WASHINGTON — Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz spent his day in Washington, talking to lawmakers about local spending.
He was one of five witnesses on Wednesday to testify to the House Budget Committee about how the feds can better help local governments deal with budget uncertainty.
"There's no part in some ways of county government that isn't touched by the federal government," he said. "From Medicaid to NF to the Army Corps of engineers helping us design a fish ladder for a dam so that we don't have invasive species going up a creek. So I would just say do no harm and understand that we're here to help and work with you as much as possible."
Poloncarz says he was asked because of his experience as a county executive and as a county comptroller during the last recession.