9% tax levy increase to be part of City of Buffalo's 2024-25 budget

Buffalo, NY (WBEN) - Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown is proposing a tax levy increase of 9% in his budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year.

The proposed budget was unveiled during the Mayor's State of the City address on Wednesday afternoon.

Inflation and increases in union contracts, FICA & Medicare, health insurance costs, New York State Pension and Capital Debt are blamed for the tax increase. It would be the highest tax increase ever made under Mayor Brown's administration.

The Mayor's Office said the increase should amount to an extra $78 a year for a home assessed at $100,000.

According to Mayor Brown, his administration has identified ways to generate more sustainable revenue to maintain the quality of services the residents in the City of Buffalo have today. He adds cutting services and failing to invest in infrastructure would see the gains the community has made disappear.

"This is not a time to cut. We must continue to invest," said Mayor Brown's in his recommended budget detail .

"We have built the budget to cover the costs of City services. Buffalo still is one of the most affordable cities as our residential and commercial property tax rates will remain among the lowest in the region and other cities in the State of New York."

While Mayor Brown acknowledges there are hard decisions made in this budget, he feels they are necessary to continue the progress and adapt to the challenges and the shift in how people have chosen to live and work since the pandemic.