erie county legislature

A new contract for 2,600 Erie County employees was unanimously approved without discussion Thursday by the county Legislature.

The Poloncarz administration's reform plan for Child and Protective Services is "raising questions" among some Erie County legislators.

Cell phone tracking equipment used by the Erie County Sheriff's Department does not store data, according to Sheriff Timothy Howard.

When Republicans were the minority party in the Erie County Legislature, their top staffer had a county-issued cell phone. That issue is at the center of a growing controversy inside county government.

The Erie County Legislature approved a $27.1 million infrastructure improvement plan for county roadways Thursday. The spending plan includes $4.5 million for additional roads in need of repair this year.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz and eight members of the Erie County Legislature agree on one issue: they don't want the library system turned into a separate taxing district.

A local lawmaker is proposing an alternative to Governor Andrew Cuomo's plan to give prison inmates a free college education.

Erie County legislators voted in a bipartisan manner Thursday to ban natural gas drilling using hydraulic fracturing in the county, commonly known as fracking.

Legislation that would ban hydrofracking on county-owned land is expected to be voted on today by the Erie County Legislature.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz is praising fellow Democrats in the Legislature majority for approving the 2014 county budget by a 6-5 vote Tuesday.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz says he is submitting a budget for next year with a steady property tax rate that cuts a few jobs, puts more money into the arts and library, and sets up an economic development office in Toronto.

Erie County legislators Thursday cleared the way for seven more caseworkers for the overloaded Child Protective Services division in the wake of the death of a child allegedly killed by his mother's boyfriend.

The push is on to hire more Social Sevice workers in Erie County following the tragic death of 5-year-old Eian Brooks.

Erie County Legislature Majority Leader Thomas Mazur announced his future retirement Friday. Mazur, a Democrat, will step aside from his 7th District seat when his current term expires on December 31.

Erie County's finances are looking a little shaky as it goes into the financial markets for the biggest loan since the fiscally-disastrous days of the "Red-Green" budget. 

A residency requirement is being proposed for employees of Erie County. If approved, new workers would be required to live in the county.

Erie County lawmakers voted 7-4 Thursday afternoon in favor of a resolution calling for repeal of the state's new gun control laws. Meanwhile, Governor Andrew Cuomo, in Buffalo today, said political opposition to the NY SAFE Act is based in "fear."

Again this year, the annual public hearing on the proposed Erie County budget was dominated by cultural agencies and the library system.