Erie County Times

Erie County issued the following announcement on Oct. 1.

County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper on Friday presented County Council with her administration’s proposed 2022 budget for Erie County. The $532.4 million budget includes no tax increase this year, which is in consideration of the large majority of our residents and businesses continuing to experience financial stress from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The factors most affecting the 2022 budget include:

• The addition of five positions within county government. These positions will ensure departments have all their work needs met and are able to run efficiently.
• Pension costs decreased by 1.85% and medical costs decreased by .84%. – a savings in part by the Dahlkemper administration’s efforts to increase employee wellness.
• Difference between last year’s proposed budget and this year’s proposed budget is $48 million. $26 million of this increase is due to American Rescue Plan Act funding being factored into the overall budget though it does not affect the general fund. This difference was also, in part attributable to state mandates for Department of Human Services and state-funded Department of Health expenses related to COVID-19.
• Pleasant Ridge Manor transfer of $1,486,283.

The amount of fund balance needed to balance the 2022 budget is less than $1.5 million. The county has a very healthy fund balance: The current level of the fund balance is $26.6 million over the required two-month expenditure level.

“I am grateful for the partnership with County Council over the last eight years to make great initiatives happen for the people of Erie County,” Dahlkemper said. “Initiatives such as the Erie County Community College, the Next Generation Public Safety Radio Project, Summer Jobs and More Program, the Blasco Idea Lab, the Corry Blue Zones Project and, most recently, the creation of a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission are truly transforming our community. By working together we have accomplished so much while remaining fiscally conservative and this 2022 budget proposal reflects this.”

The proposal was submitted to Erie County Council for review and approval by Dec. 1. Complete details of the proposal can be found at eriecountypa.gov.

Original source can be found here.