Skip to content

In the News

Erie County pilot program to target ‘benefits cliff’

Blog Categories

BUFFALO, N.Y. (Spectrum News 1) — Erie County leaders announced a new pilot program aimed to help the working poor.

County Executive Mark Poloncarz introduced the Live Well Erie Workforce Development Pilot Project that connects employers, employees and community resources to help people who receive social services overcome the “benefits cliff.”

“The cliff works in such a way that if you make one more dollar, you lose 100%,” said Dottie Gallagher, Buffalo Niagara Partnership president and CEO. “There’s no smoothing, which is what there should be to create an incentive for people to actually invest in themselves.”

Related Posts

The Buffalo Niagara Partnership announces second cohort of Minority-Owned Business Initiative Program Expanded to Respond to Applicant Needs

By communications@thepartnership.org | June 1, 2023

The Buffalo Niagara Partnership’s (BNP’s) Minority Business Initiative (MBI) strives to eliminate the obstacles that have long hindered minority business ownership by providing minority-owned businesses access to BNP’s extensive resources and networks to build their business. The 2023 cohort was announced at today’s DEI Symposium and includes two tracks to better serve participant needs. The MBI Program is funded through generous underwriting of Bank of America, National Grid, and the Buffalo Niagara Partnership.

Another Voice: Proposed recycling reform would harm manufacturers

By mcotter@thepartnership.org | May 31, 2023

BUFFALO, N.Y. (The Buffalo News) — New York lawmakers are rightfully looking to address the problem of plastic waste. One of Albany’s proposed solutions is an extended producer responsibility (EPR) bill called the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (S.4246/A.5322).

Note to Albany: Pushing workers over ‘benefits cliff’ makes no sense

By mcotter@thepartnership.org | May 24, 2023

BUFFALO, N.Y. (The Buffalo News) — If the moral imperative of making work pay doesn’t prompt compensation adequate for a decent life – and clearly it often doesn’t – maybe the impact on the economy of penalizing workers for bettering themselves will change some minds.

Buffalo Niagara tourism builds back from Covid crash, but faces challenges

By mcotter@thepartnership.org | May 19, 2023

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — As the weather gets warmer, tourism in the Buffalo Niagara region becomes more visible – whether it’s the blue ponchos at the Maid of the Mist or convention attendees making their way down Franklin street to the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center.