East Side Buffalo resident Charles Murray had one overriding concern during a meeting Monday on Erie County Executive Chris Collin’s 2008 capital projects budget:
What happened to plans to expand the Erie Community College City Campus that were included in former County Executive Joel Giambra’s capital projects budget plan last year?
Even though the County Legislature, by the requisite two-thirds majority, approved borrowing for the project, Giambra didn’t authorize further action on it, and it doesn’t look like Collins will, Murray was told during the meeting held in the community room of the Frank E. Merriweather Library at Jefferson Avenue and East Utica Street. “It was approved by the Legislature last year, but the county executive has the final power to say what I borrow,” County Comptroller Mark C. Poloncarz explained.
“And, as of right now, he says he does not intend on allowing me to borrow that money this year. It could happen next year, it could happen the year after that, or it could never happen, theoretically. The way the New York law works, if the Legislature approves a resolution and it’s not borrowed against within 10 years, it automatically dies,” Poloncarz added.
It was an answer that didn’t seem to sit well with the handful of residents who showed up for the meeting called by 7th District Legislator Betty Jean Grant and 3rd District Legislator Barbara Miller-Williams, both of them Democrats. Murray noticed that of the $58 million in tentative borrowing called for by Collins, none of it seemed to be for projects in the city, particularly the inner city.
“This is a lot of money, [but] there’s nothing coming into the city,” said Murray.
As comptroller, Poloncarz said he has already advanced money for some of the projects that were approved by a super majority of the Legislature in 2007, even though the county has not technically borrowed for them.
“Last year, I know there was money included for the ECC City Campus, which has already been spent at ECC, money included for the [Buffalo] Zoo. I don’t think there were a lot of other individual projects in the city. Most of the county projects are in relation to roads and bridges, which, of course, don’t benefit the city, but are usually in the suburbs,” Poloncarz said.
Grant said it was the intention of both her and Miller-Williams to seek city residents’ input on Collins’ proposed capital projects plan, which is why they called Monday’s community meeting.
The meeting also was attended by 12th District Legislator Robert B. Reynolds, a Hamburg Democrat who is the vice chairman of the Legislature’s Finance and Management Committee.
“What is going to be my incentive for voting for this, knowing I represent 7th District residents, and yet and still this budget does not presently impact us,” said Grant. “Anything for the city, that’s something I’m fighting for to get included in the [county’s] 2008 [capital projects] budget.”
Grant said she invited Collins to attend Monday’s meeting, but he had a prior commitment. She said the county executive offered to send a representative from his office, but none attended.
hmcneil@buffnews.com
Copyright 2008 - The Buffalo News
