"It was shock and awe," said University District council member Rasheed Wyatt. "I don't think anyone saw this coming." Joe Golombek said he was "outraged" when he saw Mayor Sean Ryan's proposed 25% tax hike.
As the city of Buffalo is facing a 109 million dollar deficit, the mayor is proposing a 25% property tax hike.
Last week on WBEN, Ryan suggested that people send him a list of proposed city cuts.
Wyatt said he would start with overtime in the police and fire departments.
Overtime, he said, amounts to 25 to 35 million dollars a year. "That's one of the biggest numbers on the page. We have not addressed it. We continue to keep it going. It's one area where we can make some changes."
Wyatt said the city could get around union contracts by going to court.
Golombek, who represents the North District, wants the council to look at every department in city hall and go line by line.
He also sounded off on the addition of four deputy mayors in the Ryan administration.
"I think the experimentation with four deputy mayors has not been successful."
Golombek said the salaries for the deputy mayors were raised from $139 thousand to $200 thousand.
"Raising the salaries and increasing the number of exempt employees, those are areas where cuts could be made."
How is the city in this situation to begin with? And what was the council's role?
"I'll admit, Golombek said, that I was somewhat complicit over the years. Mayor Byron Brown wasn't raising taxes. I suggested a nominal increase to keep up with inflation and they would say, go ahead, make a proposal to raise taxes. I didn't have the guts to do it at the time."
What's an acceptable tax hike to Golombek? "I'd like to see it at 9%, but I don't know if that's doable."