Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan has recently unveiled the $681 million budget for fiscal year 2026-27, which will be partially financed by a 25.8% property tax levy increase. The tax hike did not sit well with Buffalo, New York, residents, as many felt the mayor was not investing in the right priorities.
According to Ryan, the tax hike is necessary to stabilize the city’s finances, and “Buffalo residents will continue to have one of the lowest property tax burdens in the region.” Additional revenue would also come from doubling projected fine-related income from around $10 million to $20 million.
In the new budget, not all departments received an increase. The Buffalo Police Department, for example, would see a 13% budget increase, allowing it to hire more than 70 additional officers. Divisions such as Building, Engineering, Street Sanitation, and Public Works and Streets would also receive major increases. The budgets for Community Services, the Comptroller’s Office, and others, however, were reduced.
Buffalo Residents Are Unhappy With Tax Hikes
Many Buffalo residents criticized the new budget on social media. While most understood that the city had to raise revenue somehow, they considered the hike excessive: “I wholeheartedly agree that property taxes need to be increased since Brown was negligent for so long, but that is a BIG increase,” one local said.
Others lamented how the previous administration failed to enact enough taxes to keep the city well funded, and that the problem now has to be dealt with: “Byron Brown kept taxes low to line his pockets, and now this city has to pay.”
Most of the outrage centered on the investment in police enforcement, which was strongly opposed by locals. One user asked in a critical tone, “Do you really need 70 new do-nothing jobs?” Another responded sarcastically, “Look forward to a second cruiser being called in for speeding tickets.”
Some folks seemed irritated that they would need to pay more taxes while the government was not investing in what they considered necessary: “A waste. Instead of education and job training, they’re providing more NPC security and fines.” Another also slammed the mayor: “Literally none of this helps Buffalo. The infrastructure is trash, no third places, nothing to help the average citizen. He’s basically gonna turn it into a police state.”
The budget has not been formally approved yet, though, and the Common Council will hold a public hearing on April 23, when residents will be able to voice their opinions.
