By Mark Scott
Buffalo, NY – Several state legislators from the area are calling on Erie County Executive Joel Giambra to keep a promise he made over the summer to help the city of Buffalo.
When several Assembly Democrats called on him to share a portion of the county's extra one percent sales tax, Giambra said no, arguing the county needs that money to pay for escalating Medicaid costs. He then challenged legislators to reform Medicaid and reduce the county's burden, pledging to share half of all savings with the financially strapped city.
Assemblyman Sam Hoyt says that's just what the state Legislature did. Now, he says, it's time for Giambra to make good.
"With the state passing the law that gives Erie County $13 million in Medicaid relief, he should now give 50 percent of that to the city of Buffalo," Hoyt said. "We're simply asking the county executive to keep his pledge."
However, the $13 million does not represent new money for the county. It consists of advance payments made over a ten year period that will now be written off by the state.
But Hoyt said that doesn't matter. Whether it's loan forgiveness or new money, "relief is relief," he said.
But Giambra told WBFO News Tuesday morning that the state relief is an accounting measure that does not reduce the county's Medicaid burden. While he has no plans to share half of the $13 million in relief, Giambra did say his administration continues to pursue ways of helping the city through mergers and consolidations.