Politicians Should Be Held Accountable At The Ballot Box, 19 Percent Tax Increase And User Fee Increases Are Outrageous

by Christopher D. Porter Chairman City of Buffalo Republican Party

The City of Buffalo’s Mayor and Common Coun cil have proven that they cannot manage the City’s finances in a responsible way. The budgetary problems have gone on for years and, it is submitted, neither the mayor nor the Common Council have been entirely candid with the voters about these problems.

And no, despite what some in the Democratic Party establishment may imply, and as much as many of us may not like some or many things about Donald Trump, Donald Trump has had nothing to do with creating the City of Buffalo’s financial mess or with imposing exces sive City of Buffalo prop erty taxes upon us. These property tax increases and financial problems have been created and imposed upon us by an all Democratic Party Common Council and Democratic Party Mayor. While it is true some members of the Common Council balked at the 19 percent tax increase, a majority of the Common Council did not.

And at no time during the Mayoral Campaign last year did Mr. Ryan indicate that he was going to attempt to raise property taxes in Buffalo by 25.8 per cent or that he was going to raise the User Fee. No member of the Common Council by the way said last year that they were going to raise your proper ty taxes by 19 percent this year and that they were going to raise the User Fee.

Mr. Ryan and the majority of the Common Council that voted for the 19 per cent tax increase figure that, by raising taxes exorbitantly now. voters will have forgotten about the tax increases by the time the next election cycle rolls around. This approach is extremely cynical.

The effect of these exces sive tax increases upon City tenants and prop erty owners is devastating. The 19 percent tax increase this year follows an 8 per cent tax increase last year, the raising of many proper ty owners’ tax assessments, and the raising of the User Fee. People on fixed incomes are hardest hit and, it is submitted, tenants will likely have their rents raised because landlords will now have to pay out more in property taxes.

The likelihood of Buffalo attracting significant business investment capital and funds in the future has taken a devastating blow due to these tax increases and this longstanding budgetary mismanagement. It would be one thing if the city provided us with Gold Star Quality services and spending in a responsible manner, but they are not. Instead, services are being cut. And while these services are being cut, the city still maintains many of its patronage jobs and still maintains 4 Deputy May ors. The citizens of Buffalo are expected to sacrifice and pay more for less, but City Hall lacks the political will to spend in a responsible manner.

The City of Buffalo Republican Committee calls for a full and com plete independent audit by an outside independent party of the City’s entire finances, contracts, and patronage jobs. Politicians who voted for the tax increases and created this financial mess should also be held accountable at the ballot box.

The citizens of Buffalo deserve better.