BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Governor Kathy Hochul announced an additional $150 million in assistance from the state for municipalities outside New York City to relieve immediate fiscal stress.
As part of this assistance, the governor's office said the City of Buffalo will receive a total of $45 million in assistance as the city looks to close its budget gap.
“Having spent years in local government, I understand the unique challenges our local leaders are experiencing, which is why my Administration has worked closely with municipalities across the state to increase financial support from the State. We want all of New York's municipalities to succeed and this funding is crucial to putting all of our cities, towns and villages on stronger financial footing and allowing them to keep their residents safe and continue providing the vital services they rely on.”
This announcement comes about a week after Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan was in Albany and testified before the New York State Legislature at the Joint Legislative Public Hearing on the 2026 Executive Budget Proposal.
According to a city spokesperson, in his testimony, Mayor Ryan told the legislature that years of unrealistic budgeting practices and one-time revenue solutions have depleted city reserves and masked a growing structural deficit. He said the city's fiscal challenges are the result of constrained revenue growth over many years, not excessive spending.
The mayor said the city must increase local revenue and secure NYS support to stabilize finances.
Mayor Ryan joined Voices while in Albany to discuss his testimony. You can watch the conversation below.
