By Michael Mroziak & Eileen Buckley
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-927186.mp3
Buffalo, NY – Erie County Executive Chris Collins took the wraps of his proposed 2011 spending plan Friday.
Collins told reporters his budget keeps property taxes the same, while addressing an estimated $30 million deficit. He says that would be accomplished through more selective spending and the elimination of more than 400 jobs.
"No increase in our tax rate in 2011. We will remain at $5.03 per thousand, which is one of the lowest in all of New York State," said Collins.
Public safety departments will see no job or spending cuts. Tourism would see a slight increase in funding. But Collins is proposing to make extensive cuts to the number of auditor jobs within the County Comptroller's office.
Collins called the many audits conducted by Comptroller Mark Poloncarz and his team as "political fishing expeditions". Collins said he believes they are a waste of taxpayer dollars.
The County Executive is proposing is a 36% cut to comptroller's office. It would leave him with just two auditors.
But Poloncarz said Collins is putting petty politics above the job of providing basic services to taxpayers and is trying to kill the office of the watchdog.
"With today's actions the county executive is trying to end the oversight of him and others by this office. He is trying to kill the independent taxpayer watchdog. He is trying to eliminate the checks and balances required by Erie County's Charter so that he can run the county in any way he sees fit, regardless of whether the county is able to function as a result," said Poloncarz.
Democratic county lawmaker Marie Whyte is very concerned about several areas of the proposed budget. She's upset with the County Executive's proposed cuts, not only to the culturals, but also to the Summer Youth programs and the comptroller's auditors.
"The choices that he has made a very anti-urban, very anti-people, in the sense that the actually don't protect the public good," said Whyte.
But Republican lawmaker Ed Rath tells WBFO News it a fair and well-thought-out budget.
"Erie County is saddled with massively spirllling, costs to the upside. I it's our pension obligations, if it's our medical insurance, if it's our increased responsibility for our medicaid costs we need tough decision and I believe this budget makes those tough decisions," said Rath.
Cultural spending would take a hit. Collins said funding will be limited to just ten agencies that are drawing tourists and generating their own income.