Finance Committee - Council Committee Meeting

The current policy outlines the limited use of city-issued credit cards for specific purposes, including: Mayor's Card: Solely for out-of-town tra...

City of Buffalo General Fund: The City projects a $24.58 million deficit for the year ending June 30, 2026

A homeowner, Paulette Woods, has highlighted a significant issue where residents are responsible for a $4,500 fee charged by the City of Buffalo's Dep...

Mayor Sean Ryan has identified this significant sum, which includes: $23.5 million from the State Touring Route fund Almost $9 million from the...

The City Comptroller, Barbara Miller Williams, has formally requested that the RFQ process and any subsequent contract authorization be tabled (put on...

The report was approved by the Buffalo Sewer Authority Board on January 14, 2026, and is available on the Authority's website

Rivera, requests prioritization for the "Complete Street Construction" on Grant Street between Hampshire Street and Forest Avenue in Buffalo

The primary finding, Finding 2025-001, highlights issues with Appropriated Fund Balance, Fund Balance Assignments, and Budget Practices

Wyatt and adopted by the Common Council on January 20, 2026, requests a comprehensive update and opinion on a recently announced Memorandum of Agreeme...

The Administration projects a budgetary deficit of $2,295,078

The city ended FY 2024-2025 with an operational deficit of $14.8 million

This fund will receive contributions from philanthropic and corporate donors to support the City of Buffalo with key objectives around efficiency, inn...

This funding is intended to support the Commission's duties as outlined in Charter Section 18-38

The City's total primary government net position increased by $81,283,000 to $(589,873,000), primarily due to an increase in governmental activities' ...

The district is projecting a $78.8 million deficit for the full year, consistent with the original budget

The Comptroller, Carol Burns, has identified significant discrepancies between the Acting Mayor's proposed capital budget of $94,060,056.35 and the ci...

Nowakowski, requests a detailed report from the Commissioner of Administration, Finance, Policy, and Urban Affairs regarding the performance and poten...

The initiative aims to address challenges posed by vacant properties, such as blight, public safety concerns, and hindered economic development, which...

This RFP, issued on May 24, 2024, sought a professional consulting firm to act as the city's representative agent for the acquisition of the municipal...

Nowakowski to Comptroller Barbara Miller-Williams regarding the use of the City's Committed Fund Balance

Wyatt, formally requests that the Administration and the Department of Finance allocate sufficient funding for the Charter Review Commission

The report indicates that city-wide overtime (OT) expense increased by 6% ($2.5M) from FY 2024 to FY 2025, reaching $43.6M

Nowakowski has initiated a discussion regarding anticipated healthcare cost increases for the City of Buffalo

The report details 115 project/funding requests totaling $179,657,557 from the Common Council, City Departments, cultural/educational organizations, a...

The PBA warns of a potential "catastrophic and irretrievable leadership exodus" primarily driven by the expiration of a Memorandum of Agreement in Jun...

This deficit arises from overestimated revenues (occupancy tax, service charges, fines) and underbudgeted expenditures (overtime, legal settlements)

BURA manages the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and Housing O...

However, the Common Council's Finance Committee has repeatedly tabled this item since September 30, 2025, indicating it has not yet been approved by t...

The Council is concerned about the effectiveness of current collection methods, the percentage of fines and fees successfully collected, and the manag...

This revision is due to the city's financial pressures and a significant drawdown in reserves during fiscal year 2024, which reduced financial flexibi...

The Comptroller, Barbara Miller-Williams, has stated her intention to proceed with issuing bonds within a $28 million capital debt cap and an addition...

It details the city's current debt capacity, adherence to its Capital Debt Management Policy, and provides an overview of capital project accounts

The document indicates that the item has been tabled multiple times by the Finance Committee, with the latest status showing it was tabled on December...

The funds have been allocated across 35 projects, with $279,716,891.04 expended to date

Nowakowski to City Comptroller Barbara Miller-Williams regarding the 2025 Capital Budget

The JSCB was originally established to oversee, finance, and manage the planning, design, and construction of public school facilities in Buffalo

These hearings, to be held during the first week of January 2026, will focus on reviewing the City of Buffalo's appropriations and revenue performance...

The policy outlines guidelines for the use of "Neighborhood Initiatives" accounts, which are intended for expenses benefiting the public, such as supp...

