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R VERR CK TIMES

Vol. 5 No. 54 Thursday, April 16, 2026 Covering the Northwest Corner of Buffalo

Councilman Golombek prepares for

contentious city budget discussions

By Amber Healy month. Her stated salary is an in-
ess than two days before the crease from the $175,000 per year
Buffalo Common Council paid to the previous commissioner.
Lreceived Mayor Sean Ryan’s “I think it’s unconscionable at a
first budget proposal, North District time when we’re raising taxes by
Council Member Joe Golombek 25% and I just, in good conscience,
wanted to make a few things clear. cannot support it,” Golombek said.
“The mayor has said the budget “If she says I’ll come in at
is going from about $620 million to $175,000, I would rethink every-
about $700 million. He said it’s go- thing. It’s the same with the four
ing to have a 25% tax increase in it, deputy mayors. There used to be
but there’s nothing that’s actually in two deputy mayors that made
Volunteers clean up site of new park at 99 Thompson St.
front of us yet,” Golombek said Council Member Joe Golombek $138,000, and in order to take the
Springing forward at Monday evening during the Believe speaking at the Believe in Black jobs, (the new deputies) had to make
$200,000.”
in Black Rock meeting, ahead of the Rock meeting.
budget’s slated release on Wednes- Fairness in budgeting
LoveU Buffalo Art Park day. “I do know that every single “A $62,000 increase for the Golombek noted the average in-
member of the city council said deputy mayors is the come in the 14207 zip code is
By Amber Healy spoke a little about the park during there was no way they were going to equivalent of double the around $35,000; a 25% tax increase
hile it won’t officially be Monday night’s Believe in Black support a 25% tax increase this year, on homeowners would result in an
open for a little while Rock meeting. but the problem is that Buffalo has a median income for this increased $360 per year, or about
Wlonger, a group of com- When the park was mentioned strong mayor form of government.” neighborhood and I just, in $30 per month. While it might not
mitted volunteers helped clean up and a neighbor asked how long the The way the city’s charter is good conscience, I cannot seem like a lot of money to people
the site of the future LoveU Buffalo park would actually last, suggesting written, the mayor’s budget will be support anything like that in higher tax bracket neighbor-
ArtPark at 99 Thompson St. Satur- vandals and illegal dumping might accepted and enacted if the council from this point on,” hoods, or to people making substan-
day morning. take over on the small property, votes against it. Council members tially more than $35,000 per year,
After some illegally dumped Lombardo spoke up in defense of can make recommendations for cuts Golombek said. it’s a lot to ask lower income house-
trash was noticed on the property, the effort. to the proposed budget, but cannot holds.
George Fitzpatrick, owner of the “The goal is it’s going to stay as make suggestions on any kind of deputy mayors named earlier this “A $62,000 increase for the dep-
property and president of the River long as we’re there and we’re alive additional programming or services year. uty mayors is the equivalent of dou-
Rock Community Coalition, gath- and keeping it going,” she said. other than what’s already included. The councilman said Ryan ble the median income for this
ered some friends to help clean the “The object to have it there is to Cuts that could be proposed include “raised the deputy mayors’ salaries neighborhood and I just, in good
location and install a temporary se- create camaraderie in the neighbor- changes to current salaries, or ad- from $138,000 to $200,000. I sort of conscience, I cannot support any-
curity fence. hood, but to also have a place for justments to proposed new hires. bit my tongue and said ‘Ok, he got thing like that from this point on,”
“It was a beautiful morning and people that are looking for a place to He also has some big concerns elected. This is what he wants to he said. “If the mayor and his ad-
we even met with multiple neigh- have some peace and serenity.” about some of the actions already do.’ But as soon as we found out ministration are going to be mad at
bors who were excited about our Once the park is established, taken by the administration when it that there’s going to be an increase me, I think that my responsibility is
project,” he says. One neighbor, a there will be events geared toward comes to wages paid to city employ- in taxes and whatnot, I have let them going to be looking at the budget,
