Dear Resident:
I am proud to present you, the taxpayers of Erie County, with the Erie County Clerk’s Annual Report for 2022.
It was another busy year for the County Clerk’s Office. We processed $156 million in transactions and generated a $4.7 million surplus. Those surplus funds were transferred into the County’s general fund to support vital services countywide.
Moving forward, federal REAL ID requirements, which were to take effect its May 3rd, 2023, will now become effective May 7th, 2025. Once the federal REAL ID requirements take effect all driver’s licenses and non-driver identification cards must meet federal REAL ID standards to be used for domestic air travel and entering certain federal facilities. Erie County Auto Bureaus are expecting an increased customer volume as people rush to comply with the federal guidelines as the deadline to comply draws nearer. Servicing more customers than normal will be challenging but also provide an opportunity for generating increased revenues. The County Clerk’s Office has been preparing for this by conducting an on-going campaign to educate the public about REAL ID requirements and encourage people to obtain REAL ID compliant identification from one of our Erie County Auto Bureaus in advance of the deadline.
The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (NYS DMV) continues to expand the number of online services available through their website, which could lead to more people transacting their business remotely with NYS DMV rather than in person at Erie County Auto Bureaus. In recognition of this, the Erie County Clerk’s Office has been conducting a “Renew Local” campaign. The campaign aims to educate local residents and businesses that when they conduct their DMV business through an Erie County Auto Bureau they are also ensuring that 12.7% of the revenue from their transaction will remain here in Erie County. Additionally, our office began processing in-office bulk mail renewal transactions for New York State, which resulted in nearly 50,000 additional transactions. These transactions were previously processed by NYS, with Erie County not receiving any revenue. The County Clerk’s Office has also implemented strategies designed to enhance customer service at County Auto Bureaus such as extending business hours, streamlining transactions for high-volume customers, and ensuring employees are available to provide guidance, answer questions, and, if necessary, contact NYS DMV on behalf of customers in real time.
The Erie County Clerk’s Office will face new challenges in 2023 and beyond. Residents and businesses can rest assured however that through strategic planning, willingness to embrace change and the unwavering dedication, hard work, and professionalism of our employees the County Clerk’s Office remains well-positioned for success. We are always looking for ways to become more efficient and provide a better customer service experience and will continue to evaluate our internal processes and procedures in 2023.
In closing, I want to thank all of our government partners for their continued support and once again commend the employees of the Clerk’s Office for their professionalism and unwavering commitment to serving the residents and businesses of Erie County during difficult times. Additionally, I want to personally thank you for allowing me to represent you as your Erie County Clerk. It is an honor and I look forward to serving you as we continue to "Drive Erie County Forward."
Sincerely,