This addresses the current precarious storage situation of artworks and records in City Hall

The Buffalo Common Council aims to ensure transparency, accountability, and affordability in city services

This requirement mandates that capital improvement projects with construction and design costs of $1,000,000 or more must allocate at least 1% of the ...

The plan details the department's mission to ensure efficient, effective, and transparent government finances through independent audits

Wyatt and initiated by Pedro Gonzalez-Ortiz, requests a detailed financial report from the Buffalo Sewer Authority (BSA)

The budget was approved by the Buffalo Sewer Authority Board on April 9, 2025, and is available on their website

The program aims to provide relief to low-income, elderly, and long-standing homeowners who are disproportionately impacted by rising property taxes, ...

While the Administration projects a budgetary surplus of $2,081,163, the Comptroller's office projects a significant budgetary deficit of $7,351,438

The proposal outlines specific funding allocations for these years: FY2024-2025 Total GIA Resources: $403,000 - Cultural & Anti-Violence GIA: $400,00...

Majority Leader Leah Halton-Pope has submitted a letter to Commissioner Raymour Nosworthy requesting detailed responses by May 27, 2025, regarding the...

This positive outlook is primarily due to $17.2 million in American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds transferred to the general fund and $3.56 million from a ...

The City calculated actual revenue losses totaling $264,105,423.00 from 2020-2023, primarily allocating these funds to the Police and Fire Departments...

The total recommended budget is $622,074,415

Nowakowski is proposing the creation of the Buffalo Parking and Mobility Authority to address the city's fiscal needs

This one-time infusion of cash is intended to plug a significant budget gap but does not address the city's underlying fiscal challenges

Wyatt and sponsored by Pedro Gonzalez-Ortiz, addresses the City of Buffalo's fiscal policy

Robe, BFSA - COB Budget Submission Deadline Concerns," addresses a conflict arising from a recent City Charter amendment that moved the Mayor's propos...

The management letter, dated October 31, 2024, from Drescher & Malecki LLP, details findings from the audit of the City's financial statements for the...

Overall Financial Position: The City's primary government net position improved, increasing by $57,907,000 to a deficit of $(671,156,000)

Wyatt and adopted by the Common Council on February 4, 2025, requests an update on the City of Buffalo's In-Rem auction process and the handling of su...

The Mayor firmly rejects the Comptroller's claim that $2.5 million remains unencumbered, stating that all ARPA funds were fully encumbered by the fede...

Nowakowski is requesting an interim agreement for the Erie Basin Marina operations for the 2025 season

Wyatt, requests a comprehensive update from the City of Buffalo on the status of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds allocated to non-profit organization...

Wyatt, requests that the Office of Finance and Administration and the Comptroller's office provide the Buffalo Common Council with monthly financial r...

The report details the projected cash flow for both the City of Buffalo and the Buffalo Board of Education for the fiscal year 2025-2026

The report includes beginning and ending cash balances, cash receipts, and cash disbursements for each month

This relocation is necessary for 9-12 months due to urgent sewer main replacement and interior renovations at the BPD's current Main and Tupper Street...

Wyatt, requests the City Comptroller to investigate the utilization of $331 million in American Rescue Funds (ARP) received by the City of Buffalo in ...

Wyatt, formally requests the Acting Mayor to commission a Financial Efficiency Study to address the City of Buffalo's significant financial challenges...

The current facility is described as deplorable and decrepit, with inadequate conditions for animal care, including limited space, poor ventilation, a...

It stems from issues with contractors like D&H Paving LLC (non-compliant with apprenticeship laws while under investigation) and Sicoli Construction S...

The accompanying memo highlights several problematic contracts and revenue collection failures: Erie Basin Marina Contract (Smith Boys): Despite o...

The report details the status of existing capital accounts, authorized but unissued debt totaling $15.7 million, and the city's debt contracting power...

The Common Council is taking action due to concerns about unnecessary expenditures and non-revenue generating activities hindering effective resource ...

The Comptroller has certified the total Capital Debt Service Fund Requirements for the fiscal year (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025) to be $42,163,728.45...

Wyatt has requested a comprehensive Cyber Safety Report from the Department of Management Information Systems

It stems from recommendations by the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority (BFSA) to address projected city budget shortfalls

Wyatt, requests a follow-up audit of the City of Buffalo's Street Lighting System

The Office of Strategic Planning (OSP) has identified approximately 112 City-owned residential vacant lots across three neighborhoods: University Heig...