Once again a bad deal comes back to bite us in the ass. Even Reynolds is starting to point out job creations though. This is just a drop in the bucket with over 4500 employees in county governmemnt.

Erie Co. Budget

When it comes to the budget Erie County legislators are trying to plan for a rainy day. For tax payers that could be ECMCC. In the next 2 years this year Erie County could owe ECMCC millions for maintenance and improvements. If it’s not paid by the end of each calendar year the county faces a financial penalty of $150,000 a month. There are also concerns about millions more in debt payments Erie County is responsible for when the hospital became a public benefit corporation and was basically mortgaged or sold to itself. Your cost now, according to Comptroller Mark Poloncarz is $200 million in principal and interest. “We’re gonna have to pay that, unless the state (New York) comes in and says we do not have to. Were going to have to pay it.” said Poloncarz.

County Executive Joel Giambra is hoping a merger between ECMCC and Kaleida Health would mean no more debt because the state would pick up the tab. But there is no guarantee, and legislators know it. “Right now take a conservative view and say were going to have to fund this. Thats why we have the hard control board hard right now.” said Legislator John Mills.

It’s on the minds of the Erie County Legislature now in the middle of budget hearings. Legislators heard from group after group including libraries, and theater groups asking for your money. All of it combined with ECMCC’s possible debt could mean a rainy day. It could mean a tax hike, but like residents have heard some many times before cuts are coming first. “My philosophy has always been to downsize government and you go to personnel immediately.” said Mills. “They created 56 jobs in social services. They created 15 jobs in parole. They created 10 jobs in another part of the department.” said Legislator Robert Reynolds.

ECMCC has reduced the county subsidy for operations from $28 million to zero in only three years. In 2007, the county operating subsidy is $8.4 million, down dramatically from annual subsidies ranging from $25 million to $30 million a year in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

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