The 2026 Erie County budget has now been finalized. Tensions in the council chambers rose after County Executive Brenton Davis vetoed more than one million dollars in funding. In response, County Council moved to overturn 18 of the Executive’s budget ordinance vetoes.
The council remains undecided on a potential tax increase. But some major decisions were finalized tonight: funding was approved for the Booker T. Washington Center, the Martin Luther King Center, and various ARP-funded initiatives.
At the same time, cuts were applied to the 2026 gaming-fund allocations for several organizations, including Diverse Erie and Erie’s Black Wall Street. Of the roughly two dozen amendments vetoed by County Executive Brenton Davis, the council managed to override 14, while four failed to pass.
Both councilmembers and residents said the revised line items represent a mix of progress and setbacks for Erie’s future.
Erie County Executive Brenton Davis gave Erie News Now a statement saying, “First and foremost, I will veto the Council Democrats’ proposed tax increase, along with another $1 million in unbudgeted funds for DEI—duplicative programs that have failed to demonstrate a return on investment to taxpayers.”