DUNKIRK - Despite all the debate that's happened online and around water coolers regarding the county's downsizing issue, few people have ever actually addressed the legislature during its monthly business meetings.
Then there's Silver Creek resident Chad Austin.
Austin has brought his concerns about downsizing to the legislature in the past, and spoke again during the body's meeting in Dunkirk.
In previous meetings, Austin has commented about how having fewer legislators will mean larger districts - which he believes will make it harder for the average county resident to run for office. Similarly, Austin spoke against cutting pay for legislators. Without those stipends, Austin argued, only people with the financial wherewithal would be able to serve in county government.
During the July meeting, Austin's comments centered wholly on the misconceptions people have about the issue. Specifically, Austin said that the people he has talked with believe county legislators make big money, when, in reality, their stipends are only $9,000 each.
"I did those numbers," Austin said. "You can make more part-time at McDonald's. Now, when I ask people what they think is going to happen when we downsize the legislature, they think we're going to save all this money. They are under the illusion that we are going to save hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars or millions of dollars."
From his conversations with other county residents, Austin said he has found that people think the legislators are paid anywhere from $50,000 to $220,000.
"People think that you guys make a huge amount of money, so the point that I am trying to make is there is a lot of people out there who really don't know how much money they would actually be saving," Austin said. "The amount of money that we would save, people think that this is going to fix our whole deficit problem and it's an illusion."
Austin went on to say that he has yet to hear an explanation of how reducing the size of the legislature will actually benefit county residents.
"I hear people say that we can do it with less, but how do I benefit from less," Austin asked. "How much money am I really going to save? Is it really worth it? I am starting to run under the assumption that this is just some kind of attempt for people to appease county employees who are upset for downsizing and that maybe it's just some attempt for certain legislators to make sure that they are one of those 17 who are reelected."