On July 1st, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz gave his State of the County Address, detailing the accomplishments of Erie County Government over the course of 2020 into 2021. Aside from thanking the resident healthcare workers for their long days and nights of work as they faced the unknown, his speech could be summed up in one sentence: last year, the government continued to take your money to fix the problems that the government created. While some county bureaucrats made six-figures in overtime pay, families struggling due to the lockdown went without meals. While the government ensured renters would not be evicted from their homes, the homeless were disregarded in the midst of the pandemic. As small businesses struggled to survive the strict rules and regulations set in place, the Erie County Health Department assisted by the Erie County Sheriff’s Department did not hesitate to revoke licenses and close businesses that for many were their only source of income. Residents were told to “stay home, save lives” while being forced to lose their livelihoods and purpose, creating an increase in relapses and mental health disorders. County politicians and bureaucrats profited off of their lockdown while Erie County residents struggled to survive, and Mark Poloncarz is proud of that fact.
Erie County Libertarian Party Chairman Duane Whitmer stated: “Without admitting to the unintended consequences of the lockdown, politicians in Erie County took more of your money to fund their bureaucratic jobs programs, while kicking pennies to those they’ve harmed by their actions. Mark Poloncarz’s speech should have stated: ‘our Erie County Jobs Program is well taken care of thanks to our lockdown. We don’t know what to say about the increase in overdoses, violence and crime, but don’t forget to pay your taxes–our salaries depend on it’.”
The Erie County Libertarian Party is the recognized affiliate of the Libertarian Party of New York, fighting for smaller government, decentralization, and the individual.
