Buffalo Mayor-Elect Sean Ryan met Monday with senior budget officials from the State Senate, Assembly, and Governor’s Office to discuss the city’s fiscal status, and begin outlining his plans for addressing a deep budget deficit.
The current 2025-26 city budget, according to Ryan’s transition team, is operating with a $19 million deficit but they project it could increase up to $50 million in fiscal 2026-27.
“My message was clear, we're in a deep bind,” said Ryan to Buffalo reporters remotely. “We're going to need some help, but we're going to come to you with a real plan, and a plan where we're going to put our shoulder behind this and we're going to do everything we need to do, and only then are you going to be able to ask your partners for assistance.”
Ryan’s transition team is working on what he described as a three-year fiscal plan, part of which would ask for help from Albany. The mayor-elect intends to do so, but he stated Monday that the time for a formal ask is not here yet.
“You start establishing a transparent relationship, and you start devising a plan to help get us out of this mess, and the soft landing will come only when we have a better idea of exactly how big our out your deficits are, how much money we can save through revenue raisers and efficiencies,” Ryan said. “That's when you ask your government partners if they can help you with a soft landing.”
Ryan was also asked about the capital budget just submitted by Acting Mayor Chris Scanlon. It borrows money on behalf of the Buffalo School Board, which is unable to borrow for itself. Scanlon recommends the state revive a Joint Schools Construction Board. Ryan says if it becomes a serious problem, his administration will explore other ways the district can borrow, but he’ll consider the possibility of the board.
Meanwhile, the transition team reports more than 1,000 job applications have been received in just 11 days since the launch of Ryan’s transition website.
According to Ryan’s transition team, interviews for candidates for commissioner-level roles will begin “in the coming days,” followed by interviews to fill deputy commissioner and director positions. Ryan himself will conduct final interviews, his team said.
