Mark C. Poloncarz is Erie County's eighth County Executive. Before being elected as County Executive, Mark served as Erie County Comptroller for six years.
Now in his fourth term as County Executive, Mark works every day to ensure Erie County government is focused on its core mission: providing the programs and services that residents and taxpayers demand in an efficient and effective way. Under his guidance Erie County has enjoyed balanced budgets each year along with lower tax rates and increased investments in county roads, parks, libraries, and cultural organizations every year since 2012. Since Mark took office, Erie County's unemployment rate has fallen from nearly 9% to under 4% and 47,000 new jobs have been added to the economy.
Mark successfully negotiated a new stadium deal with the Buffalo Bills and New York State that will open in 2026 and keep the team here for 30 years. It is also the only deal of its kind with the NFL that included an Community Benefits Agreement. He also led the way in forming a countywide land bank, one of the first in NYS, to help municipalities cope with abandoned properties. Mark has been the driving force behind county efforts to introduce Public Art to communities, now in its 10th year with Buffalo AKG, and local economic development projects such as Renaissance Commerce Park, located at the former Bethlehem Steel site.
Throughout his tenure, County Executive Poloncarz and his administration have focused on the protection and promotion of the wellbeing of county residents through efforts such as: the Erie County Opioid Epidemic Task Force, leading through the COVID-19 pandemic, and responding to natural and man-made disasters including the December 2022 blizzard.
Mark's leadership has been critical to passing new local laws covering public health, governmental ethics, and fair housing, while staunchly advocating for women, seniors, veterans, the disabled, and the environment.
He is a graduate of Lackawanna Senior High School, the State University of New York at Buffalo, and the University of Toledo's College of Law. When time allows, Mark's recreational pursuits include golf, hockey, cross-country skiing, astronomy, and reading. A former youth hockey coach, he is an avid history buff and student of politics as well.