Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - For a second-straight year, Erie County lawmakers are being accused of holding up road construction projects. But West Seneca Republican Lindsay Lorigo denied any holdup in road work when she joined WBEN on Wednesday.
"Millions of dollars worth of projects are coming before us and in just a couple of weeks, we're going to find out how much we have in surplus funds. Last year it was projected to be $18 million. In reality, it turned out to be $96 million," she said.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz was pushing for a resolution last week that would have borrowed $56 million for roadwork and other county improvement projects.
Voting it down, Republicans called it irresponsible.
"We need to figure out how much cash we have on hand. This is about saving taxpayers money and being responsible watchdogs. We know that cash reserves are there." Republicans want to put cash toward the projects so that less money needs to be borrowed.
A bond resolution requires a two-thirds majority vote of the legislature, meaning it needs more support than the democratic majority.
Lorigo said lawmakers just learned of a vote on a bond resolution an hour before a vote was scheduled last week.
"It's March. These projects aren't starting yet. Two more weeks is not going to hold it up any longer," she said.