Thread by @Nate_McMurray

OPEN LETTER: Erie County is in a crisis. A crisis we have sadly become accustomed to.
Yesterday, I announced my campaign for Erie County Executive. I talked about improving our economy, making it a bubble up, rather a trickle-down model.

1/24

I talked about how our current economy was based on poverty, with too many people either living paycheck-to-paycheck or afraid to speak out against leadership because they may lose their job.

2/24

To put it bluntly, too many people either work for the system or can't find much work at all. The County Executive (who has been in county-wide office for nearly 20 years) said in response that quote, he has "managed Erie County to its best financial condition in history.”

3/24

In history? Really? If I may, that sort of exaggeration sounds a lot like other political leaders we have all endured recently. Does Erie County feel like it’s having some golden moment? Are we not surrounded by wealth and abundance or poverty and blight?

4/24

LET'S LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
According to the U.S. Census Bureau:
Erie County’s poverty rate is a shameful 13.7%—that’s more than two points above the national average and means that about 3 of every 20 people you see are living below the poverty line in Erie County.

5/24

The median household income in Erie County is nearly 17% below that of New York State–that’s an average of $27,359 lower than the State average.
We remain one of the most economically and racially segregated places in America.

6/24

Consider that 13% of the county’s population is Black, while in the City of Buffalo alone that rate is 40%, and in Buffalo’s East Side that number is 80%. We live in two separate worlds, which only hurts us.

7/24

Nearly 30% of Erie County’s population lives in the City of Buffalo, which remains the third poorest city in America, with a poverty rate of 27.6%—nearly three times the national average, and virtually unchanged for decades.

8/24

That means that almost three of every 10 people in Buffalo lives in poverty. And according to The Wall Street Journal, we have the second-worst job market in the nation, just after Rochester.

9/24

For years, career politicians have been telling us that Buffalo is experiencing a renaissance, a resurgence, a rebirth. While that might be the case for a select few, the statistics clearly tell a very different story.

10/24

It is true that that Erie County is flush with COVID money—money I failed to put to good use preparing for the storm that took so many lives. But many of us are soc clearly struggling every day, living paycheck to paycheck, barely able to make ends meet.

11/24

If you’re not living this right now, you almost certainly know someone who is–a relative, a neighbor. And it’s realty that we have made excuses for, become sadly accosted to. We can no longer not accept mediocrity as success.

12/24

I say this not to cause undue quarrel with our current County Executive. In fact, I reached out t him to speak about his legacy before I announced my candidacy. Sadly, he did not respond. I now ask him, publicly, to debate me on these issues.

13/24

OUR CURRENT LEADERSHIP HAS HAD DECADES
Our County Executive looks pretty young, but he has been in county office nearly two decades. He’s been leading Erie County since before certain people of voting age even were born.

14/24

Whether it’s the presidency or the county executive, leadership posts are not meant to be lifetime positions. Let me ask you, what has materially changed in those two decades of his leadership? I'm not talking about a minor construction project.

15/24

Especially in comparison to our rival cities, what has materially changed? And what has actually gotten worse. 2022 was maybe the worst year in Erie County history. When you take a position of leadership, you need to be held accountable for your actions and inactions.

16/24

And in December 2022, we experienced an incredible failure of leadership tht left 46 Erie County residents dead, many of them frozen to death in their homes or outside. We had the national guard arresting citizens who had no food for breaking into grocery stores.

17/24

This horrible event symbolized the grim economic reality for many in Erie County County.

WE CAN CHANGE OR ACCEPT THE STATUS QUO

We have two choices: We can make excuses and bury our heads, or we can try a new way, strive for a new vision.

18/24

I believe in Erie County. We can make this a place where:

• Jobs are awarded based on qualifications and not politics.

• The County Executive's office listens to you, works with you, rather than dictates to you

19/24

• Government devotes its attention toward creating real jobs (not hail Mary giveaways to mega corporations) by helping local small businesses first

• Infrastructure is in good repair and when the fear of freezing to death each winter is a distant memory.

20/24

• The political process is open to all–new voices, outsiders, real people

• The conveniences of modern transportation systems are reality and not some impossible pipe dream.

21/24

• When everyone can earn a living wage and we just don’t ignore the dire poverty all around us, hungry children in Buffalo.

• When young people don’t have to move away for a fulfilling career.

• When elected leaders in Erie County finally get stuff done #GSD.

22/24

This is my vision for Erie County, and I know many of you share this vision. I come to you humbly, without idealism, and without malice or jade. We are not in the best financial shape in history. It stares reason in the face to claim it so.

23/24

Help me be your next County Executive, so we can finally face reality, bring real change.

With love for all and hope for our future,

Nate McMurray

24/24

Read the whole plan at:

nateforerie.com