The Buffalo Common Council voted to approve Acting Mayor Chris Scanlon’s five appointees to the board of the Buffalo Parking and Mobility Authority, Tuesday.
The board will be responsible for purchasing and maintaining the city's parking ramps as well as overseeing their operation and setting rates, according to New York public authority law.
Appointees will serve varying terms between one and five years, with banker Neil Aquino as chair through September 2029.
Scanlon pushed to establish the authority in this year's budget so the city can sell its four parking ramps to the new public entity. Scanlon's administration estimates the ramps will sell to the authority for between $40 to $50 million over a few fiscal years to help plug the city's $70 million budget deficit.
Of the eight councilmembers, only Niagara District representative David Rivera voted against the appointments, citing concerns over public authorities and transparency.
"There are benefits because we are able to plug a hole in our budget," Rivera said. "The downside is that this is a one-time thing and those holes are going to be reoccurring year after year after year until we make strong decisions."
Scanlon has previously insisted the ramps will generate about $2.5 million in annual recurring revenue on top of whatever they sell for.
Councilmember Mitch Nowakowski noted he was "not thrilled" to vote to approve the appointments to the board, stating the need to sell the ramps is the result of city's failure to raise property taxes incrementally over the years to cover expenses. He warned he is likely to vote "no" when it comes to the actual sale of the ramps in the future.
"I don't think selling every single parking ramp is having fortitude, is thinking forward comprehensively or sophisticatedly," Nowakowski said.
The council will have representation on the board -- Acting Council President Brian Bollman was appointed to a two-year term.
Joining Bollman and chair Aquino are Daniel Leonard who works with local developer Wendel and will serve a one-year term; Amy Nagy, a developer who runs Windsor Turner and formerly worked at Sinatra & Co. who will serve a three-year term; and the city's Commissioner of Administration and Finance Raymour Nosworthy who will serve a five-year term.
