Budget committee OKs about 65 posts
By Denise Jewell Gee
December 2, 2011
About 65 jobs will likely be put back into the Erie County budget when the Legislature meets Tuesday.
The Legislature’s budget committee voted Friday to restore about 50 social services jobs, a rodent-control program, funding for Operation Prime Time, seven positions in the Comptroller’s Office, a deputy commissioner of emergency medical services and an assistant district attorney.
The committee also agreed to give about $900,000 to arts and cultural organizations that previously had been shut out of the budget and to grant long-awaited cost-of-living raises to assistant district attorneys.
The budget restorations, if approved by the full Legislature on Tuesday, would be offset by about $5 million in budget cuts to several lines that lawmakers believe were overfunded. Those include a “risk retention” fund for legal settlements, workers’ compensation, fringe benefits and other lines.
“The amendment is balanced,” said Legislator Lynn M. Marinelli, a Democrat from the Town of Tonawanda. “There’s no tax increase.”
The Legislature’s Finance, Management and Budget Committee — made up of five Democrats and three legislators who caucus with Republicans — approved the changes unanimously.
Minority Leader John J. Mills, a Republican from Orchard Park, said all sides “gave a little bit” as budget talks progressed.
“It’s the first time since I’ve been in the Legislature since 2006 where we had almost total agreement on everything,” Mills said. “I think we crafted a fair budget for everyone. I think what our constituents do not want to see is legislators and people in government fighting among each other over petty political issues.”
Mills noted that Republicans who supported the budget proposal were able to convince their Democratic colleagues to restore $600,000 they had planned to cut from the county road fund. Instead, money was found in other areas to offset the programs they wanted to restore.
County lawmakers expect to recoup about $2.3 million for some of the restored social services positions because the county receives state and federal reimbursements for those jobs.
Many of the committee’s changes reflected budget priorities outlined by County Comptroller Mark C. Poloncarz, who will become county executive next month. Poloncarz had identified about $5 million in budget lines he believed were overfunded when he met with legislators last month.
County Executive Chris Collins in October proposed a $1.05 billion budget for 2012 that cut more than 300 jobs — about half of which were vacant — but included no tax increase. Many of those job cuts will stand under the latest budget proposal.
Mills said Collins was consulted throughout discussions on the budget leading up to Friday’s committee meeting.
“Without his agreement on certain things, then he would have vetoed certain items,” Mills said. “At this point, we do not believe he is going to veto, because we were able to craft a fair budget that takes care of all the needs of the people we represent.”
The full Legislature will vote on the proposed changes during its annual budget meeting on Tuesday.
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