The Erie County Legislature approved a ban on plastic microbeads Thursday. Legislators also wrangled over a state plan to raise the minimum wage in some fast food restaurants and over a demand that Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz meet with legislators about the problems in Child Protective Services.
As expected, legislators passed a bill calling for a ban of products containing plastic microbeads. Considered to be the strongest such measure in the nation, the ban passed on a unanimous vote.
Microbeads are a problem because they go through sewage treatment plants and into waterways and into fish. Mills says clean water is too important an asset to ignore problems.
"You look down the Thruway to Cleveland, Ohio and a little further down to Toledo. You see this green mess which is called algae. It's a direct result of not monitoring your waterways, and allowing phosphates and chemicals to enter Lake Erie, causing massive problems with your fishery down there and your ability to swim and also public safety and drinking water," said Mills.
The ban takes effect in six months to allow stores to sell their remaining stock of products that contain the beads.
Thursday's session then moved into two big fights, one over raising the minimum wage for fast food workers and an attempt to force County Executive Mark Poloncarz to attend a committee meeting to talk about continuing problems in Child Protective Services.
"We've had too many children die under the auspices of Child Protective Services," said Legislator Ted Morton
"It's something we are fortunate a while has gone by before there's been any other tragedies. But, again, the rate of improvement in my opinion has been far too low."
The county has spent millions adding managers and caseworkers in CPS but many don't stay and the caseload continues to grow. Poloncarz has refused to attend a special Legislature session just to talk about CPS.
A contentious debate ensued over raising the minimum wage for fast food workers.
"I have family members who are working in Walmarts. They're not teenagers trying to subsidize their entertainment as they live at home," said Legislator Betty Jean Grant.
"They are head of household and when they apply for these jobs, they are told to apply for Social Services. They are told to apply for Medicaid. They are told to apply for food stamps. They are told to apply for day care subsidies."
In pushing for the increased minimum wage, Governor Cuomo has maintained that low-wage workers are currently receiving $700 million in state subsidies.
Legislator Ed Rath blasted the process for raising the minimum wage.
"This was adopted through a politically-appointed committee. So, we didn't have representatives voting on this. We had people who weren't even stakeholders in this industry."
