BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Buffalo Mayor-Elect Sean Ryan says neither the Buffalo Police Commissioner nor the Buffalo Fire Commissioner will be in their positions when he takes office in January.
Ryan's transition website has postings for Buffalo Fire Commissioner and Buffalo Police Commissioner.
Drantch: Can we surmise that people like [Buffalo Fire Commissioner] William Renaldo and [Buffalo Police Commissioner] Alphonso Wright will not be there when you are mayor?
Ryan: Those two in particular, I believe, have both publicly announced they're retiring. So that's an easy question.
Wright, according to SeeThroughNY, will make $202,554 in 2025. The last salary listed for Renaldo is from 2012 at $132,884.
In working to confirm this information about their retirement, a City of Buffalo spokesman said, "neither commissioner has said anything publicly about retirement."
WATCH: How will Ryan choose people for jobs?
Under Ryan's leadership, according to his transition website, the Police Commissioner will be paid $174,770. The Fire Commissioner would be paid $166,795.
Ryan said on Good Morning Buffalo's Second Cup, almost 400 people have applied for jobs within his administration since jobs were posted on Thursday.
"We'll have, hopefully, the best and the brightest," Ryan said.
Drantch: What it says to me, based on the job postings that you are now looking to hire for, is that you're almost trying to clean house from what was Byron Brown.
Ryan: Yeah, I don't know if that's the right word. But every new leader assembles their team...You can't inherit someone's management team. You've got to bring in your own management team.
"I don't know anyone in City Hall. Never worked in City government. So I'm not walking in with favorites. I'm not walking in with relationships. We're going to have an impartial team," Ryan said. "We're going to find the best person. If the best person currently sits in that seat, that's the person we are going to keep in that job."
Available exempt positions across city government have been posted at buildabetterbuffalo.com. Current employees whose positions will be posted are eligible to reapply for their jobs.
During the conversation, Ryan also discussed increasing taxes.
"If someone tells you we don't need to raise taxes, they're lying to you," Ryan said. "We went 19 years in the City of Buffalo without raising taxes, that's why I said this financial situation, it's self-imposed, we did it to ourselves."
When asked how much taxes would or could go up, Ryan said it's unknown until they truly know what the deficit is.
Ryan also stressed that there can't be a "tax shock" in Buffalo, and they'll need the help of government partners.
"We can't have a tax shock; we need to have a soft landing," Ryan said. "We're going to be able to work with our government partners in Erie County and New York State to help us get that soft landing."
WATCH: Buffalo Mayor-Elect Sean Ryan discusses increasing taxes
You can watch the full conversation with Ryan below.
We also spoke to Ryan last week when he announced his transition team. You can watch that report below and read more here.
