BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Erie County Legislator Joe Lorigo (C-10th District) has introduced a proposed local law that would put in place a residency requirement for all future county workers.
WEB EXTRA: Click here to see the full proposal for the Erie County Residency Act
It would be similar to laws in several neighboring counties, including: Niagara, Genesee, Wyoming, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua.
Lorigo's proposal would grandfather in current workers who do not live in Erie County, but would require all new employees to live in the county from the date of hire and through the entirety of county employment.
No departments or types of jobs are exempt from the law; however, some exemptions could be made if "it is deemed by the Commissioner of Personnel to be impossible to fill a vacancy with a current resident of Erie County." Such an exception would require a super majority vote of the legislature, and that employee would only have 6 months to move into the county.
Legislator Betty Jean Grant (D-Chairperson) expressed her support for the law. So did the County Executive Mark Poloncarz, whose spokesperson said "(Poloncarz) would be supportive of such a measure and would sign it if it were on his desk."
According to the Department of Personnel, Erie County has about 4,200 county workers. Lorigo said around 50 do not live in Erie County.