Better-than-expected sales tax returns have put Erie County's finances ahead of full-year projections, the comptroller's office reported Wednesday.

Mark Poloncarz said through September, sales tax collections and receipts for the first nine months of 2007 are 5.15 percent ahead of last year's pace. He said the county is trending towards ending the year not only with a balanced budget but a multi-million dollar surplus.

The comptroller cautioned, however, some factors may come into play in the final quarter.

"While this is good news there are still a number of policy matters to be decided that could impact the county's year-end position, such as whether Erie County is required to give the Erie County Medical Center Corp. $15 million by the end of this year as a capital subsidy for 2008, and whether the county or Erie County Fiscal Stability Authority will be borrowing for the county's 2007 capital program," Poloncarz said.

The report is available at www.erie.gov/comptroller/financial_statements.asp.

Copyright 2007 - Buffalo Business First