Charter-mandated precursor to full budget release on October 15 outlines total General Fund Budget, cost drivers, property tax levy/rate changes
Property Tax Rate to decrease by twenty cents per thousand of assessed value,
to $3.09 per thousand
ERIE COUNTY, NY— The Poloncarz administration today submitted the 2026 Budget Revenues and Expenses Report (“the Report”) to the Erie County Comptroller, a charter-mandated action antecedent to the release of the full 2026 Budget on October 15. The proposed 2026 General Fund totals $2.081 billion, along with conservative sales tax growth of 1.5% vs. 2025 projected year end results. Additionally, the county’s property tax rate is set to be pared again, by $0.20, to $3.09 because of robust assessment growth. The Poloncarz administration has reduced the property tax rate by 39%, or $1.94 per thousand of assessed value, since taking office in 2012. As a result Erie County’s property tax rate is the 11th-lowest in New York State, far lower than the closest WNY county (Niagara, which is $1.74 per thousand higher).
“With today’s submission to the Comptroller my administration is completing its charter-mandated course of action and will be ready to release the full 2026 proposed budget on October 15,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “This is a tight and sound budget that once again reduces the property tax rate while staying under the tax cap and maintaining funding for the programs and services that residents demand. I look forward to releasing the full budget in two weeks.”
Significant budgetary cost drivers in the report include overall personnel expense growth, pension costs, increased Intergovernmental Transfer (“IGT”) costs for ECMC, and increases in Social Services’ Safety Net costs. The full 2026 Proposed Budget will be released on October 15.
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