BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Community members gathered at Erie County Hall to voice their concerns about the county's 2024 budget proposal — specifically the money allocated to the sheriff's office.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz is requesting $185.5 million from the legislature with a $31.5 million increase for the Erie County Sheriff's Office budget this upcoming year.
Many community organizations took the microphone at the legislature's public hearing on Thursday, hoping to convince government officials to put the sheriff's money to alternative uses.
"Invest that in our futures. Invest that in our community," Alia Williams, organizer at VOICE Buffalo, said. "It's no secret that investment in youth programming increases the quality of life of our young people, of our families and our community as a whole."
Those opposed to the budget used props to illustrate how much money the sheriff's budget versus youth programming receives — using bags to represent the sheriff's money and dimes to represent the money for youth.
Organizers also called for this money to go towards a different form of emergency response.
"We must invest in a community responder model because we, all of us, deserve to be met with care and compassion — especially when we are in need," Phylicia Brown of Black Love Resists in the Rust said.
This model provides those in need with assistance from mental health experts rather than traditional responders.
"We need a fourth response, not firefighters, not EMT, not police. Community response," Adam Selon, an organizer, said. "There are so many issues when you get into the nitty-gritty of how we are serving this community."
7 News reached out to the Erie County Sheriff's Office for comment and is waiting on a response.
