25-965 : Halton-Pope, Everhart – Establishing a Property Tax Circuit Breaker Program

This resolution urges the City of Buffalo Administration to develop and implement a Property Tax Circuit Breaker Program. The program aims to provide relief to low-income, elderly, and long-standing homeowners who are disproportionately affected by rising property taxes, such as the proposed 8% increase in the 2025-2026 Executive Budget. The resolution highlights the importance of preventing displacement and preserving intergenerational wealth, especially in historically disinvested communities like Buffalo's East Side. It calls for collaboration with the New York State Legislature to secure resources and authority, and tasks the Finance Committee with evaluating models from other jurisdictions and reporting back within 60 days with recommendations for a pilot program. The resolution also directs the City Clerk to send copies to the Mayor's Office and the Western New York Delegation of State Legislators. The Finance Committee has tabled this item multiple times, with the latest update indicating it remains tabled with a next meeting date of January 13, 2026.