Mark Poloncarz
Encyclopedia
Mark C. Poloncarz is the current county comptroller and county executive-elect of Erie County, New York
. Poloncarz, a Democrat
was elected county executive-elect on November 8, 2011 after defeating the incumbent county executive Chris Collins a Republican
by a 53 - 47 percentage point margin. Poloncarz is only the 2nd Democrat to be elected to the position of county executive in the 51 year history of the position.
Poloncarz was first elected Erie County Comptroller in 2005 and was re-elected in 2009 in a three person race by defeating Republican Phil Kadet and Independence Party candidate Michael Abramo by a 52 - 45 - 3 percentage point margin, respectively. Prior to being elected comptroller Poloncarz was an American
business and finance lawyer
residing in Buffalo
, New York
.
Poloncarz was first elected county comptroller on a platform of restoring fiscal stability and accountability to the county by acting as the taxpayers "watchdog." He is the first comptroller to be elected after a state control board was created and imposed over the county to oversee county finances. While he was the endorsed candidate of the county Democratic party, he defeated 2 challengers in the primary and then a Republican in the general election.
Poloncarz has a bachelor's degree from the University at Buffalo
and a law degree from the University of Toledo
.
Poloncarz was the 2003 - 2004 Buffalo
and western New York
coordinator and spokesman for the John Kerry
presidential campaign. He was an at large district delegate for John Kerry
at the 2004 Democratic National Convention
and to Hillary Clinton at the 2008 Democratic National Convention
. Poloncarz was the founder and first president of the WNY Coalition for Progress, a progressive think tank in upstate New York
which later became the Western New York Democrats for Progress.
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
. Poloncarz, a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
was elected county executive-elect on November 8, 2011 after defeating the incumbent county executive Chris Collins a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
by a 53 - 47 percentage point margin. Poloncarz is only the 2nd Democrat to be elected to the position of county executive in the 51 year history of the position.
Poloncarz was first elected Erie County Comptroller in 2005 and was re-elected in 2009 in a three person race by defeating Republican Phil Kadet and Independence Party candidate Michael Abramo by a 52 - 45 - 3 percentage point margin, respectively. Prior to being elected comptroller Poloncarz was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
business and finance lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
residing in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Poloncarz was first elected county comptroller on a platform of restoring fiscal stability and accountability to the county by acting as the taxpayers "watchdog." He is the first comptroller to be elected after a state control board was created and imposed over the county to oversee county finances. While he was the endorsed candidate of the county Democratic party, he defeated 2 challengers in the primary and then a Republican in the general election.
Poloncarz has a bachelor's degree from the University at Buffalo
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, also commonly known as the University at Buffalo or UB, is a public research university and a "University Center" in the State University of New York system. The university was founded by Millard Fillmore in 1846. UB has multiple campuses...
and a law degree from the University of Toledo
University of Toledo
The University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:...
.
Poloncarz was the 2003 - 2004 Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
and western New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
coordinator and spokesman for the John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
presidential campaign. He was an at large district delegate for John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
at the 2004 Democratic National Convention
2004 Democratic National Convention
The 2004 Democratic National Convention convened from July 26 to July 29, 2004 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts, and nominated John Kerry and John Edwards as the official candidates of the Democratic Party for President and Vice President of the United States, respectively, in the 2004...
and to Hillary Clinton at the 2008 Democratic National Convention
2008 Democratic National Convention
The United States 2008 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party where it adopted its national platform and officially nominated its candidates for President and Vice President of the United States. The convention was held in Denver,...
. Poloncarz was the founder and first president of the WNY Coalition for Progress, a progressive think tank in upstate New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
which later became the Western New York Democrats for Progress.