erie county legislature

A Buffalo teacher is going to Albany as a new member of the New York State Assembly. Erik Bohen beat Erie County Legislator Pat Burke for the seat vacated when Mickey Kearns was elected Erie County Clerk.

Erie County Legislator Joseph Lorigo is accusing the Poloncarz Administration of a continued lack of cooperation in providing information that, he says, is needed if lawmakers are to vote on a request for more money for an expanded future convention center study.

Erie County lawmakers have approved the selection of Mark Carney as a new commissioner for the Erie County Water Authority. All voted in favor but one lawmaker who wanted instead to put the process on hold.

The chairman of the Erie County Legislature's Government Affairs Committee was hoping to hear directly from ECWA leaders Thursday and provide answers to questions including what some deem a "golden parachute" in the contract of its executive director. ECWA leaders, citing a "scheduling conflict," did not show up for Thursday's committee meeting.

No one showed up for an Erie County Legislature public hearing Thursday night to support conversion therapy. The county is considering a proposal to ban the controversial therapy aimed at "curing" homosexuality.

Erie County lawmakers discussed two bills Thursday related to harassment cases against county employees. One of the proposals is to prevent the use of public dollars to fund harassment settlement cases.

Erie County legislators have unanimously asked Albany to extend the deadline for renewing pistol permits, noting potentially thousands of permit holders have not renewed.

It was a mix of generational change and backroom politics Thursday, as the Erie County Legislature reorganized after an election that put Democrats in charge.

With flowers and speeches, the Erie County Legislature Thursday went through one of the annual rituals of elective politics, saying goodby to departing members. WBFO was there as Legislators Betty Jean Grant and Ted Morton attended their final meetings.

After an extended debate Thursday, Erie County legislators voted to send a proposed ban on people convicted of some crimes from holding elective or appointive offices in county government back to committee.

Erie County is competing in one of the great corporate gold rushes: the fight to grab Amazon's new $5 billion corporate home and potentially 50,000 jobs averaging $100,000 a person.

More local agencies will be receiving funding to help fight the opioid epidemic.

Erie County legislators are still grappling with how to spend a half-million dollars to quickly combat the lethal opioid epidemic.

Erie County lawmakers voted Thursday to approve plans for how to spend one million dollars to curb an ongoing opioid addiction crisis. More will be discussed. Meanwhile, the legislator who first introduced the idea of the million-dollar boost is frustrated by what he considers stalling by his peers.

Erie County is asking Albany for some help in dealing with the problem of zombie homes. Officials believe the county is home to 800 zombie properties, vacant homes allowed to deteriorate as the foreclosure process grinds to a conclusion.

More than a month after a proposal was first introduced to provide the Erie County Health Department with $1 million for efforts to curb opioid addiction, members of the Legislature agreed on how to proceed.

Members of the Erie County Legislature continue to discuss a proposal to provide $1 million for efforts against an ongoing opioid addiction crisis. But at Thursday's Health and Human Services Committee meeting, it was clear that lawmakers are divided on how the money should be spent, and how soon it may be spent.

Erie County legislators want the start of ride-hailing moved up, to make for a better and safer Fourth of July.

In light of a recent spike in suspected opioid-related deaths in Erie County, an Erie County legislator is proposing an increase in funding to make treatment services more accessible to those who seek help but cannot afford it.

Erie County Executive Poloncarz says the county is in pretty good shape, although potential federal cuts could hit hard at a variety of local programs. His State of the County speech in the Burchfield Penney Art Center was aggressive.