Erie County Legislator John Mills to Retire After Nearly 50 Years of Public Service

The longest-serving current member of the Erie County Legislature will not seek re-election after over two decades in office.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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John Mills, the 79-year-old Republican Erie County Legislator who has served for 21 years, announced that he will not seek re-election and will retire at the end of his current term. Mills first entered public service in 1974 and has held various elected positions over the past five decades, including 22 years on the Orchard Park Town Council and 4 years on the Zoning Board before being elected to the County Legislature in 2005.

Why it matters

Mills' retirement marks the end of an era in Erie County politics, as he has been a fixture in local government for nearly half a century. His departure will create an open seat that is likely to be hotly contested, and his decision not to seek re-election reflects broader changes in the political landscape, with Mills lamenting the increased partisanship and lack of willingness among newer politicians to work across the aisle.

The details

During his time in the County Legislature, Mills helped lead a Republican revolution that saw the party take control of the body in 2013, and he served as the first Republican chairman of the Legislature in 36 years. He is proud of his work to improve the county's financial situation, with the fund balance growing from $6 million to $180 million, as well as his efforts to preserve infrastructure and community assets like the toboggan runs at Chestnut Ridge Park. However, Mills believes the county still spends too much money, criticizing the $37 million spent on the ErieNet broadband project.

  • Mills first took office in the Erie County Legislature in January 2006.
  • The Republican Party took control of the Erie County Legislature in 2013.
  • Mills announced he will not seek re-election in 2026.

The players

John Mills

A 79-year-old Republican who has served as an Erie County Legislator for 21 years, making him the longest-serving current member of the Legislature. Prior to that, he served on the Orchard Park Town Council for 22 years and the Zoning Board for 4 years.

Chris Collins

The former Erie County Executive who worked with Mills to increase funding for Chestnut Ridge Park.

Mark Poloncarz

The current Erie County Executive who has also worked with Mills to increase funding for Chestnut Ridge Park.

Thomas A. Loughran

A Democratic Erie County Legislator who worked with Mills in a bipartisan effort to reduce the number of members of the County Legislature.

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What they’re saying

“Before this, I served on the Orchard Park town council for 22 years and four years in the zoning board before that, and a year on the Public Safety Committee before that. So I've been in government almost 48 years.”

— John Mills, Erie County Legislator (WGRZ-TV)

“One of the things I encountered when I first walked in as a legislator was the administration at that time wanted to take down the toboggan run at Chestnut Ridge. Orchard Park is my hometown. Those toboggans were put up there by the WPA program back in the 30s, and they wanted to tear them down because they thought they were a liability. And I went to the news and went to the TV stations and aggressively focused on keeping those toboggans, and look at what they look like now.”

— John Mills, Erie County Legislator (WGRZ-TV)

What’s next

The Erie County Republican Party will need to select a new candidate to run for the 11th district seat in the 2026 election.

The takeaway

John Mills' retirement after nearly 50 years in public service marks the end of an era in Erie County politics. His departure highlights the changing nature of local government, with Mills lamenting the increased partisanship and lack of willingness among newer politicians to work across the aisle to get things done.