'Majority Caucus' blows it on Niagara County budget

Tuesday, November 30, 2025

We can’t begin to express our disappointment at the so-called “Majority Caucus” of the Niagara County Legislature.

The group, which campaigned two years ago on a platform of change, has proven — despite big talk from members who have been in the Legislature for years, like Chairman Bill Ross, Majority Leader Mal Needler — that it’s committed to business as usual in Lockport.

That means another tax increase. This year’s version is expected to be 6 percent. It would have been even worse, but rather than show some spine and make needed cuts, legislators decided to dip into the county’s reserve fund.

This is a dangerous practice, and we agree with North Tonawanda’s Bill Davignon, who called the practice fiscally unsound. But the logic seems to be, why deal with problems today when you can put them off till tomorrow?

In addition to that foolhardy practice, the majority ignored the advice of County Manager Gregg Lewis, who recommended the following cuts:

n Clerk of the legislature — a patronage position

n The county auditor’s position

n Benefits for part-time employees

Lewis also recommended an increase in county fees and the sale of the county golf course.

Did the majority caucus listen? Of course not. They’d rather just pass the buck — and the bill — to taxpayers.

When Niagara County Republican Chairman Henry Wojtaszek and state Sen. George Maziarz successfully schemed to get certain Democrats elected, we hoped that would mean a change in the way county government is run.

It hasn’t.

The only goal of government here remains clear cut: Take care of your cronies and the taxpayers be damned.
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