Elma, NY — Christine Czarnik, candidate for Erie County Comptroller, today slammed current Comptroller Kevin Hardwick for his complete failure to exercise oversight over the ErieNet project — a $36 million taxpayer-funded disaster that remains incomplete, over budget, and cloaked in secrecy.

 

“Kevin Hardwick has been asleep at the switch while ErieNet is collapsing before our eyes,” Czarnik said. “Taxpayers were promised expanded broadband access. Instead, they’ve been handed broken promises, wasted dollars, and absolutely no accountability — and Hardwick is nowhere to be found.”

 

ErieNet, launched with fanfare in 2019, was supposed to bring high-speed internet to underserved communities across Erie County. The project was slated for completion by 2021. Today, it remains unfinished and its finances murky with no direction from its Executive Director who is a clear political appointment.

 

“Appointing an unqualified, politically connected candidate to a $100,000 per year job with no experience was a recipe for disaster. This poor hiring decision is costing taxpayers their hard earned money.“ said Czarnik.

 

Despite these glaring red flags, Hardwick has refused to use the Comptroller’s office to audit, investigate, or even question where the money has gone.

 

“This is exactly why we need a professional, not a career politician, in the Comptroller’s office,” Czarnik continued. “Hardwick has failed to ask the hard questions, failed to audit, and failed to protect taxpayers. The taxpayers deserve better than excuses and political cover-ups. As Comptroller, I will make transparency and accountability the rule — not the exception,” Czarnik concluded.