Buffalo Common Council Approves $618 Million City Budget Amid Tax Levy Debate

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Common Council unanimously passed the city's $618 million budget on Wednesday, following a series of amendments, including a significant reduction in the proposed tax levy increase.

The budget process was stalled for over five hours, primarily due to debates over the mayor's proposed 9 percent tax levy hike, which far exceeded the state-mandated 2 percent cap.

Ultimately, the council approved a revised budget with a reduced tax levy increase of 4.19 percent. The final vote was 8-1, with Councilmember Rasheed Wyatt casting the sole dissenting vote.

“As a council, it is our responsibility to protect the residents of the City of Buffalo, financially and otherwise, and this city has not done that for them all these years,” stated Council Member Zeneta Everhart.

Council President Christopher Scanlon hailed the budget as a victory for city residents. “The sticker shock associated with the May 1 release of the budget has been drastically reduced,” Scanlon said. “Impact to the residents on their tax rate will only be 4.19 percent, so we were able to negotiate that down quite a bit.”

Earlier in the day, it seemed a budget deal had been reached with Mayor Byron Brown's administration, readying the council for a vote. However, a last-minute complication delayed proceedings.

“That was the big delay — just trying to make sure that everything was on the up and up related to the local law and the tax cap,” Scanlon explained.

The council had previously agreed to override the state's tax levy cap. However, confusion arose when the mayor’s office struggled to locate the necessary state certification paperwork. A spokesman for the mayor assured that the certification had been completed correctly.

Despite the budget's approval, some council members expressed concerns about potential future financial difficulties for the city and its residents.

“We’re relying on revenue that is one time — the $14 million from the reserve fund, the $25 million from the ARP — that’s a one-time thing,” noted Council Member David Rivera. “Either they’re going to have to make draconian cuts where it is going to hurt. We should’ve been making these cuts years ago. We pushed it down the road, we kicked the can down the road. That is going to catch up with us.”

Council President Scanlon acknowledged the somber mood during the vote. “You can tell by the mood in here tonight during this vote that no one’s real happy where we’re at, and I think that it’s probably a wake-up call for everyone,” he said.

In addition to the budget adjustments, the council also voted to reduce vacant exempt positions within the city, aiming to streamline operations and reduce costs.

Photo of buffalo common councilPhoto byWivb