NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. -- The Niagara Falls City Council called it a “let's talk budget" community meeting, and neighbors did not disappoint. Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster's budget is due Friday and it might include a new garbage fee for city taxpayers.
The city is trying to fill a $14-million budget gap. People don't want to have to pay more, and while the garbage fee is not set in stone yet, more than one-hundred people who live in Niagara Falls showed up to oppose it and voice other concerns at the forum Wednesday night.
With the city so cash strapped, people want to make sure the residents and especially property owners and their budgets, are taken into consideration by the city council when it comes to the city's budget.
"You're talking about putting a user fee for garbage, we already pay a fee for garbage. We got Totes McGoats and the mayor riding a bicycle around the city trying to push for totes, well, we got our totes, and we use our totes. And, we're paying a fee already for garbage pickup. If you're going to put a new fee on us, remove the old fee so we're not paying two fees," said Niagara Falls resident Tom Volk.
Mayor Dyster was not at the meeting on Wednesday night, but 2 On Your Side’s Steve Brown caught up with him earlier in the day to talk about the budget and the potential garbage fee.
"Everything is on the table. We have to cut our expenses and increase our revenues going forward. We're looking at a user fee as a way of augmenting revenues that would take some of the pressure off of us to raise taxes," Dyster said.
The budget will be presented Friday, but the mayor would not say whether the garbage fee will be in it. He would only say that it's a possibility. He also said a property tax decrease is possible.
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday the state will be sending the city an advance of more than $12-million to make up for the casino revenue it would've gotten since the Senecas stopped sharing that revenue with state and local governments.