Canadian shoppers help boost Erie County's tax revenue The USA Times

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Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Canadian shoppers help boost Erie County's tax revenue

(AP Photo/David Duprey)

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Canadian shoppers are being credited for helping to boost Erie County's sales tax revenues over the US$400 million mark for the first time.

Financial officials with the county, which includes the city of Buffalo, tell the Buffalo News that sales tax receipts for 2011 increased by 4.5 per cent to just under $401 million.

County officials attribute much of the growth to strong retail sales fuelled by Canadian shoppers.

A recent report by the county comptroller's office projects that the county would end 2011 with a $26 million budgetary surplus once the year's finances are tallied.

Sales tax revenue in the Buffalo area has fluctuated in recent years as the economy sputtered.