ALBANY - It appears no longer a question of if, but rather when a control board will be up and running to oversee Erie County's finances, which were criticized in a stinging audit Monday by State Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi.
State lawmakers vowed in the aftermath of Hevesi's findings - and his call for a control board - to install some type of oversight panel by the time they end their 2005 session, now scheduled for June 23.
"Now that it's got the weight of the state comptroller behind it, I think it's a virtual certainty," Assembly Majority Leader Paul A. Tokasz, D-Cheektowaga, said of a control board. Within an hour of Hevesi's audit and his call for a control board, Tokasz and State Sen. Dale M. Volker, R-Depew, rushed to demand a panel's formation.
"It's certainly inevitable," Volker said of a control board.
Top state lawmakers are rejecting the idea of merging Erie County under the auspices of the existing Buffalo control board. One idea is to ban all "political" elements from a county board, which would prohibit Giambra from being named to the panel; Giambra and Mayor Anthony M. Masiello sit on the Buffalo board.
While a control board could, if Buffalo's panel is any guide, run into battles with public employee unions, even a top state union leader came out for a control board. Danny Donohue, the state president of the Civil Service Employees Association, which represents county workers, said an oversight panel "is now needed to protect our members and the other taxpayers of Erie County from further long-term harm."
http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial...07/1019772.asp
dont get to excited about a state control board for the county
across the state counties have increased the sales tax to 9% and most county taxes are higher then eries. sure we might have more fees but the state looks at sales tax and property tax first.
they will demand a raise in sales tax and property tax befor anything else happens
king joel will be able to sit back and grin as he says "see I told you so"
One good thing about growing old is your secrets are safe with your friends they can't remember them either
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote