Assemblyman Michael Kearns now has the support of nearly two dozen fellow elected officials in calling for an emergency meeting of the New Stadium Working Group. The panel, formed to explore whether a new facility or a retrofit to Ralph Wilson Stadium is appropriate for the Buffalo Bills, held its last publicized meeting April 1.
Kearns, a Democrat, says taxpayers have a right to be informed.
"Taxpayers have spent over $95 million on renovation and we don't have a seat at the table. We don't have a seat to find out what is going on, how our taxpayer money is being spent," Kearns said.
Among those joining the call for more information about the process is Republican Assemblyman John Ceretto.
"Whenever government creates anything, any committee, that has to deal with taxpayers' dollars, it should be open and transparent. The taxpayers have a right to know and, in this situation, they need to know," Ceretto said.
Taxpayers are footing the bill for a stadium feasibility study for prospective new owners of the Bills, which was due last month.
Among the other lawmakers signing on to Kearns's letter to the stadium group's co-chairs are State Senator George Maziarz, Assemblyman David DiPietro, seven members of the Erie County Legislature, three Buffalo Common Council members, two West Seneca council members, Orchard Park Village Mayor John Wilson, and the supervisors of Newstead, Concord, Marilla, Orchard Park, and Elma.
