I am happy to report that an agreement has been worked out between County Executive Chris Collins and the Erie County Fiscal Stability Authority, more commonly known as the Control Board, regarding capital borrowing. This agreement will allow capital borrowing to occur to fund improvements to Erie County's roads, bridges and infrastructure. The lack of a legal agreement has left the County unable to proceed with most capital improvements since 2006. Only a handful of emergency repairs were allowed to proceed during this time, causing our roads and bridges to crumble and public safety to be jeopardized.

The delay also put federal and state matching funds for many of these projects in jeopardy. As a result of much hard work and negotiation between the County Executive and the Control Board, Erie County will secure approximately $103 million to dedicate to capital projects throughout the county. In particular, work on Tonawanda Creek Road will continue and the Parkview Drive Bridge repairs can begin. This agreement is a victory for the taxpayers of Erie County.

On the same day that taxpayers celebrated a victory, the majority in the legislature forced Erie County to take a major step backward by voting to create an Erie County Planning Board. I am vehemently opposed to such a board. A planning board will harm economic growth and development in the region. Essentially, the planning board will create an extra level of government, on top of already existing municipal planning boards. Individuals and businesses will have to seek recommendations regarding any development projects from a County Board that has no power but will cost taxpayers hundreds of thousand of dollars per year.

While the goal of preventing sprawl is admirable, the creation of this planning board neither meets this goal nor encourages strategic growth. Rather than create and encourage opportunities for businesses to establish and grow, the board will merely prevent growth from occurring in areas desirable to individuals and businesses and force growth opportunities outside of Erie County altogether. Economic development thrives when individuals and businesses are allowed to make educated decisions from a variety of choices on how best to develop. This planning board merely allows bureaucrats to restrict opportunities and inhibit development. The planning board is bad for economic growth and bad for Erie County. I support County Executive Collins' stated intention to veto this law.

As always, I would like to hear your thoughts on Erie County's infrastructure and the planning board. Please do not hesitate to contact me at my District Office, located at 8180 Main Street.. I can also be contacted at 631-7650 or by e-mail at raymond.walter@erie.gov.

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