NY elected officials call for more state aid to municipalities

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and members of the New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials called on Gov. Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers Tuesday for increased aid and incentives for municipalities in the 2025 budget.

Brown said there has been no increase in AIM funding for municipalities since 2012. If no boost comes in the near future, it could lead to inequities among economically vulnerable and middle-income residents. New York AIM funding provides roughly $715 million for every city, town, and village in the state, a stagnant total affected greatly by inflation in recent years.

While Brown acknowledged that Hochul has "ambitious" goals, he said that municipalities need an increased revenue share to help make those goals a reality.

“AIM funding is essential in maintaining essential municipal services," Brown said "The funds are used to balance our budgets and cover the costs of police, fire, public works, and many other essential services in our communities all across the State of New York.”

Many other officials echoed Brown's sentiments, including Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, who added that residents deserve a break.

“[Community members] send their tax dollars to the state capitol, and AIM is supposed to provide some of that funding back to our municipalities so that we can lessen the burden of regressive taxes," Sheehan said. “As mayors and as those who work in municipal government, we’re standing here to say ‘What about us?’”

Brown said that a bill has been proposed at the state level to increase AIM funding for 2025 and that it has gotten support from lawmakers, but that similar pushes have happened in the past to no avail.

You can watch the officials' full Friday press conference above.