Legislator Lorigo opposes Cuomo decision to withhold funding from municipalities across NYS, including Buffalo and Lackawanna

Modified: July 21, 2020 9:35am

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Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Erie County Legislators Joe Lorigo, John Mills, Ed Rath, and Frank Todaro introduced a resolution voicing opposition to Governor Cuomo’s decision to withhold Aid and Incentives to Municipalities funding from 12 cities across New York State, including the cities of Buffalo and Lackawanna. The resolution recently gained the unanimous support of the Erie County Legislature.

Citing revenue shortfall created by COVID-19, Governor Cuomo is withholding 20 percent of AIM funding from cities, which amounts to $20 million dollars from the City of Buffalo alone.  Other cities impacted include Lackawanna, Rochester, Syracuse, and Yonkers.

Legislator Lorigo said, “Cities and towns across New York rely on AIM funding every year to help implement the dozens of mandates the state requires by law. Unfortunately, time and again those mandates are unfunded and the burden is placed on local municipalities. Cutting AIM funding at a time when every municipality across the state is coming to terms with their own COVID-19 budget shortfalls is irresponsible and shortsighted. The state must find other ways to deal with its own budget issues without gutting funding to cities and towns.”

A copy of the resolution can be viewed here.