BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz announced Thursday that the Erie County Legislature approved, by a 6-3 vote, plans to:
- Allocate 2022 surplus funds to establish a new county ambulance service
- Funding for a feasibility study to plan and build a new holding center
- An additional $5 million for another round of Storefront Revitalization Program assistance
Poloncarz issued the following statement on the Legislature's vote:
“Today’s vote was an affirmation that we are moving Erie County in the right direction and I thank the members of the Legislature’s Majority caucus who voted to advance them. It is encouraging that these Legislators were able to see beyond their district lines and vote affirmatively for the new county ambulance service, something that will ultimately benefit all county residents, even though it may not reach into their districts. Protecting the public comes first as an elected official and that idea was reinforced today by Chairwoman Baskin and Legislators Johnson, Gilmour, Vinal, Bargnesi and Kooshoian who each voted to begin this lifesaving service, working on behalf of all county residents.
In addition, with Legislative support, the process will now begin a feasibility study that will include community voices to plan and build a new Holding Center. A modern Holding Center will require less staffing, protect the health and safety of both deputies and inmates, and lead to long-term cost savings for Erie County taxpayers. Furthermore, an additional $5 million was approved for a second round of small business assistance under our Storefront Revitalization Program, and much more. All of these are investments worth making, and I thank the Legislature for approving these initiatives.”
