While Collins Claims Credit for Recent Job Growth, Reality is Erie County Has 10,700 Fewer Jobs and Unemployment is 2.4% Higher Than in June 2008

ERIE COUNTY, NY – Today, Mark Poloncarz, Erie County’s Comptroller and candidate for County Executive, refuted Chris Collins’ claims that recent job growth numbers prove that we’re better off today than we were four years ago by pointing out that Erie County still has 10,700 fewer jobs and unemployment is still 2.4 percent higher than it was in June 2008.1

“Chris Collins’ record on job creation is one of failure,” said Poloncarz. “While he is trying to take credit for modest job growth over the past year, I think the numbers speak very clearly for themselves: Erie County has 10,700 fewer jobs than in June 2008, his first year in office.  Moreover, since his election in November 2007, the county has lost 14,700 jobs and the unemployment rate is 3.1 percent higher now.”

Further demonstrating Chris Collins’ complete failure to address job creation in Erie County, a section entitled “Chris Creates Jobs” on his campaign website, which one would think might include highlights of economic development initiatives or examples of jobs he has created, is simply just a list of companies that Collins personally owns.

Poloncarz continued, “Until he started campaigning for reelection, it seems like the only economic development he focused on relates to the companies he personally owns. Even when he was provided more than $100 million in job-creating stimulus funding, he initially refused to spend a single dollar of it to create jobs for Erie County residents. During his first term in office, instead of focusing on job creation or retention of needed programs like libraries or rodent control efforts, he padded the county’s surplus so he could look good. This was not only a missed opportunity to put people back to work but it was a violation of the public’s trust.

“At the same time families drastically cut back spending in order to make ends meet, Collins handed out huge raises and $100,000-plus salaries to his top patronage appointees. He is out of touch with the difficulties faced by the hardworking men and women of Erie County and his actions show he just does not care. The citizens of Erie County deserve better.

“As County Executive, I will make it the top priority of my administration to create new jobs for Erie County – not just move jobs from one part of the county to another – but bring in new businesses to the region that will generate new jobs. During the upcoming weeks, I will be announcing my plans for job development and business creation in Erie County. Those plans will include modernization of the failed economic development system and tasking my Deputy County Executive to focus on job creation and sustainable economic development for Erie County.”

JOB NUMBERS IN ERIE COUNTY:
A QUICK LOOK

Source: New York State Department of Labor, “Data for New York State, Labor Market Regions, Metropolitan Areas, Counties, and Municipalities of at least 25,000 Population,” http://labor.ny.gov/stats/LSLAUS.shtm.

June 2011 – Current number of unemployed in Erie County = 36,400

June 2011 – Current unemployment rate in Erie County = 7.7%

November 2007 – Chris Collins elected County Executive

November 2007 – number of unemployed in Erie County = 21,700

November 2007 – unemployment rate = 4.6%

Difference in unemployment rate between Collins election and today = 3.1% higher

Since Collins elected, number of jobs lost in Erie County = 14,700

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