BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — City of Buffalo Comptroller Barbara Miller Williams announced she is seeking to appeal the recent ruling by the New York State Appellate Division of the Supreme Court that requires her to issue bonds to cover capital projects in the city.
"This action reflects the Comptroller’s continued commitment to upholding fiscal responsibility, ensuring transparency, and protecting the long-term financial stability of the City of Buffalo," a spokesperson said in a release. "Such Borrowing highlights the negative impact of borrowing beyond the Comptroller’s established Debt Cap, especially when Citizens and Taxpayers are facing a proposed 25% property tax increase along with rising water, sewer, and user fee increases."
In November 2024, then Acting Mayor Scanlon proposed a $110 million capital budget for 2025, which the common council passed unanimously, but Miller Williams refused to issue bonds for the projects.
In August 2025, Scanlon publicly called out the City Comptroller’s office, saying the delay was threatening jobs, infrastructure, and vital upgrades to schools and cultural institutions. He then set a deadline before he took legal action.
Then, in September 2025, a judge ruled in favor of Scanlon in a lawsuit against Miller-Williams. At the time, the judge said that the comptroller must issue the bonds. Still, Miller-Williams announced she would not issue bonds and appealed the decision.
Then, just last month, a judge ruled in favor of Scanlon, which required the comptroller to issue bonds to cover capital projects for the city and its public schools. Still, Miller Williams seeks to appeal that decision.
In a release, the comptroller said she has "repeatedly requested a prioritized list of shovel-ready projects from Former Acting Mayor Christopher P. Scanlon that would remain within a $28 million debt threshold established by her office," and as of today, "that list has still not been provided." In addition, she said that there are existing, unspent capital funds totaling over $144 million, and in September 2025, she approved $29,433,750 in Bond Anticipation Notes (BANs), including:
- $7,483,750 for infrastructure projects such as Busti Avenue, Jefferson Avenue Phase 1, and the Car Sharing Main Street Initiative, largely eligible for federal reimbursement
- $21,950,000 for Buffalo Public Schools construction projects, with the majority of costs reimbursable by New York State
The comptroller said the final appeal to New York State’s Highest Court of Appeal is "intended to protect the integrity necessary to ensure that all legal and financial considerations are thoroughly examined and that established fiscal safeguards remain in place."
