BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - It's a dire warning from the Erie County Executive. Are deep cuts and steep layoffs looming?
A lot will depend on whether Washington delivers stimulus money to Erie County next year, but based on a decline in sales tax and property tax revenue, the County Executive is putting everyone on alert.
Erie County Executive Chris Collins said, "We're preparing for the worst case, and I think that's the prudent thing to do.
The worst case for Erie County workers could mean a major round of layoffs, and cuts to their departments, to help close a potential $36 million deficit.
"I've challenged the other elected officials and all of our commissioners to look at a 20 percent cut in discretionary spending," said Collins.
Erie County District Attorney Frank Sedita immediately met with the County Executive saying he already has fewer prosecutors than other counties the size of Erie.
Sedita said, "The citizens of this county have a right to have their case prosecuted in a timely fashion. It's not like road projects. You can't say, "Well, we'll get to it next year, when maybe the budget will be a little bit better.""
The culturals would also be hit. The Buffalo Zoo is up for its professional accreditation next year, and financial stability is one of the things that is considered.
Buffalo Zoo President/CEP Donna Fernandes said, "Colleagues around the county only would want to deal with accredited facilities. If they have to place their animals at other zoos, they generally only want to deal with accredited zoos, so it would be difficult for us to obtain any future animals."
The zoo says a $300,000 cut would be devastating. Even the taxpayer's watchdog would be cut back, cuts the County Comptroller says would cause delays of payments to vendors.
Erie County Comptroller Mark Poloncarz said, "This would be a permanent delay that would exist because we wouldn't have the staff on hand to actually deal with the checks."
In one department, News 4 was told employees broke down in tears after learning of the potential for layoffs. They had been through the so-called "red and green budget" during the Giambra administration, when hundreds of workers were laid off and county services suffered.
