Buffalo Common Council votes to reduce property tax rate increase to 4.19%

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Buffalo Common Council held a special session Wednesday to vote on Mayor Bryon Brown’s proposed municipal budget.

The mayor’s proposed budget was $618,000,000, but lawmakers managed to reduce it by almost $2,383,500.

The Buffalo Common Council voted unanimously to reduce the tax burden from the mayor’s original budget proposal.

This is the result of Wednesday evening’s special session, which ended up lasting much longer than expected.

Christopher Scanlon, Buffalo Common Council Member for the South District and Chairman, said, “Through negotiation and creativity, we were able to reduce the property tax rate increase for residential property owners to 4.19%. . »

A unanimous decision to vote for a 4.19% increase instead of a 9% property tax increase was announced Wednesday around 7:45 p.m.

The delay was caused by a misunderstanding over whether the mayor’s initial proposal had been submitted to the state or not, leading the special session to be suspended just after it began at 2 p.m.

Residential tax adjustment:
The 9% tax levy increase initially proposed by Mayor Brown significantly reduced the residential tax rate increase to 4.19% for residential homes.
Example: For a home in the City of Buffalo with an average cost of $160,700, this will result in a property tax increase of $72.00/year or $6.03/month.

Commercial tax adjustment:
The tax levy increases to 7.5% for commercial buildings.
NOTE: This does not reflect the 4.19% tax rate modified by the City of Buffalo Dwelling Council.

Reduction of exempt vacant positions:
Council passed a reduction in exempt vacant positions within the City of Buffalo, promoting efficiency and cost-saving measures.

Maintain weekly recycling collection:
Despite discussions about moving to bi-weekly collection, weekly recycling collection in the City of Buffalo will remain as scheduled, ensuring consistent and reliable service to residents.

Although the votes were unanimous on the property tax, it was met with various criticisms regarding integrity and fairness to Buffalo residents.

“It was pretty bad. Hopefully we’ll learn from it and then be able to try to find places where we can seriously consider saving money between this year and next year’s budget,” said Buffalo Common Council member for the North District Joseph Golombek said.

Buffalo City Common Council Member Zeneta Everhart said, “I said one of my non-negotiables was a 9 percent tax increase. I am grateful that it is 4.19%, but as a council it is our responsibility to protect the residents of the city. City of Buffalo, financially and otherwise, and this city hasn’t done that for them all these years. »

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW:

• Mayor Brown delivered his 2024 State of the City address and 2025 municipal budget presentation on May 1.
• The mayor announced a proposed spending plan of $618 million, seven percent more than last year’s budget.
• The mayor also proposed a 9 percent property tax increase.
• In April, the Common Council voted to exceed the city’s 2 percent tax cap to allow the mayor to increase property taxes to the 9 percent threshold.

Wednesday’s meeting was quickly adjourned after Council President Chris Scanlon said negotiations were ongoing. Several council members said there was a delay in whether the 9 percent tax increase was valid.

After hours of deliberation, board members said the state had certified it. Council member Joseph Golombek told 7 News reporter Kristen Mirand that in 25 years this has never happened and said it is “uncharted territory.”

THE VOICES OF BUFFALO REACT TO THE PROPOSAL:

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Peter Allen Weinmann, managing attorney at the law firm Wolfgang and Weinmann, said that regardless, the tax hike would eventually be made worse by a citywide reassessment of properties.

“So 100,000 tax parcels in the city of Buffalo are going to be subject to a whole new tax assessment later this coming year. So taxpayers are going to get a love letter in the mail and they’re going to find out that their taxes will disappear. an astronomical increase,” he declared.

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Janayia Capers, housing justice organizer at PUSH Buffalo, said the tax hike is unthinkable and Buffalo renters already face a housing crisis. Capers said this would be a burden on tenants.

“Black and brown people. People who live in these areas who can’t afford it. It’s going to affect people, those people more,” she said.

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Jim Fink, a real estate economic development reporter, said commercial property owners will almost certainly feel the tax hike.

“For Carl Paladino, for Ciminelli Development, for Uniland, for Douglas Jemal, they will feel it. They will pass it on to their tenants, but you know it’s a trickle-down effect,” Fink said.

Fink added that the property tax hike may seem intimidating, but Mayor Brown has been fiscally conservative and would not propose this if he didn’t have to.

Members of the Buffalo Common Council had until midnight Wednesday to vote on the budget, in accordance with the city charter. 7 News has learned council members will push for a tax hike of less than nine percent.

The mayor must now decide on the amended version of the council’s budget by June 8.