COUNTY OF ERIE
LOCAL LAW INTRO. NO.___-2009
LOCAL LAW NO.___-2009

A Local Law in relation to reducing the size of the Erie County Legislature and changing the term of office for members of the Erie County Legislature

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the County of Erie as follows:

SECTION 1. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the Legislature that the size of the Erie County Legislature be reduced from fifteen (15) members to thirteen (13) members to respond to the decline in the population of Erie County and to reduce the costs of government for the taxpayers of Erie County. It is further the intent of the Legislature to extend the term of office for a legislator from two (2) years to four (4) years thereby creating an opportunity for an increased focus on policy making and constituent service. It is further the intent of the Legislature that these proposed changes to the Erie County Charter be placed on the November, 2009 ballot as a referendum question. It is further the intent of the Legislature that the boundaries for the thirteen districts be determined in 2011 after the federal decennial census is taken in a manner consistent with Section 210 of the Erie County Charter.

SECTION 2. Erie County Local Law number one of nineteen hundred fifty-nine, as amended, constituting the Erie County Charter, is hereby amended to read as follows:

Article 1 of the Erie County Charter is hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 105. Legislative Districts. The County of Erie is hereby divided into fifteen thirteen districts, described as follows:

Section 106. Legislative districts, continued. The seventeen fifteen legislative districts as previously bounded and described by Local Law No. 2 1991 Local Law No. 4-2002, shall continue as such for the limited purpose of continuing in office the legislators presently elected from said districts and shall cease to exist as such on January 1, 2004 2012. For the purpose of the general election of 2003 2011 and all other purposes, except as herein before provided, the county of Erie is divided into fifteen thirteen districts, as described as contained in section hundred five herein.

Article 2 of the Erie County Charter is hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 201. County Legislature constituted. The county legislature shall be composed of fifteen thirteen members who shall be elected one from each of the fifteen thirteen districts set forth in section one hundred five hereof. The county legislators representing the fifteen thirteen districts heretofore or herein created, as the case may be, when lawfully convened shall constitute the county legislature which shall be the legislative and governing body of the county.

Section 202.2 Election and terms of office. County legislators shall first be elected at the general election in the year nineteen hundred sixty-seven and shall assume office on January first, nineteen hundred sixty-eight. All elected county legislators shall hold their respective offices for a term of two four years.

SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Local Law shall take effect on January 1, 2012.

SECTION 4. SEVERABILITY. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section or part of this Local Law or the application thereof, to any person, individual, corporation, firm, partnership, entity or circumstance, shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unconstitutional such order of judgment shall not affect, impair, or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section, or part of this Local Law or in its application to the person, individual, corporation, firm, partnership, entity, or circumstance directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment or order shall be rendered.

SPONSORED BY

LEGISLATOR LYNN M. MARINELLI
LEGISLATOR MARIA R. WHYTE
LEGISLATOR BARBARA MILLER WILLIAMS
LEGISLATOR DANIEL M. KOZUB
LEGISLATOR ROBERT B. REYNOLDS
LEGISLATOR BETTY JEAN GRANT
LEGISLATOR MICHELE M. IANNELLO
LEGISLATOR KATHY KONST
LEGISLATOR TIMOTHY M. WROBLEWSKI
LEGISLATOR THOMAS J. MAZUR

JUNE 5, 2009

COUNTY LEGISLATURE DEMOCRATS ANNOUNCE LOCAL LAW REDUCING LEGISLATURE, CONTINUING REFORMS

Erie County Legislature Chair Lynn M. Marinelli, Majority Leader Maria R. Whyte and Government Affairs Committee Chair Legislator Barbara Miller-Williams and Democratic County Legislators are sponsoring a local law reducing the number of County Legislators to 13 from its current 15 members today.

They are joined by County Legislators Betty Jean Grant, Michele M. Iannello, Kathy Konst, Daniel M. Kozub, Thomas J. Mazur, Robert B. Reynolds Jr. and Timothy M. Wroblewski.

The local law will also put to referendum an increase in the length of term for county legislature positions to four years from two years, as recommended by the Erie County Legislature 21st Century Commission.

"This action makes reform a reality and honors the work of the bipartisan 21st Century Commission. It also continues our pattern of reform with the Erie County Charter revisions, which won the voters' overwhelming approval," Chair Marinelli said.

"Our colleagues had many different positions on reform, but change only happens when we build a consensus. I am proud that this majority built a consensus for action by the people," Majority Leader Whyte said.

"The Erie County Legislature originally was made up of 20 members, was then downsized to 17 members and downsized again to 15 members in 2003," Legislature Chair Marinelli said. "My colleagues and I want to express our great and sincere appreciation to the work of the bipartisan 21st Century Commission."

"I am in favor of this downsizing as a part of an overall reduction in spending, in conjunction with my Taxpayer Protection Law, that, if passed, would save millions of dollars, not just thousands," Legislator Michele M. Iannello (D-Kenmore) said. "Both will be put before the voters in November."

"As the chair of the Government Affairs Committee, this body will continue to educate and inform all of our constituents in a fair and transparent manner, inclusive of public meetings and hearings, to encourage public input and participation," Legislator Miller-Williams said.

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