Erie County ended 2007 with a $9.3 million surplus, but the news could have been better, county Comptroller Mark C. Poloncarz said Tuesday.

The county’s general fund balance has now grown to $47.5 million from only $4.9 million at the end of 2004. “The 2007 results are very positive developments,” Poloncarz said in a release, adding that the good news reflects continued oversight from his office as well as increased fiscal discipline and careful budgeting and spending.

“These results also demonstrate that the county is well on the path towards greater fiscal stability, contrary to the statements of others,” Poloncarz said.

The 2007 surplus would have been larger were it not for an unbudgeted $8.9 million transfer payment for Erie County Medical Center Corporation and an approximately $4 million prior year audit adjustment to the state Department of Health, the comptroller noted.

Poloncarz said the county’s 2007 surplus could have been “dramatically higher” if the Erie County Fiscal Stability Authority allowed the county to engage in a tax lien sale, which was approved by the county executive, legislature and comptroller.

“This sale would have brought in over $30 million of additional revenue to the county, revenue which would have gone into surplus but is now unavailable due to the economic downturn in the national real estate industry,” Poloncarz said.

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