BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz unveiled his proposed 2027 budget Thursday, a spending plan totaling just over $2.4 billion across all operating funds.
The proposal represents a 5.4% increase over the county’s approved 2026 budget.
While the county’s property tax levy has increased by 3.6%, or $12.7 million, the property tax rate would decrease by eight cents to $3.01 per $1,000 of assessed value.
Poloncarz said about 88% of the proposed budget is driven by state and federal requirements and union contracts.
The county executive also said the spending plan accounts for the possibility of costs shifting from the federal government to state and local governments if changes aren't made to the federal legislation known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
“It’s a balanced budget, it’s a fair budget. It doesn’t have any bells and whistles,” Poloncarz said. “It’s not something like you often see in budgets. You see folks introduce new types of programs and initiatives. That’s not here. It’s a steady-as-she-goes budget, knowing that there’s a lot of rough waters ahead if the big ugly bill is not changed.”
Erie County Legislator Lindsay Lorigo, a Republican, pushed back on Poloncarz’s focus on the federal government, saying the county should also be looking to Albany over the mandates it faces.
“The reality is most of our mandates come from the state, and that’s where the county executive should be standing up, and standing up for the residents of Erie County so we don’t have to foot those bills,” Lorigo said. “Unfortunately, he’d rather blame the federal government when he could be having these conversations with his good friend Kathy Hochul.”
The proposed budget now heads to the Erie County Legislature for review, with a vote expected in December.
Lorigo said she expects lawmakers to discuss possible amendments, including taking a closer look at future investment proposed for Willowdale Park.
