Study finds city relies more on state aid than similar municipalities
Buffalo is more dependent on state aid than comparable cities in New York, according to a new control board study.
But the same report also highlights some encouraging trends, analysts said Wednesday. Buffalo has the lowest property tax rate among larger cities, the fewest number of employees per 1,000 residents and the fattest budget reserves.
Board Chairman Paul J. Kolkmeyer said the study contains mixed results that showcase areas where Buffalo can be “proud,” and some trouble spots. He said Buffalo’s heavy reliance on state aid is a concern.
The city relies on the state to fund 43 percent of its day-today operations, a far higher percentage than what comparable cities receive. By comparison, the board said, state aid makes up 29 percent of the general fund budgets in Rochester and Syracuse, and only 22 of Yonkers’ budget.
Mayor Byron W. Brown went on the defense, saying the city’s ability to capture state funding is the result of effective lobbying in an “incredibly competitive” process.
“State aid isn’t a bad thing,” Brown insisted.
“It’s a bad thing if 43 percent of your budget is dependent on a state that is running into the kind of fiscal difficulties it is today,” Kolkmeyer told The Buffalo News following Wednesday’s meeting.
Gov. David A. Paterson has warned of a worsening budget crisis in Albany. New York is looking at a $630 million deficit on a total budget of about $122 billion — growing to $6.4 billion next year. Paterson cited mounting fiscal woes as a key reason why he vetoed legislation that would have weakened the powers of the control boards in Buffalo and Erie County.
Buffalo also has received more special aid from the state than the next four largest cities on a per-capita basis, through a program called Aid and Incentives for Municipalities, said Michael Kelly, control board principal analyst.
The study also included three cities in other states for some comparisons — Akron, Ohio; Pittsburgh and Springfield, Mass.
While some control board members praised the analysis, the panel’s secretary wasn’t impressed.
“What is the purpose of this?” asked George K. Arthur, a former Common Council president.
He insisted there’s “nothing new” in the data — and nothing that isn’t already periodically reviewed by city officials.
“I think this is a waste of time,” Arthur said.
Much of Wednesday’s discussion focused on city spending for public safety. The study found that Buffalo has the fewest police officers per 1,000 residents of the other four larger cities in New York. Police Commissioner
H. McCarthy Gipson said when vacancies are figured in, there are fewer than three police officers for every 1,000 residents.
When it comes to firefighters, Buffalo’s force is slightly larger per capita than the forces in Syracuse and Albany but smaller than Rochester’s.
The control board also red-flagged escalating overtime costs in Buffalo’s Police and Fire departments. Senior analyst Bryce Link warned that if trends continue, the city could spend nearly $24 million for police and fire overtime in the current fiscal year.
Gipson and Fire Commissioner Michael S. Lombardo said the higher overtime has been caused by numerous factors, including vacant positions, increased workloads and new initiatives. Gipson told the control board that he understands the panel’s job is to address fiscal problems. But the police commissioner said Buffalo’s fiscal picture won’t improve if people perceive the city as unsafe.
In other action, the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority on Wednesday approved the city’s use of $5.5 million in state efficiency grants. Some of the funding will be used to buy more crime surveillance cameras and demolish and rehabilitate some vacant structures.
