Erie County Legislature Majority Leader Joseph Lorigo responds to the County Executive taking credit for the 2015 surplus.

“I found the County Executive’s statement today to be rather disingenuous because he never attempted to return millions of dollars to fund balance. In fact, he proposed spending the fund balance down to approximately $300,000 and the only reason he has $7.64 million to boast about is because the Legislature put the brakes on his excessive spending. We refused to spend every penny he asked us to and had we approved his proposals we’d be looking at an extremely small surplus, if any.

“Lastly, throughout the first seven months of this year, the County Executive blasted the Legislature for opposing any of his spending proposals. He tried to pressure and shame members into going along with his plan, which would have run the surplus down to nearly zero. What he is touting in his statement today is not the result of his leadership or ‘careful stewardship of taxpayer dollars.’ He can only proclaim savings because the Legislature forced him to get his spending under control.  Without Legislative action, money returned to fund balance at the end of 2015 would have been the lowest since the red/green budget.”

For additional information, or to speak with Legislator Lorigo, please contact his Legislative Office at 858-8922; email joseph.lorigo@erie.gov; or visit www.erie.gov/legislature/district10.