BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo's Common Council is getting ready to take a closer look at Mayor Byron Brown's recommended 2022-23 budget.
The legislative body announced dates for a series of budget hearings and workshops set to get underway next week.
“The Buffalo Common Council’s responsibility is to ensure we vote on a fiscally fair and balanced budget,” said Council President Darius G. Pridgen. “This budget outlines operational incomes and expenditures, American Rescue Plan allocations, training, and department financial requests. Our goal is to educate and empower all our residents to understand and make suggestions on how we can use taxpayer dollars to build a stronger Buffalo, not just for today, but for tomorrow.”
Budget hearings takes place Monday, May 9 starting at 9 AM.
A public hearing on the budget is set for the following day, Tuesday May 10 at 5 PM in council chambers. “The Common Council has done a good job creating transparency and we need to get more people involved in understanding the budget process,” said University District Council Member Rasheed N.C. Wyatt. “Having a public hearing allows their input and actively makes them a part of the conversation.”
Interested residents can speak at the public hearing either in person or virtually via Zoom. To join Zoom, contact Council Staff or call (716) 851-5105.
Budget workshops will be held Monday, May 16 starting at 10 AM in City Hall Rm. 1417.
The Council wants to make sure the budget is accessible and understandable to all city residents. To assist in that effort, it has released a Citizens' Guide to Understanding the Budget. The full budget can be found here.
“Currently, we are reviewing the budget line-by-line to identify where cuts can be made to reduce the proposed property tax burden to the residents,” said Majority Leader David A. Rivera. “We encourage residents to attend the public workshops and hearings and to send their thoughts and opinions to Council Staff for consideration."
