Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Erie County Legislator Lindsay Lorigo is calling on State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli to conduct an independent review of the African American Cultural Center after a recent audit by Erie County Comptroller Kevin Hardwick uncovered, what she feels are, some troubling findings.
Lorigo says the audit, examining the center from 2020 through 2022, found that the organization was unable to provide basic financial documentation to substantiate the use of public grant funds, including bank statements, payroll records, accounting records, and financial statements.
She adds the audit cited a lack of internal controls and noted that the organization itself attributed missing records to poor record-keeping and alleged “pilfering” by former staff and board members.
“These are not minor paperwork issues,” Lorigo said on Friday. “The County Comptroller’s audit found that public funds could not be substantiated, internal controls were lacking, and records simply do not exist. When taxpayer dollars are involved, discussion alone is not enough. Accountability matters.”
Lorigo notes while the Erie County Legislature has requested a committee discussion with the County Comptroller, the severity of the audit’s findings warrants action beyond conversation.
“The audit speaks for itself,” she said. “When an independent auditor flags noncompliance, missing records, and failed oversight, it is appropriate to take the next step and ask the State Comptroller to review the matter.”
According to the audit, the African American Cultural Center received significant public funding during the audit period and has also received funding from other public sources beyond Erie County. Lorigo says that broader exposure of taxpayer dollars makes independent state-level review appropriate.
“This is about stewardship of public money,” she added. “Taxpayers deserve transparency, proper controls and clear documentation, regardless of the organization involved. Oversight is not optional.”
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz has also responded to the audit, saying the county is referring the matter to the New York State Attorney General for further review. He says Erie County did not provide any assistance to the center in 2025, and the county has not allocated any funding for the center for the 2026 budget year.