BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — After Buffalo's Common Council members approved the city's amended budget late Wednesday night, it's now in the hands of Mayor Byron Brown to decide on.
He said Thursday he plans on approving this version of the budget.
The mayor's proposed budget was $618 million, but lawmakers cut that by nearly $2.4 million. They also voted to reduce the tax burden from the proposed 9 percent down to 4.19 percent.
The Buffalo Common Council unanimously voted to reduce the tax burden from the Mayor's original budget proposal.
Here's what that means for you if this gets the mayor's final approval:
- Currently, homeowners are paying $10.73 per $1,000 of their home value
- With the amended budget, this would go up to $11.18 per $1,000
- For a home that costs $100,000, you'll pay an extra $45 a year
7 News' Kristen Mirand asked the mayor Thursday afternoon about the amended budget and the city's financial future.
Mirand: Throughout this entire budget process we heard a lot the Council members say — describe the city's financial state as turbulent times, catastrophic, fiscal instability. How would you describe the city's financial state right now?
Brown: There's no question there are financial challenges. This is roughly my fourth time raising taxes in 18 budgets and we have a revenue issue in the city of Buffalo.
Mirand: Can you foresee the taxes going up for next year's budget given that we do have a looming hole in the budget? That $40-$60 million dollar hole in the budget?
Brown: It is potential. That potential exists, and we will do what we need to do to safeguard the city and the services that taxpayers need.
But how did we get to this position of raising taxes? Brown said he's either cut taxes or held the line on taxes in his 18 years as mayor.
But now there's concern over how much money is coming into the city which Fillmore District Council member and Finance Committee Chair Mitch Nowakowski addressed at the budget vote saying there is $40 million of non-reoccurring revenue.
"The city of Buffalo will be hitting rock bottom if we do not have a catastrophic change in revenues. It does not take Nancy Drew to solve this mystery," Nowakowski said.
Mirand: If we don't make the revenue for this upcoming fiscal year where could you see cuts for next year?
Brown: Well, I'm not gonna forecast what we're gonna cut next year we're not there right now. We know that there are whole range of things to do to generate more revenue. Been talking to the State of New York. I made no secret that I think Buffalo needs to get more money from the State of New York.
Mirand: We heard from the Finance Committee Chair this morning about him wanting to see cuts from your office but was told no, why wouldn't we see any cuts in your office?
Brown: Again we did cut. We did cut positions in the office.
Mirand: Which ones?
Brown: There are a number of positions that we negotiated with the council to cut, but when you cut positions we got to look across the board.
Brown has until June 8th to sign the budget into law.
