By Joyce Kryszak
Buffalo, NY – Erie County Executive Joel Giambra announced a proposal Thursday to lower the county's cost for health care benefits. Giambra is calling on non-union county employees to contribute ten percent to their health care in 2006.
Employees retiring after January would contribute 15 percent.
Giambra says if the County Legislature approves the plan, it would save the county $350,000 next year. He is also hoping that it would prompt union employees to do the same.
Giambra says the county could save $6 million a year if unionized employees agreed to the same concessions on benefits.