Posted by Rachel Kingston
June 15, 2009

Erie County's sales tax revenues are down 8.98% for the month of April, 2009.

That's according to County Comptroller Mark Poloncarz. Poloncarz says data from New York State also indicates that Erie County's sales tax revenues are 6.01% below budget for the first four months of 2009.

The numbers don't line up with those provided by County Executive Chris Collins' administration. Collins' latest April 2009 budget monitoring report estimates year-to-date sales tax revenue is $5.5 million below budget. Poloncarz says, in reality, that number is actually $7.38 million.

In a letter to county legislators and Collins, Poloncarz warned against "over-dependence on sales tax to support operations."

"While we only have four full months of sales tax data to analyze, the trend is negative and worsening," reads an excerpt from the Comptroller's letter.

Poloncarz says the county's sales tax revenues will need "close monitoring" throughout the rest of the year.

Copyright, WGRZ NBC-2, 2009.