joseph lorigo

Erie County’s COVID-19 infection rate has been falling since January and about a quarter of county residents have received at least the first dose of the vaccine. So Republicans in the county Legislature are questioning why County Executive Mark Poloncarz still has emergency powers.

Erie County Legislators have voted to restore a position within the Department of Social Services that comes with a hefty raise. Opponents of the hire say the County Executive overstepped his authority to bring back the position, while the Comptroller claims it’s a political patronage hire designed to create an upcoming candidacy for political office – the one he seeks next.

The Erie County Legislature approved County Executive Mark Poloncarz’s proposed 2021 budget Thursday with some amendments from the Democratic majority caucus. WBFO’s Kyle Mackie reports on the partisan-line 7-4 vote.

The Erie County Department of the Health has begun notifying the county Legislature about COVID-19 outbreaks in local nursing homes, but it is still not notifying the general public.

The Erie County Legislature on Thursday unanimously approved a resolution demanding the county Department of Health be more transparent about COVID-19 outbreaks at local nursing homes. 

The Erie County Department of Health has closed several bars and restaurants for allegedly not following COVID-19 regulations, and county lawmakers want to know if the shutdowns were justified.

Democrats among the Erie County Legislature are calling Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw's declaration of a budget deficit "premature" and even a "power grab," while his office says making such a declaration was their duty under the county charter.

The head of Erie County’s Department of Senior Services says he will fine nursing homes that don’t comply with Ruthie’s Law by the end of the month, seemingly ending months of criticism and scrutiny over a lack of fines.

WBFO reported in October that most Erie County nursing homes aren’t complying with Ruthie’s Law, yet none have been fined by the county’s Department of Senior Services. Last week, Senior Services officials invited WBFO to come along as they conducted unannounced visits on three of the noncompliant nursing homes. But some feel the county still isn’t doing enough to enforce the law. 

Roughly half of Erie County nursing homes are still not complying with Ruthie’s Law.

The county’s Department of Senior Services released the newest compliance data Tuesday, showing that only 18 of the county’s 35 nursing homes compiled with the law during the most recent reporting period.

Most homeowners opening their tax bills this season probably think the bill is too high. For Erie County homeowners, they may be right.

A budgeting error has caused thousands of residents to be overcharged a total of $4.4 million on their recent property tax bills. The nearly 200,000 incorrect bills were sent to the county's cities and larger suburbs like Amherst and Tonawanda. Impacted residents were overcharged $6.79 per $100,000 dollars of assessed value. 

It’s been more than two years since Erie County passed Ruthie’s Law, yet none of the nursing homes that have failed to comply during that time have been penalized.

On Thursday, the Erie County Legislature finally got to directly ask the county’s Department of Senior Services why that is.

A combative day in the chambers of the Erie County Legislature regarding inmate care in county jails. Four inmates have died in county jails in the past 6 weeks and Sheriff Timothy Howard believes his office is being unfairly attacked by the public despite the Sheriff’s office being in compliance with recommendations from the Department of Justice.

Republicans in the Erie County Legislature want answers about Ruthie’s Law.

The Republican minority caucus sent a letter to Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz on Tuesday, demanding he explain why nursing homes aren’t following the law and what his administration is doing to enforce it.

Albany made major changes in New York's criminal law in the last legislative session and those changes are slowly working into place. However, the cost of the changes is not yet clear.

The Erie County Legislature agreed to put up the $5 million promised to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery by County Executive Mark Poloncarz, but it was along fight.

The annual struggle over who will serve on the board of the political patronage-riddled Erie County Water Authority continues, after an Erie County Legislature committee interviewed the two candidates for a three-year term on the board.

New York State should slash the number of people who are held after arrest because they can't come up with cash bail. That is the message the Erie County Legislature sent to Albany Thursday.

While the major issue on Thursday's agenda was next year's budget, the Erie County Legislature also passed two other significant pieces of legislation.

Majority Democrats passed the Erie County budget they wanted Thursday, with a lot of new spending and a tax cut. That is because the county is awash in cash, particularly because sales tax revenue is so far above expectations.

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 Executive Mark Poloncarz says the county is doing pretty well: jobs are up and county agencies are showing how well they can help members of the public. However, delivering his annual State of the County address Thursday, he said more needs to be done.