How Buffalo plans to spend $500 million

Although we are now halfway through the year, with the start of July, the City of Buffalo has, in fact, begun a new year: its fiscal year.

The second largest city in New York State begins its fiscal and business year on July 1st each year. That’s when the city’s new budget goes into effect and various departments begin to renew and start over. From Buffalo Public Schools to the police department, everything starts over on July 1st.

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The main thing driving this process for the City of Buffalo is the completion of the city budget.

The mayor’s office first prepares the budget, then submits it to the Buffalo City Council for review and approval. Once the council approves the budget, it is sent back to the city’s budget division to prepare for its July 1 effective date.

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The City of Buffalo, which also manages funds for Buffalo Public Schools, the Water Board, the Water Authority and other city-sponsored entities, has revenues of nearly $2 billion. That figure represents an increase of about 7 percent from the previous year, achieved through a combination of tax increases, other revenue increases such as fees, taxes and fines, and additional aid from the state and federal governments.

With a total revenue of over $1.8 billion, what exactly does the City of Buffalo plan to spend that money on?

How does Buffalo spend your tax money?

These are just a few highlights from the City of Buffalo’s 2024-25 budget, which you can view in full here.