State Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes is questioning some of the proposals from Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan.
She said there are some concerns with Ryan’s plan to cover the city’s budget gap, which includes a proposed 25% increase in the property tax levy. Peoples-Stokes said the people she serves in her district cannot afford that kind of hike in cost.
“The constituents I represent in the 141st Assembly District simply cannot afford such a large increase,” Peoples-Stokes said in a letter to Ryan. “Even more troubling is how this potential tax increase is being communicated. It fails to account for the compounded impact of reassessments, which in some cases could result in tax bills doubling or even tripling for homeowners, as well as the increasing costs of utilities and the recently increased user fees and water rates. We must find a way to bring real fairness to our most vulnerable residents.”
Peoples-Stokes also called for full transparency on the city’s budget gap, which she said has been fluctuating depending on who you ask in the city’s administration.
She did say the state is ready to partner with the city on sustainable revenue streams.
“Effective leadership calls for collaboration and there are dedicated public servants willing and able to help,” the letter continued. “Communicating your plans with our elected officials and community leaders before they find out from the media and genuinely listening to their feedback would make a big difference to dispel the misinformation that is frankly giving the City of Buffalo a bad look.”
Peoples-Stokes also says there is no immediately need for Ryan’s deficit bonding bill in the state budget. She says that the bill should be advanced as standalone legislation and not be connected to the budget.
Ryan is pushing the bill, which would allow Buffalo to borrow up to $500 million from the city’s control board. That’s instead of selling municipal parking ramps, a plan Ryan says would ultimately cost Buffalo money.