By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – Will the Erie County Legislature be able to avoid a county shut-down? Lawmakers were scheduled meet in special session at Tuesday morning to vote on a penny sales tax increase.
The county actually has until Friday to return a Home Rule Message back to the state asking to raise the sales tax. But Tuesday's special session has been schedule for consideration of the hike. Top county leaders warn that without the new sales tax revenues, vital services will be in jeopardy.
Many county departments are not waiting for the vote. Some emergency services have already be dismantled. And barricades are up at the entrances to all county parks, warning visitors of a shut-down. County Parks Commissioner Angelo Sedita says if the budget crisis is not resolved this week, parks will stay closed.
"We needed time to prepare the parks for closing," Sedita said. "On February 7th, some of our employees will be laid off. So the parks officially close February 7th if the budget situation remains the way it is today."
The county must deliver ten votes to Albany in order to raise the local sales tax. But so far, there are only nine in favor. Democrat Al DeBenedetti did say he would be the needed tenth vote if he received a promise from County Executive Joel Giambra that future spending would be cut even deeper.
But whether the vote will go off as planned is unclear. Chairman George Holt could recess the session in order to secure the 10 votes. DeBenedetti is now saying that he would issue his decision this week in time for Friday's Albany deadline.