Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz presented his proposed 2026 county budget on Wednesday morning.
The $2.1 billion budget proposal features a property tax decrease of $0.20. Poloncarz wants to lower property taxes to $3.09 per thousand dollars of assessed value, down from $3.29 per thousand last year.
“Once again, my administration has crafted a balanced and fiscally prudent Proposed Budget that meets the needs of our constituents, while also holding the line on taxes. However, while we were able to accomplish those important goals, it was not easy to do so based on the internal and external pressures facing county government, pressures which will only grow in 2027 and beyond,” said Poloncarz.
The proposed budget also raises the property tax levy – the total amount of money the county collects in property taxes – by 1.5%, or $5 million.
“It’s a 39% decrease in the tax rate since 2012 or $1.94 per thousand,” Poloncarz said. “And when you do a comparison to the other counties in Western New York, it is the lowest by far at $3.09. The closest after that would be in Niagara County at $4.83.”
The proposed budget now heads to the desk of the Erie County Legislature for a vote in December.
“We are limiting spending to the implementation of existing initiatives and holding steady for now…I look forward to having conversations with the members of the Legislature about this Proposed Budget and why we need to begin preparing now for the significant negative changes that will be coming in 2027 and beyond,” Poloncarz said.