Erie County Comptroller Stefan I. Mychajliw recently updated school districts throughout Erie County on their share of collected sales tax from the first quarter of the year. Checks that support programs and services for children, teachers and administrators have been delivered to Erie County to school superintendents. Grand Island School District's share totals $837,310.65.
"The partnership between Erie County and school districts has been extremely valuable for our communities. The sales tax revenue, generated in large part thanks to our Canadian neighbors who come here to shop, is used in countless ways to support students, teachers and districts. Compared to other counties throughout the state, Erie County shares a larger percentage of the sales tax with schools. I have the deepest respect for public education and I'm proud to be a strong partner with our schools," said Mychajliw, himself a product of public schools through his attendance at Buffalo Public School No. 33 and the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts.
This quarter, Erie County shared a total of $24,181,409.63 with school districts.
The amount a school district receives in sales tax revenue from the county was set in agreement between the county, and the three Cities of Buffalo, Lackawanna, and Tonawanda. The agreement, signed in 1977, forbids the three cities from enacting their own citywide sales tax, which they have the authority to do under state law, in exchange for the county sharing some of the revenue they collect with them, other towns and villages and school districts. In 2017, Erie County shared more than $ 94,892,770 with school districts.
"I will fight to protect public schools, to make sure this critically important revenue stream isn't threatened or taken away by the politicians. This money should stay right where it is: in the classroom to benefit kids, teachers and our communities across Erie County," concluded Mychajliw.
