By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – The city of Buffalo is prepared to ask the state for more funding. Tuesday, Common Council members met in special session and approved a request that calls for $86 million in additional state aid.
The funding request includes state efficiency grants already targeted for Buffalo and Erie County. But state lawmakers don't agree on the amount. The Governor recommended $18 million for the county and just $2 million for the city. The State Senate wants to give $13 million to the county and $7 million to Buffalo, and the Assembly is calling for an even split of $10 million apiece. So the city and county have actually come to an agreement. City Finance Commissioner James Milroy says County Executive Giambra is showing his first sign of cooperation with the new mayor. They're asking for $30 million.
"We have decided to ask for more money and split it evenly," Milroy said.
The other portion of the state aid request includes $40 million in capital funding for housing demolitions, land acquisitions and a new computerized program called Citi-Stat. Council Majority Leader Nick Bonifacio was pleased with the state aid request.
"The state had a $2 billion surplus," Bonifacio said. "I think Western New York and the City of Buffalo deserves the share we are asking."
Council President David Franczyk admits it is a big request, but says that's the point. He says the city is also calling on the state to give Buffalo 100 percent of slot revenues from the Seneca's new downtown casino.
"We don't want all the mess they have in Niagara Falls between the county and city. They set up an independent entity to collect all the money and the city has not received one penny yet," Franczyk said.
Under the casino compact, the state is to receive 25 percent of slot revenues, and the city would receive 25 percent of that amount.