Buffaoo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Saying, "This didn't happen overnight," Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz discussed his unwavering support for Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan's bold move this week in proposing a 25% tax increase for city residents.
"The mayor is doing what he needs to do," said Poloncarz, a city resident himself, as he discussed the move the new mayor is proposing to shore up City of Buffalo finances.
Poloncarz is a member of the city control board and said the issue of city finances and tax hikes has been discussed for years and he blames the previous Brown administration for the position the city is in now. Poloncarz told WBEN he had advised Mayor Brown to raise revenues for the city to stave off what is occurring in 2026.
Related
"Nobody wants to see taxes increase a significant amount," Poloncarz said. "If all they had done was increase the taxes at 2.5% a year for ten years, they’d be talking about the same amount of revenue that they need to generate now.”
Poloncarz called the move by Mayor Ryan 'adult leadership' and also reiterated his position he has held for years that the City of Buffalo needs to be strong financially for Erie County to be in its best position.
"Tough action had to be taken and it is being taken by the mayor," Poloncarz said. "We’ll see what the council does."
Area political leaders are digesting Mayor Ryan's tax proposal and Ryan, in-turn, is looking toward the community for ideas on what can be cut from the city budget to help reduce the proposed increase.
"The piper comes due for the city of Buffalo," Poloncarz said.
Related
