Midway through his 45-minute budget presentation, Mayor Sean Ryan stopped and showed a video image of an ostrich burying his head in the sand.
The image, Ryan said, was symbolic.
It stands as part of Ryan's mission to present "honest budgets."
"We are not going to put our heads in the sand any longer," Ryan said. "We are going to face the (city) budget head on."
That pledge was a key campaign talking point in last year's mayoral race. Ryan was not backing down from that pledge.
Ryan's proposed 2026-2027 Buffalo fiscal budget comes in at $681 million, or roughly $60 million more than the current $622 million budget crafted by then-Acting Mayor Chris Scanlon, now South District councilman.
"There are wants and there are needs," Scanlon said. "You have to focus on the needs, first."
Ryan presented the budget to the Common Council Wednesday afternoon (April 15) and they have until May 26 to approve or amend items.
The council review is just beginning, Scanlon said.
Central to the budget is a $109 million budget gap that will be filled by the controversial 25% property tax increase plus a planned foreclosure sale, receiving Seneca Nation gaming compact funds, state aid and collecting long overdue fees and fines.
The budget is the first of a four-year plan to improve Buffalo's fiscal outlook.
Ryan warned property taxes of 9%, 5% and 5% may be coming in the next three budget cycles.
"It's a basic math problem," Ryan said. :We need funds to pay all of our bills."
Common council to probe Ryan's proposed budget
Common council to probe Ryan's proposed budget
