Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan said Thursday the city's total budget deficit is around $109 million, and part of his proposed remedy is to increase taxes to residents about 25%.
Ryan was speaking with reporters at the Richardson Hotel, where he announced an executive order regarding demolitions in the city. Following the contents of that press conference, he was asked about a potential tax increase.
Ryan said the city is looking at every tool at its disposal to close the gap, which includes increased state assistance, but there remains a gulf of $45 million.
"That $45 million gap means that every homeowner in Buffalo is going to be asked to pay about $20 to $30 a month more in taxes," Ryan said. "So it'll be probably about, right now the numbers are still back and forth, about a 25% tax increase."
The mayor said the 25% is an average based on a house valued at $225,000.
"I understand that people are worried," he said. "I'd ask people to adopt a wait-and-see approach. Wait and see what the impact on you is, not just generally a 'I'm against it.'
"For our lowest income residents, it's probably about $10 a month tax increase."
On the campaign trail in 2025, Ryan vowed that he would raise taxes.
"Property taxes have to go up. That's the mistake of the city for 10 years, they didn't raise taxes at all," he told BTPM NPR during 'Candidate Conversations' in May 2025. "But when you do that, it leads to a big rebound, where you have to raise taxes a lot. But we can't raise taxes a lot and quickly on Buffalo residents. Come up with an actual four-year plan that's got to have gradual increases of revenues from various sources."
The next step in the budget process is Ryan submitting it to the Common Council for approval.