By Mark Scott
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-941621.mp3
Buffalo, NY – A day after he was harshly criticized by some members of the Erie County Legislature, a top foundation leader in Buffalo announced Tuesday the local philanthropic community will go it alone in funding arts and cultural groups.
Robert Gioia, president of the John R. Oishei Foundation says he will no longer work with the county. Instead, he says local donors will provide as much as $600,000 in funding to arts groups who were frozen out of the 2011 county budget by County Executive Chris Collins.
Buffalo Democrat Lynn Marinelli said it should never have come to this point.
"It's unfortunate that the funds we had done within the budget process were not able to be obtained because their weren't the requesite votes for an override," Marinelli said.
On Monday, several Democratic legislators accused Gioia of conspiring with Collins and Legislature Democrats and derailing their attempt to fully fund arts groups.
Gioia did say he would still welcome financial support from the county for the arts initiative but that it will only be accepted without conditions.