Focuses On First Plank: Job Creation and Economic Development

ERIE COUNTY, NY – In a press conference on Buffalo’s East Side today, Mark Poloncarz revisited the “7 in 11” plan that he has been rolling out this summer and fall. Poloncarz’s 7 points for 2011 is his plan for the future of Erie County. Today, Poloncarz discussed the first plank: job creation and economic development.

“When elected County Executive, my first priority will be to create jobs,” Poloncarz said. “On Chris Collins’ watch, there are 14,000 less jobs in Erie County. My opponent has not done enough to improve the economy of this county and people have had enough. I will aggressively work to create jobs, bring new businesses into the county and get our skilled workforce back on the payroll.”

Poloncarz’s economic development plan includes tasking his Deputy County Executive with job creation as his or her main focus. This person will work to put all existing partners on the same page so that we are not working against one another, but together. Poloncarz also wants to concentrate heavily on attracting Canadian businesses from the Greater Toronto area. Erie County’s proximity to Canada should make it the natural choice for any Canadian business looking to expand into the United States. Another part of the plan will be to consolidate Erie County’s industrial and municipal development agencies into a “one-stop shop” for economic development to reduce infighting among towns, villages and cities who historically poach businesses from one another. The result has been shifting jobs from one area of the county to the other, instead of attracting new businesses to come into Erie County. Although we have lost significant population, much of our remaining population is out of work. Erie County has many natural advantages: its proximity to Canada, its skilled workforce and relatively low start-up costs.

“My opponent has said Erie County must grow or die and that we should hold him accountable for his actions. Unfortunately, Erie County hasn’t grown over the past four years. This November 8, let’s hold him accountable. We must grow our economy so that we can keep our young people here, which will help slow population decline. Erie County deserves a County Executive who will measure his success by whether you can make ends meet. When elected, I will work on your behalf to grow our economy and put people back to work,” Poloncarz said.

Poloncarz’s full jobs plan is “Growing Jobs: Creating an Economic Development System that Works for Erie County.” Tomorrow’s press conference will focus on further points of the “7 in 11” plan: preserving libraries and arts and cultural institutions.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *