Once again, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown is proposing a budget that holds the line on property taxes. WBFO's Chris Caya reports on some highlights of the $494 million spending plan unveiled Friday.
There appear to be no major surprises for city of Buffalo taxpayers in Mayor Byron Brown's proposed budget. It includes $500,000 for new technology for the Buffalo Police Department. Brown says every officer will receive an iPad with features that will help improve police efficiency.
"GPS is one of those features. The ability to take crime scene photos and immediately load those into reports. The ability to take the computer in and out of the car, which is something that the mobile computer terminals don't provide now," Brown said.
The proposal also includes funding for a Lead Educational Awareness Program, the addition of six seasonal laborers to clean city parks and an extra $100,000 for the Olmsted Parks Conservancy.
"The Conservancy does a great job in maintaining those historic parks and parkways in the city. And they are able to do it at a lower cost than the city would face if we were to take the management of the Olmsted Parks back into the city of Buffalo," Brown said.
If the increase is approved, Olmsted would receive $1.1 million for the upcoming fiscal year. The Common Council has until May 21 to get the budget passed on time.