Comptroller Miller Williams Responds to State Audit Requested by Mayor Sean Ryan

City of Buffalo Comp troller Barbara Miller Williams

City of Buffalo Comp troller Barbara Miller Williams has issued her response to the Administration’s for mal request for a State Audit of the City of Buffalo finances to be conducted as requested in the Buffalo Common Council Resolution Item #26-497. As stated in the New York State Comptroller’s letter to Members of the Buffalo Common Council, the Administration and the Comptroller’s Office, the New York State Comptroller has indicated a formal audit will not take place, but instead an expedited, limited-scope review of the City’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget.

It is important to note that after preparing and filing City of Buffalo official financial statements, the Department of Audit and Control always submits these reports to the Office of the New York State Comptroller and the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority annually by October 31. Based on these key financial reports and independent analysis, the Comptroller remains firm in her stance of the significant uncertainty of the City of Buffalo’s fiscal out look.

Comptroller Miller Williams continues to emphasize the need for a comprehensive plan to address these challenges: “My position has not changed when it comes to the health of our City’s finances and therefore my office will expeditiously provide any assistance request ed,” stated Comptroller Miller Williams. “At the risk of repeating myself, we are facing serious concerns with the state of our finances and gen eration of revenues to offset our expenditures. We will continue to protect the citizens and tax payers and continue to provide them with cur rent updates on the state of our City finances.”

The Department of Audit and Control remains committed to monitoring the City’s financial performance and providing updates to the Administration, the Buffalo Common Council, the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority, and the citizens and taxpayers of Buffalo.