Sep. 20, 2006 - The president and CEO of ECMCC, the hospital that gets millions of your tax dollars, is getting a big bonus. Mike Young, who's salary is $410,970 is getting an extra $99,750. The hospital's chief financial officer, who's salary is $265,000 is getting $28,167 extra. "My contention is that we should not be paying bonuses to public authorities at a time when they lose money. " said Erie County Comptroller Mark Poloncarz.

Poloncarz tells 7 News the hospital lost more than 17-million in 2005 and is project to lose more than 7 and a half million this year. It is not a time for raises. The hospital board of directors however disagrees releasing a statement saying quote, "Today this experienced management team has exceeded every clinical and financial goal set by the board of directors which has resulted in a 28 million dollar turn around in financial performance in the past 20 months. Even with extraordinary results the management team is paid below the national average."

7 News found it is also lower than other hospital CEO's in Western New York. The latest financial information available shows in 2004 Kaleida's CEO got over $1.4 million, Catholic health $683,000, Roswell Park over $660,000. All of those hospitals get government money.

"I'll glad to take that 24 % just like he got." said CSEA's Joan Bender. Those raises don't sit well with union leaders whose workers are being asked to take concessions to help the hospital make money. "While they're getting jipped because there such good hard working willing employees to turn the hospital around somebody else is getting... reaping the rewards of their hard labor." said Bender.

The comptroller is also concerned about how the bonuses were approved, in executive session behind closed doors. "It's a decision that has to take place in the public and not behind the closed doors of an executive directors meeting. " said Poloncarz.