Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz released his proposed 2027 county budget Thursday, calling it balanced and fiscally prudent and “very tight with no real bells and whistles.”
The $2.408 billion budget proposal is 5.5 percent higher than last year’s budget, with an additional $125 million in spending. The county executive blames President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which he calls ‘The Big Shift,’ for spending increases, stating that the federal legislation shifts service costs from Washington down to the state and county levels.
“The 2027 Budget is very tight, with no new programs or services except for the expected opening of Willowdale Park in 2027. This Budget funds the necessary and mandated programs that are critical to our community but is also cognizant of the burdens and obstacles that are coming because of congressional actions,” said Poloncarz in a prepared statement.
His administration includes examples such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), for which a 25 percent reduction in administrative reimbursement took effect October 1.
The county’s Property Tax Levy increases by 3.6 percent, or $12.7 million, but Poloncarz points out the county’s tax rate will be reduced from $3.09 per thousand dollars of assessed property to $3.01, which remains under New York State’s tax cap.
Poloncarz also states it’s the lowest property tax rate among the eight counties of Western New York.
County Legislator Lindsay Lorigo issued a written response to the budget release on behalf of the body’s political minority. She says Erie County government continues to get more expensive, and while the Poloncarz Administration may point to a lower property tax rate, the county will still collect millions more dollars under the spending plan.
“Year after year, county spending grows, and taxpayers are expected to absorb the cost. My approach is straightforward: scrutinize every dollar, challenge unnecessary spending, prioritize essential services and infrastructure and pursue meaningful tax relief,” she wrote. “Erie County taxpayers deserve a government that lives within its means, not one that continually asks them to pay more. The 2027 budget must be about responsible spending and accountability, not simply finding ways to grow county government.”
Lorigo also questioned the addition of 32 jobs while eliminating 35 vacant positions. She also noted the Willowdale Park and Golf Course, questioning whether the project is the right priority when roads and infrastructure need to be addressed.
The Erie County Legislature now has the budget in its hands and, after a series of hearings, is expected to vote on it in early December.