Each year taxpayers must cover the cost of thousands of pens that disappear from regional auto bureaus. Up until now the solution was to purchase new pens. Of course that solution cost the tax payers thousands of dollars each year.
Now Erie County Clerk Chris Jacobs has come up with an inventive solution that resolves the issue in a creative and constructive way. Instead of purchasing thousands of new pens, Jacobs reached out to local business that were looking for marketing opportunities. The response was astounding, as thousands of free pens started appearing at the auto bureaus. “Each year nearly 10,000 pens ‘walk-out the doors’ of our Auto Bureaus, costing taxpayers thousands of dollars,” said Jacobs. “I found it frustrating to spend so much taxpayer money for pens, so we looked for a creative solution to offset the cost. These businesses actually want folks to take their pens so we thought it was a perfect marriage. We have already received over 15,000 pens from businesses, a 1 year’s supply for us, and more keep arriving every day.”
*Businesses interested in the “Pens We Want Our Customers to Take” initiative can contact the Clerk’s Office at 716-858-6985 or e-mail martina.rehorik@erie.gov.
Photo: Jacobs stands with Tim Creenan, owner of Amherst Alarm – the company donated 5000 pens to the program