Buffalo mayor optimistic despite gloomy budget outlook

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The City of Buffalo faces a potential projected revenue shortfall of more than $15 million in its already approved budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said local leaders will take notice.

“In any budget, there are items that are under budget and items that are over budget,” Brown said. “We believe we will still be able to meet the city’s budgetary needs by working together with our city council and making the necessary adjustments as necessary.”

The city planned to raise $4.2 million through a new bed tax, on top of what the county already charges hotel and motel guests. However, state lawmakers representing the region have not advanced legislation authorizing the tax, citing concerns from the tourism, hospitality and convention industries.

Brown said he will continue to defend him even if he seems dead at the moment.

“We think it’s good for tourism that the city can invest in infrastructure and public safety so that visitors who come here can have a good time, safely and enjoy the environment around our destinations. entertainment,” Brown said.

The budget also provides $11 million in casino revenue sharing through a gaming agreement between the Seneca Nation and New York State. The two sides continue to negotiate a new deal that many observers believe will be less than the 25 percent in net slot revenue the Senecas are currently paying.

In the meantime, the Senecas continue to pay under the terms of the current agreement, but the money goes into an escrow account and the city says it has not received any payments for this calendar year.

“We are hopeful that the negotiations between the State of New York and the Seneca Nation will go well because this is a critical resource in the city budget, the city of Buffalo, the city budget of Niagara Falls and the City of Allegany County (Salamanca) budget,” Brown said.

The mayor said that during his tenure, the administration has found ways to balance the budget and provide needed services.

“I am confident that we will continue to be successful in providing services to our community and that we will explore every opportunity to bring additional resources to the City of Buffalo,” Brown said.

In this year’s budget, the state Legislature allocated $12 million in poverty reduction funding to Buffalo and $5 million in Additional Aid and Incentive for Municipalities, or AIM.