Poloncarz delivers 2024 State of the County address

Hundreds gather at Buffalo AKG Art Museum for address; Erie County executive highlights success of past initiatives, outlines new proposals for public defender’s office, workforce development, more

Submitted by the Press Secretary to the County Executive

On Wednesday, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz was joined by elected officials, business and community leaders, members of the cultural and not-for-profit communities, and concerned citizens as he delivered his 2024 State of the County address in the recently refurbished auditorium of the Buffalo AKG Art Museum.

Hundreds of county residents were in attendance as the county executive’s 11^th State of the County address spotlighted not only the growth of Erie County but also updated progress on numerous initiatives from prior years. Poloncarz also outlined new initiatives addressing public health and safety, assessment reform, workforce development, the creation of an Erie Corps to give youth more job and career opportunities, and a renewable diesel pilot program for the Erie County fleet.

“My administration has promoted good government throughout my time in office and the results are showing,” Poloncarz said. “Unemployment and our property tax rate are at historic lows while our GDP is larger than seven states and several countries. Our population is rising, and investments in parks, libraries, small businesses, and the cultural community are paying off. Erie County today is better off than it was by many metrics, and we continue to improve. However, we are not done. We will continue to do the vital work of bringing people together, strengthening neighborhoods, protecting our natural resources, and building a better Erie County for the future. All of us have a role in that, just as we have a role in responding to the issues of our time and ensuring that our democratic principles and the rule of law are protected for future generations.”

Among the major new initiatives proposed by Poloncarz during the sweeping address: the establishment of a working group to lay the groundwork to plan for the creation of a public defender’s office in Erie County, which would improve the quality of public defense, bring oversight to the indigent defense agencies, and save taxpayer dollars; the creation of a countywide assessor’s office to improve fairness, equity and accuracy in property assessments countywide; and the creation of an Erie Corps, similar in spirit to the Civilian Conservation Corps created by President Franklin Roosevelt as a major part of his New Deal, to better protect our natural assets and to give our youth more job and career opportunities.

The 2024 State of the County address can be seen at Erie County’s YouTube site.