Written Testimony on HB 161 — Hank S. Solowiej, Erie County Administrator

Summary

Written testimony on HB 161 from Hank S. Solowiej, CPA, who identifies himself as the County Administrator in Erie County. The testimony states that the short-term rental market has caused a budget strain on Erie County and that call volume related to short-term rentals has increased. It states support for HB 161 because additional funds from applying the sales tax to short-term rentals would help offset law enforcement costs. It adds that sales tax revenue makes up over 50% of the total General Fund revenue.

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“Written Testimony on HB 161 — Hank S. Solowiej, Erie County Administrator.” Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2025-04-30-development-testimony-testimony-5576-b7850a289b/, SHA-256 5545f5acde625849b4c626d77a138c629b4f1292e8bfd3facba64ec5a1936b12.

Full text

                                         TESTIMONY ON HB 161



Thank you for the opportunity to provide written testimony on HB 161. My name is Hank S. Solowiej,
CPA, and I am the County Administrator in Erie County. Erie County has blossomed into a year-round
tourist destination and as such, the short-term rental property market has exploded. The short-term
rental market has also caused a significant budget strain on Erie County. From code enforcement to police
and EMS services, the call volume related to short-term rentals has skyrocketed in the past several years.
I support HB 161 because any additional funds generated by applying the sales tax to short-term rentals
would help offset the cost of the law enforcement related to these short term rentals. The Sheriff
Department’s budget is the largest part of our General Fund and we’ve also seen a significant increase in
costs related to hiring, recruiting, and retaining our Sheriff Deputies since 2020. Our sales tax revenue
makes up over 50% of our total General Fund revenue. Broadening the sales tax base will provide greater
flexibility for us to manage our budget and continue to provide needed services for residents and visitors
alike. Again, thank you for the opportunity to provide written testimony on HB 161.




Hank S. Solowiej, CPA

Erie County Administrator

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