BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Because a final state budget could still be weeks away, the indecision in Albany has put Erie County in a large financial hole.

Erie County Comptroller Mark Poloncarz says the county is owed $132 million by the state, with more than $73 million of that three months overdue.

The county fronts money for health and human services and transportation projects and is supposed to be reimbursed by the state for those services.

"The budget office of New York State is saying it still may be 3 or 4 more weeks before we get our cash, I can't wait 3 or 4 weeks," Poloncarz said. "I need my cash within the next week or 2. Beyond that, I'm going to have to act to protect the taxpayers of Erie County, so that we don't have a shutdown here because of what's going on in Albany."

If money isn't received by the end of July, the county would be forced to delay payments to vendors and borrow money from banks.

Copyright 2010 YNN