MAYVILLE – The Jamestown Post-Journal is reporting this morning that Chautauqua County lawmakers have mixed feelings on a local law amendment that would require a super-majority vote for fund balance appropriations.
Earlier this week, both the Chautauqua County Legislature’s administrative services committee and the Audit and control committee discussed the amendment, which is being sponsored by Keith Ahlstrom (D-Dunkirk). The amendment is in reaction to efforts by lawmakers in recent months to use money from the county fund balance to help pay for various projects. One of those projects involved $1.36 million as a matching grant for the county home, while another involved $50,000 for the removal of weeds on Chautauqua Lake. Both mid-year budget adjustments required a simple majority of 13 votes and came after lawmakers learned of a $10 million fund balance surplus left over from the 2011 budget.
According to the article, Majority Leader Larry Barmore (R-Gerry) said he was indifferent to the super majority requirement, but felt lawmakers should have a say in the matter. If approved, the amendment would require two-thirds of the legislature, currently 17 votes, to transfer funds out of the unappropriated, unreserved fund balance. The amendment failed in the Administrative services committee but passed yesterday in the Audit and control committee. It will go before the full legislature next week and would need 17 votes to pass.
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