Legislature Amends County Budget Proposal BUFFALO (wned) - The proposed 2010 Erie County budget is one step closer to being adopted.

The Erie County Legislature amended County Executive Chris Collins billion-dollar plan during Wednesday's special session. Lawmakers increased funding for arts and culturals by $1-million and they saved two clinics on Buffalo's East Side by restoring more than $2-million for health services.

Collins said transfering the non-mandated services to not-for-profit agencies would save taxpayers money.

Finance and Management Committee Chairman Robert Reynolds says a transition plan for the clinics was never submitted by Collins.

"We have seen nothing, we have no state approval on this so we put the jobs back in and we put the doctors back in," Reynolds said.

Reynolds says the $1-billion proposed budget remains balanced and it includes no tax increase.

"The County Executive and his budget team will study the Legislature's amendments in detail over the holiday weekend to determine their full impact," said Collins spokesman Grant Loomis.

The County Legislature is scheduled to vote on the spending plan December 1st.

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