Some questions remain after members of Erie County Council voted on overturning a handful of vetoes from the Brenton Davis Administration.
From the proposed $561 million budget for 2023, there are a few hang up’s with vetoes that Erie County Council voted on in their most recent meeting.
Erie County Executive Brenton Davis vetoed 11 line items from the proposed 2023 budget. Following Thursday night’s county council meeting, he says it seems that all but 10 of the 11 line items are going to pass.
“I wanted that $737,500 to go to the Beehive Network to continue developing our entrepreneurial ecosystem, that was the dollar amount that I wanted to go to the Beehive. It’s still going there, it’s just going to be administered by ECGRA, and basically all the facets of that are going to be developed by the county anyway,” said Brenton Davis, Erie County Executive.
Davis said county council chose to strike a few of the line items, meaning no action was taken.
He says under the home rule charter, if either council makes an action and the executive does not sign off on it in 10 days or vice versa, then it becomes law.
Erie County Council Chairman Brian Shank says Friday is day nine.
“They are still active, according to Brenton Davis’ solicitor. Last night he gave a presentation to the news, he said well within two days they still become active. So as of Monday, those things that were struck, according to the county solicitor, are basically still active and they will come into play,” said Brian Shank, Erie County Council chairman.
Davis says the vetoes resulted in successfully vetoing American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds that results in a healthy return for the county.
“We’re going to have to put forward an ordinance for housekeeping purposes that cleans up the monetary amount to cover those vetoes,” said Brenton Davis, Erie County Executive. “We have a balance budget with no tax increase and we’re able to veto $3.7 million of ARPA funding that was added in at the eleventh hour.”
Davis says Erie County government is in good financial standing in terms of general fund balance.
