed County Executive Mark Poloncarz did not make department heads available to us. His efforts to continue growing Erie County government by adding services and programs such as an extremely costly public ambulance service and public defender’s office are irresponsible. Public safety is put at risk, with slower ambulance response times, particularly in the City of Buffalo; moreover, the Assigned Counsel Program has proven to be far more cost efficient and effective than the proposed Office of Public Defender.
Voters will soon have the opportunity to cast their ballot for president of the United States of America. These past nearly four years have been challenging for many. If you are among those struggling with record inflation, costly utility bills, sky-high grocery bills and concerns with the migrant crisis, you would be well-served to research the candidates and their positions that threaten many peoples’ way of life.
I am the product of immigrants, and, as I often say, there is a legal process to come to this country. The current federal administration’s border policy has many loopholes. We cannot continue to burden the hardworking men and women of our nation by expecting them to foot the bill for the millions coming here via those current loopholes, when many of our citizens, including our veterans, can barely afford their own household expenses, in addition to our homeless population continuing to grow.
I continue to monitor the progress of the Buffalo Bills new stadium and remain optimistic they will meet the target completion date.
I join millions of others across this nation and world in remembering the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001, and I keep their families in my prayers. It’s important to also remember those who lost their lives on the battlefield. So many Americans were impacted by the events of that day, and they chose to serve their country in response.
We also hold in our hearts the first responders whose health was impacted after working at Ground Zero in Manhattan during weeks and months that followed and who lost their lives to illness from exposure to the many hazardous materials.
Lastly, please note that the Erie County Fall Fest will be held at Como Lake Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28. There are numerous other fall programs being offered at Erie County Parks & Recreation Department. To learn more, visit them online at www3.erie.gov/parks/events/.
Legislator Frank Todaro 