Erie County holds hearing on downsizing

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Erie County lawmakers are taking a serious look at four different downsizing proposals.

This has really become a controversial issue for lawmakers and for the public, but you wouldn't know it from the turnout from the public hearing.

Emin Egriu is only one of four people that showed up to speak at this public hearing. The number may have been small, but their voices were loud and clear on the proposal to downsize the Erie County Legislature.

Egriu is a businessman in Buffalo. He said, "I feel the government is too much. I mean, way too much. We have all the little towns and villages having their own representatives and then we have them representing us here."

Catherine Rieley-Goodard was on the 21st commission that recommended downsizing. She, however, does not support the proposal.

"I don't really see any specific reason to downsize this particular layer of government. There's so many other places where we could consolidate and make changes," said Rieley-Goodard.

Tea Party activist Rus Thompson said, "One of the problems we are having, all over New York State, is layer, upon layer, upon layer, upon layer of government."

Downsizing advocate Kevin Gaughan said, "Some of the esteemed members of this body agree [that we] should reduce this legislature from 15 to nine members."

The legislature already approved the measure to downsize from 15 to 13 members, but County Executive Chris Collins vetoed the proposal because it increased term limits. As of now, lawmakers have four proposals on the table.

Legislature Chair Barbara Miller-Williams said, "Well, it's my hope that as a body we can come together and come up with some type of compromise."

"I believe moving forward this legislature needs to embrace the downsizing effort," said one commenter.

Another said, "It's going to hurt the people that need to be represented the most if it's downsized too much."

The legislature does plan to have some type of proposal on the ballot coming up this November.