As Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan continues to work on his 2026-2027 budget - one that may have a $109 million fiscal hole - he and his administrative team are also looking ahead to other years.
The end game is to work Buffalo out of its perennial budget gap scenario and Ryan admits it may take at least three fiscal year cycles for that to happen.
One of the key elements of Ryan's soon-to-be formally proposed 2026-2027 budget is raising the property tax by 25% - something that he admits is jarring but necessary.
And, it has drawn a lot of criticism from Buffalo Common Council members to Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes and from everyday citizens and business owners.
"We have cut to the bone," said Deputy Mayor Ben Swanekamp.
Still, Swanekamp warned that other - less deep property taxes - may be in the offing in future years.
"We don't have much choice," Swanekamp said.
Swanakemp says other measures under consideration including Buffalo holding its first in rem property sale since 2019, going after long delinquet taxes, fees and fines and using the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority for a deficit bond financing package.
Ryan expects to deliver his budget by April 15 to the common council, who then have until May 22 to approve it and make amendments.
