If you live in Buffalo, expect to soon pay more for your property taxes and garbage collection.
Mayor Byron Brown’s proposed budget for 2024-25 would increase the city’s property tax levy by 9%, the highest property tax increase ever under the Brown administration. That equates to an additional $14 million in property taxes collected by the city this next fiscal year.
The tax rate for both homeowners and commercial buildings would also rise considerably, with the commercial property tax rate rising more swiftly than the residential rate.
Under the new rate, the owner of a home assessed at $100,000 would pay $78 more in city taxes. Homeowners also would pay $30 more for garbage collection.
The higher tax rate requires the Common Council to override the state property tax cap, which it did on Tuesday. The Council still must approve the mayor’s budget proposal.
Brown said the increases are driven by increased costs and the settlement of union contracts, and are unavoidable if the city wishes to continue to provide the services it does now.
“If this plan is not followed, things could go in a different direction,” Brown said.
The mayor provided details to Buffalo News editors and reporters on Tuesday prior to his State of the City address Wednesday at Shea’s 710 Theatre, which will include a budget presentation.
Brown said other factors driving the increases include higher health insurance costs for active and retired employees, and other increased employee benefit and pension costs. He also mentioned the city’s higher debt burden due to the $43 million the city was forced to borrow to settle the case of Chelsea Ellis, a woman…
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