Upstate cities from Albany to Buffalo will receive millions of dollars in added state assistance to help close budget gaps.
The funding boost – criticized as a bailout by Republican lawmakers – is in addition to the more than a billion dollars Gov. Kathy Hochul has pledged to fill a shortfall in New York City.
Buffalo will receive an extra $55 million, Yonkers and Albany will get another $40 million, and Rochester and Syracuse will each receive an added $20 million. Smaller communities like Mt. Vernon and Auburn also are receiving extra assistance as part of this year’s state budget.
The extra aid comes on top of an increase in what’s known as Temporary Municipal Assistance (TMA) for communities statewide. Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Yonkers will receive the maximum amount of $15 million, up from $5 million last fiscal year.
“We've given them a percentage, which will help them, you know, mitigate the need to raise taxes or to cut services, such as public safety,” Hochul said. “So, it's about giving them a helping hand at this time when they're financially … really in trouble.”
Hochul said she and legislative leaders also have committed to additional funding for Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Yonkers, Albany and Mt. Vernon in future years.
Those cities’ mayors had come to Albany seeking assistance facing rising costs and declining federal support.
“These funds will help us confront significant fiscal challenges by redoubling our efforts to drive growth, attract investment and put all our residents on a path to economic mobility and generational wealth,” Rochester Mayor Malik Evans said in a statement.
The support was a key priority for the governor and upstate lawmakers concerned about the tight fiscal situation in those cities that have a large number of government offices and universities, which don’t pay property taxes.
“Most of these are untaxed properties that rely heavily on city services, like snow removal and trash collection and fire and police departments,” said Sen. Rachel May, D-Syracuse.
May said those institutions serve entire regions — responding to Republican criticisms that the state was helping large cities over suburban and rural communities.
Funding for the larger Aid and Incentives to Municipalities program, which covers all municipalities outside of New York City, remained flat this year.
Others said there wasn’t enough oversight of spending in the cities, even though in most cases, there is a stipulation that cities must prove the extra assistance is being used to close budget deficits.
“Always, we want to make sure that we're there to help, to make sure that the bills get paid, said Sen. Jack Martins, R-Old Westbury, Nassau County. “But we also want to make sure that that means municipalities taking on the responsibility of making ends meet, addressing the shortfall, so we do not have a recurring need to come back to the state for funding.”
Democrats pointed out the budget also includes increased funding for road improvements and other infrastructure projects across the state.
Rochester also will receive $225 million for redevelopment initiative and $75 million for the a new High Falls State Park. That follows $400 million for revitalization in Albany in last year’s budget.
