Buffalo Common Council to receive proposed budget Wednesday

The Buffalo Common Council will hold a special session next Wednesday, April 15, to receive Mayor Sean Ryan’s proposed 2026-27 budget.

This will be Ryan’s first budget since taking office.

In the past several weeks, the Buffalo budget situation has heard of a potential property tax increase of 25%.

The mayor says the tax hike would be to help bridge an estimated $109 million budget deficit in the next financial year. Ryan says the proposed increase would have the average homeowner paying an additional $20 to $30 a month in taxes.

“If we were to close that deficit just using property tax money, we would never be able to close it,” Ryan said. “We’re looking at every tool we have to close this budget gap so we can buy snow plows, we can buy garbage trucks, we can buy police cars.”

There has also been questions of transparency when it comes to the city’s budget gap as the figure has fluctuated depending on who you ask.

Next Wednesday’s special session will begin at 12:30 p.m.