Change Buffalo PAC Committee Report | October 17, 2026
The Situation
Buffalo’s administration has asked the Common Council to approve a little over $20 million in borrowing through the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority (BFSA), the state-created control board, for emergency repairs to community center roofs and fire station infrastructure, related emergency architectural and engineering services, and design work for “shovel ready” projects, according to WKBW. The BFSA has not borrowed on behalf of the city since 2007.
Several facts frame the request, all reported by WKBW:
- Timing. The city normally borrows for infrastructure through its capital budget, which is due to the Council on November 1 but is not expected to be approved until December. Deputy Mayor Benjamin Swanekamp said some problems need attention sooner to “stabilize where there could [be] a life-safety issue or more rapid deterioration.”
- Cost of credit. The city’s bond rating was downgraded by three major credit agencies in July. Borrowing through the BFSA is expected to carry a lower interest rate.
- The Comptroller. The request bypasses the office of City Comptroller Barbara Miller Williams, which is in a legal dispute with the executive branch over city debt after the Council approved two successive capital budgets above her recommended $28 million debt limit. Swanekamp argued the city has been “under bonding” for years and that a city of Buffalo’s size “should frankly be bonding $75 to $100 million a year.”
- The control board’s clock. The BFSA is set to dissolve in 2037. The Comptroller asked whether BFSA bonding would extend its life; WKBW reports state law prohibits that, and Swanekamp said the bonds would carry roughly 10-year terms.
A second fiscal thread is still open. WGRZ reported on October 14 that a philanthropic “Transition and Transformation Fund” the mayor first described last December still has no grant agreement. Council members questioned how the money would be used; the administration said it is negotiating a master grant agreement with the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo that will come to the Council as a resolution.
There was also targeted tax relief this week. On October 13 the Council unanimously approved a local law giving qualifying veterans with permanent and total service-connected disabilities a full exemption from City property taxes on their primary residence, under state Real Property Tax Law Section 458-a(11). It does not cover Buffalo school taxes or other jurisdictions’ taxes. Current recipients of the existing veterans’ disability exemption must submit a recent VA letter of determination by December 1, 2026; the exemption will appear on the March 1, 2027 assessment roll and July 2027 City tax bills. The City’s release notes Erie County adopted a similar exemption, and the Niagara County Legislature has scheduled a public hearing on opting into the same exemption.
What It Means for the Change Buffalo Agenda
Where it could advance the agenda. Fixing leaking roofs and failing fire station systems before they get worse is basic stewardship, the “basics, done well” we call for on our City of Buffalo page. If BFSA financing really lowers interest costs after the July downgrade, taxpayers benefit. The veterans’ exemption is the kind of targeted, well-defined relief that fits our low-tax principles.
Where it could set the agenda back. Emergency borrowing outside the normal capital process, a public dispute between the Mayor and Comptroller over debt limits, and an unfinished foundation fund all point to the same gap: Buffalo lacks a transparent, multi-year capital and financial plan that everyone can see and test. Debt taken on without a published project list and debt-service schedule erodes public trust and makes the next rating review harder. Our Fiscal Responsibility Charter Amendment proposes a rolling four-year financial plan and limits on using one-time money for recurring costs. Our Open the Books campaign and Open Data Ordinance would put budgets, contracts and debt in one public place. The Taxpayer Dividend asks that savings flow back to taxpayers.
The right outcome is not “no borrowing.” Swanekamp is right that deferred maintenance gets more expensive. The right outcome is borrowing that is planned, published and prioritized.
What Members Can Do
- Speak at the Council Finance Committee on Tuesday, October 20 at 10:00 a.m. Check the agenda on the City meeting portal and use the City’s sign-up form to speak in person or by Zoom (three-minute limit; staff confirm within one business day). Questions go to Council staff at (716) 851-5105.
- Make three specific asks: a published list of every project the $20 million would fund, the projected debt-service cost, and a multi-year capital plan delivered with the November 1 capital budget.
- Watch the full Common Council meeting on Tuesday, October 27 at 2:00 p.m. It is listed on the City calendar and streamed on the Council’s Facebook page.
- Read the capital budget when it arrives (due November 1) and tell your district Council member whether it includes a real multi-year plan.
- Spread the word to veterans. Point eligible neighbors to the City Exemptions Office at (716) 851-5733, ext. 3, or cobexemption@buffalony.gov, and remind current recipients of the December 1 paperwork deadline (City of Buffalo). Niagara County residents can attend the Legislature’s hearing on October 20 at 5:50 p.m. in the Legislature Chambers, Courthouse, 175 Hawley St., Lockport (notice).
- Join our Neighborhood Captains or the Reimagined Tax Systems working group through our Get Involved page, or contact us for talking points.
