Campaigns for the Decisions That Matter Now
These are the advocacy campaigns Change Buffalo PAC is pushing. Each focuses on a decision that will shape Buffalo Niagara for decades, and each comes with a way for you to act.
Restore Humboldt Parkway
The problem: The Kensington Expressway replaced the Olmsted-designed Humboldt Parkway and divided East Side neighborhoods. In 2025, after a court required a full environmental impact statement, the state scrapped its $1.5 billion cap-and-tunnel plan and restarted the review with public listening sessions.
What we propose: Full restoration of Humboldt Parkway as a tree-lined, at-grade boulevard, with new homes on nearby vacant lots and support for historic home restoration, as detailed in our Humboldt Parkway plan.
Why it matters to the turnaround: Reconnecting the East Side is a chance to repair a historic wrong and bring investment back to neighborhoods that were cut off from it.
Take action: Take part in the state’s public input process for the Kensington corridor and make the case for full restoration. Contact us to get campaign updates and talking points.
Reconnect Delaware Park
The problem: The Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) bisects Delaware Park, the centerpiece of Buffalo’s Olmsted park system.
What we propose: Remove the expressway, replace it with a low-speed boulevard where needed, and extend parkland west toward Black Rock, as set out in our Scajaquada plan.
Why it matters to the turnaround: Great parks attract residents and investment. Reuniting Delaware Park restores one of the region’s greatest assets.
Take action: Tell your elected representatives that Delaware Park should be whole again, and join the campaign.
Reform Before Renewal
The problem: Erie County’s additional 1.75 percent sales tax rate expires on November 30, 2027 unless it is renewed, and renewal requires approval by both the County Legislature and the State Legislature.
What we propose: Any renewal should be paired with a binding, multi-year plan for shared services, cost savings and property tax relief.
Why it matters to the turnaround: Taxpayers deserve something in return, and the renewal is the region’s best chance to lock in reform.
Take action: Ask your county legislator where they stand on pairing renewal with reform, and contact us for updates.
Open the Books
The problem: Too much information about public spending, contracts, economic development deals and service performance is hard to find or not published at all.
What we propose: Open data by default at the city and county, including budgets, contracts, payrolls, permits, IDA deals and service response times, as described on our Citizen Power page.
Why it matters to the turnaround: Transparency builds trust, and trust makes reform possible.
Take action: Tell us which public information you have struggled to find. We will use your examples to make the case.
Vote When It Counts
The problem: New York moved many town and county elections to even-numbered years starting in 2025, when turnout is higher, but city elections, including Buffalo’s, were left out because they require a state constitutional amendment.
What we propose: A constitutional amendment that lets city elections move to even-numbered years, along with lower ballot-access barriers for local candidates.
Why it matters to the turnaround: When more people vote, leaders are accountable to more of the community.
Take action: Urge your state legislators to support the amendment, and get involved with the Streamlined Governance working group.
Finish the Waterfront
The problem: Canalside and Buffalo Harbor State Park show what is possible, but the region’s shoreline is still fragmented among agencies and uses.
What we propose: One public waterfront from the Outer Harbor to the Niagara River, as set out in our Outer Harbor, Inner Harbor and Black Rock plans.
Why it matters to the turnaround: A connected, public waterfront is a lasting competitive advantage for the whole region.
Take action: Share your vision for the waterfront with us and volunteer to help build public support.
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