Press Releases: 07/31/08 COUNTY LEGISLATOR IANNELLO ANNOUNCES FREE RABIES CLINIC SCHEDULED AT SPCA AUGUST 20 07/29/08 COUNTY LEGISLATOR IANNELLO ANNOUNCES THREE SUMMER ACTIVITY PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE 07/25/08 LEGISLATOR IANNELLO APPLAUDS COUNTY'S GREEN COMPUTING INITIATIVE 05/20/08 LEGISLATOR IANNELLO PARTICIPATES IN ENVIRONMENTAL FORUM 05/07/08 LEGISLATORS IANNELLO AND KONST RELEASE 2008 DEVELOPMENT PACKAGE

Michele M. Iannello - District 10 May 10, 2006 LEGISLATOR IANNELLO DISCUSSES CHARTER REVISION In my first monthly article I discussed four major points of the Reform Agenda proposed by Legislators Konst, Locklear and myself. In this report, I want to touch on Article V, Structural Reform for Erie County final Article in the reform package. There are three alternative forms of County Government. Prior to 1961 we were governed by a Board of Supervisors. Our current 2 Branch System balances an elective lawmaking body, the Legislature, in harmony with an elected and strong County Executive. Other forms include: County Manager who reports to the County Executive and the County Legislature. County Manager reporting to a Board of Supervisors. The Legislature would be replaced by a 9 member Board of Supervisors made up of town supervisors, city mayors and the 9 member Buffalo City Council (with a weighted vote to protect "one man, one vote") County Manager reporting to a full time Legislature. I personally feel our current system has proven itself and can work. In 1998 Erie County was selected as the best run County in America as announced in American Government Magazine. The system worked then, under County Executive Dennis Gorski and the system has not been altered. How did we go from the best-run county in the nation to the recent fiscal debacle and fiscal crisis requiring a Fiscal Stability Authority? The answer is easy. I is not the system that failed, it is the individuals who failed. Property taxes were cut by 40% and spending increased on a spiral that seemed to have no end until the bottom fell out in December 2004. Today's fiscal crisis is a result of a lack of accountability and a lack of monitoring. This new Legislature, the class of 2006, is minding the store. We have called for audits, quarterly reports, a mid year report and we are monitoring every expenditure and have learned to say, "No." I believe that by the end of the year you will see a balanced budget in place for 2007. It will take us more than one year to repair the careless spending of our predecessors but we are making progress. This will be done with hours, weeks, and months of effort by 15 elected Legislators, 12 of who are new and dedicated to efficient and open government. I don't believe we need the Fiscal Stability Authority that is costing additional tax dollars in consulting fees, travel, meals and office rent that have already been in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The FSA was created and funded by the State but to date has not come up with one recommendation. One recommendation I have suggested would be for the Fiscal Stability Authority to fund and provide the Legislature with a Budget Analyst. The Charter Revision Commission has suggested a County Manager who would report to the County Executive and be selected by the County Executive. I feel this is another layer of government that is already too big. If the County Executive selects the County Manager, as suggested, this would not be a balance of power. The County Executive would create policy and the manager would implement said policy. We have a balance of power as the system exists, an Executive Branch and a Legislative Branch. Let the process get back on its feet with reform, cooperation and constant monitoring. Back to District 10 Homepage