Sales tax income is sending Erie County government toward a multimillion- dollar year-end surplus, Comptroller Mark C. Poloncarz said Wednesday in analyzing the first nine months of the year.

Sales tax income has grown by 5.15 percent over 2006, said Poloncarz, who analyzes the budget independently from the county executive’s staff.

County Executive Joel A. Giambra’s budget officials also have said sales tax income has shown healthy growth. The growth is attributed largely to the strong Canadian dollar propelling Canadians to shop in Western New York to avoid their higher taxes.

Poloncarz said there are still issues that could derail a year-end surplus, and they must be sorted out with the state appointed control board.

mspina@buffnews.com

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