Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Mayor Byron Brown gave his State of the City address Friday at the Northland Workforce Training Center. The topics discussed predominantly included his budget plan which includes a 4.5% tax increase, public safety initiatives, public work initiatives and an addition of more snow removal equipment.
The main initiative for public safety was the announcement of ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection system.
"One of the new technologies that we are going to invest in is ShotSpotter. It is a gunshot detection system which will make our response to gunshots, to shootings, in this community more efficient," said Mayor Brown.
"There's a significant amount of shots fired incidents that 911 calls never even go out on," added Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia, "We don't know what we're missing and we are going to find out with this technology."
The Mayor also proposed a 4.53% tax increase generating approximately over $6.6 million dollars in revenue which includes raises in garbage user fees as well as permit and license fees which haven't been increased in four years.
"This will be the second tax increase since I took office as Mayor in 2006," Mayor Brown said.
"Despite this increase, the city's tax rate will be $10.38 per thousand dollars for residential properties and $18.34 per thousand dollars for commercial properties... still less than half the tax rate our city had when I took office," said Mayor Brown.
Council Member Joseph Golombek of the North District gave comment after the address, "I expected a tax increase but I didn't expect one that high. I have to take a look at the budget to see whether it is truly warranted or not but, my first reaction is I'm surprised there was one that was that high but as the Mayor said, we're still lower than we were for many many years and we're still the lowest in the area."
The Mayor mentions in his address that he will be investing $1.5 million dollars in an updated 311 call center and an updated app that will provide prompt city services to residents.
The Mayor also announced that his administration is trying to build a new Public Works campus that houses all their operation in an attempt to expedite their services to the community.
These public works projects includes upgrades to the snow removal vehicles, "My recommended budget will invest $2.1 million dollars this year to continue the modernization of our snow-fighting fleet. This investment in combination with our capital budget allocation will allow the city to purchase needed new vehicles and a cutting-edge GPS system to monitor their movement," said the Mayor.
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