By Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz
I recently presented the 2024 State of the County address. I was happy to be in the presence of local elected officials, small business owners, leaders of various cultural and not-for-profit organizations, local high school students and various other community stakeholders as I shared my thoughts on the past year and what Erie County has planned as we continue to move forward by following my administration’s commitment to good government.
I discussed many initiatives and programs during my speech, including our innovative proposal to create a public defender’s office, our plans to establish a new countywide property assessment division, and the ongoing construction of the ErieNET broadband network. I also looked back at some of our most recent successes, including storefront revitalization efforts, the creation of the Erie County Ambulance Corps and renovation work at the Buffalo Convention Center.
My administration has plenty of reasons to celebrate, but I know that our work is not done. That is why I have laid out an ambitious plan of investments for the future because I know what a strong and resilient community Erie County is. Thanks in large part to the established partnerships and collaborative efforts we’ve undertaken with other entities, I know we will further our commitments to public health and safety and wise investments in local businesses throughout our community to help our economy continue to grow. I highlighted in my speech our historically low unemployment figures and the continued growth in population that Erie County is experiencing. I also reminded everyone that our current county property tax rate is the lowest ever, our debt load is one-half of what it was when I first took office and how our credit rating is the highest it has ever been.
County government is effective because we know how important it is to provide the services the public demands in a fiscally responsible manner. I can say with great confidence that the state of Erie County is strong and it is getting stronger every day. We did this by working together, and the end result is a better community for all. We met the many challenges that came before us over the past few years by taking action that always puts the desires of our citizens first. If you were not in attendance last month to hear my speech and still haven’t taken the time to watch it, I urge you to view the video of my presentation of the 2024 State of the County address by visiting www.you tube.com/ErieCountyNY.
I thank all who believe in and support our efforts. Your faith in my leadership is greatly appreciated, and I look forward to continuing to serve you as we provide to you the programs and services that you want and do so in an efficient and effective way.