new immigrant from South Africa, veteran and community groups ees. know that from this point on, I am line by line, once we get it on
brought his wife and oldest son over alike, in addition to a rotation of “I’m going to be quite honest: I not going to be voting for any sub- Wednesday, and trying to find plac-
to help after learning about the fu- murals from local artists on a series don’t agree” with the mayor’s pro- stantial salary increases.” es that we can make cuts.”
ture of the site, which is set to open of permanent frames within the posed salary increase for the ap- That also includes the proposed Golombek also is concerned that
this summer as a small community park. pointed new police commissioner, $250,000 per year salary for the the proposed tax increase could re-
park featuring local artists in both “Right now we’re in the middle who has yet to be approved by the appointed police commissioner, Er- sult in higher rents for tenants.
murals and a sculpture. of waiting for our proposals to get council. He also doesn’t agree with ika Shields, who is slated to tenta- While some of his colleagues are
“It feels good to be forging com- the sculpture done that we want,” the large raises provided to the four tively start in the position early next Continued on page 2
munity relationships, especially she said, referencing an effort
with those who have recently immi- through Art Services Inc. seeking City announces 2026 street paving list
grated here and may not truly feel a concept drawings and cost propos-
part of their community yet,” Fitz- als from artists to create a sculpture
patrick says. Fitzpatrick has previously envi- ayor Sean M. Ryan an- • 15th St from Massachusetts • Robie St from Parkside Ave to
Debbie Lombardo, also with the sioned as “a phoenix rising from the nounced April 14 the City Ave to Rhode Island St Main St
River Rock Community Coalition, ashes” to be positioned at the fore- Mof Buffalo’s 2026 paving • 7th St from Hudson St to Jer- • Starin Ave from Amherst St to
front of the park. The deadline to list and unveiled a new, data-driven sey St Hertel Ave
approach to how streets will be • Efner St from Virginia St to • Tillinghast Pl from Colvin Ave
submit proposals is May 1. He also
noted that the River Rock Commu- evaluated and prioritized in future Amistad Ln to Parkside Ave
years. The announcement is part of • W Ferry Circle • Voorhees Ave from Hertel Aly
nity Coalition is currently soliciting
landscape quotes for the park to Mayor Ryan’s broader focus on • Grant St from Hampshire St to to Morris Ave
“fixing the basics” by investing in Breckenridge St • Woodward Ave from Amherst
begin the work of establishing the
property as a community feature. core city services and improving the • Parkdale Ave from Bird Ave to St to Crescent Ave
systems that support them. Potomac Ave Mayor Ryan highlighted how
The park also will have “places
to sit, and there’s going to be flow- Streets to be paved include: • Porter Ave from 4th St to Ni- the city is shifting toward a needs-
ers in it, flowers that are easy to NORTH agara St based paving model that uses real-
maintain,” Lombardo said Monday • Elmwood Ave from Amherst • Potomac Ave from Grant St to time roadway data to guide future
St to Hertel Ave Richmond Ave investments.
night. “The goal is that the park will
stay there.” • Elmwood Ave from Notting- • Trenton Ave from Virginia St “This investment is part of a
ham Ter to Amherst St to Pennsylvania St larger emphasis we are putting
• Grant St from Amherst St to DELAWARE on prioritizing areas of need and
State Route 198 • Colonial Cir doing the work the right way the
• Grove St from Hertel Ave to • Forest Ave from Richmond first time,” Mayor Ryan said. “For
Race St Ave to Elmwood Ave too long, residents have been left
• Hertel Ave from Tonawanda St • Grant St from Forest Ave to with streets in poor condition that
to Military Rd State Route 198 went unaddressed. By using tech-
• Stratford Rd from Camden • Harvest Ave from Kenmore nology and focusing on need, we
Ave to Delaware Ave Ave to Saint Lawrence Ave can make smarter investments,
• Thompson St from Hamilton • Inwood Pl from Windsor Ave stretch taxpayer dollars further, and
St to Farmer St to Delaware Ave deliver better results for residents.”
• Tonawanda St from Ontario St • Parkside Ave from Starin Ave As part of the announcement,
to Arthur St to N Parker Ave the city introduced a partnership
NIAGARA • Richmond Ave from Forest with, a company that uses advanced
• 15th St from Vermont St to Ave to Lafayette Ave lidar technology to assess roadway
Connecticut St Continued on page 2