Despite a hard control board, the elected Erie County Legislature's duty is to approve an annual Erie County Budget. The Legislature's goal is to amend and adopt a balanced budget that reflects fiscal stability and the efficient delivery of services.

The Legislature has completed interviewing county department heads as a first step in the 2007 budget process following many hours of hearing by the Finance, Management and Budget Committee.

Committee members and legislators are studying budget cost centers to contain costs while preserving basic services and fulfill mandates imposed on counties by the state and federal governments. We have very limited control of mandated costs, which are the biggest percentage of yearly costs. Discretionary spending such as parks, libraries and culturals is a small part of the budget. Hopefully, new leadership in Albany will work toward reducing the cost of state mandates such as Medicaid and incarceration supervision.

The County Legislature will hold its budget public hearing at 5 p.m. Monday, November 27, in the County Legislature Chambers on the Fourth Floor of Old County Hall, 92 Franklin Street, Buffalo. All county residents are welcome to make comments on the budget proposal under consideration by the County Legislature. Constituents are also welcome and encouraged to call, write or e-mail their district representatives with questions or comments on county budget issues.

The full County Legislature will be presented with the 2007 at a special session at 1 p.m. Wednesday, November 29, also in the County Legislature Chambers. By charter, the Legislature's deadline is the first Tuesday in December to approve a budget.

I would like to thank the many voters overwhelmingly voted for Erie County Proposition No. 1, which updates changes to the Erie County Charter. Most changes were recommended by the Erie County Charter Revision Commission and unanimously approved by the Erie County Legislature. I started this reform effort in the spring of 2004 and the outcome - by over a 70 percent approval - is the most comprehensive overhauls since Erie County was first chartered in 1959.

These changes improve accountability, enact reform and tighten budget and fiscal practices, particularly in granting increased powers to the County Comptroller.

We also realize that reforming how Erie County conducts business, in financial and service areas, is a continuing process. As chair of the County Legislature, I am establishing a working group to implement the next steps and to continue investigating where the County Charter and code need to keep moving forward.

I appreciate your comments by contacting my neighborhood office at 832-0493 or by email at Marinelli@erie.gov.

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