Finance committee briefed on confidential corporation counsel opinion about council-controller roles; members say matter could proceed to court

Members of the Buffalo City Committee on Finance discussed a confidential opinion from corporation counsel about the respective legal responsibilities of the common council and the city controller under the city charter.

A council member reminded the committee that the request asked corporation counsel to opine on whether certain controller responsibilities described in the charter (sections cited in the meeting as 7.4 and 20‑21) are legally binding or merely advisory. The member said the committee had received a confidential written document and noted that the city will address the dispute in court: “we are going to pay for that opinion in Supreme Court,” the member said during the committee exchange.

Committee members did not debate the legal text on the public record beyond noting the existence of the confidential opinion and the decision to seek resolution in the courts. The matter was discussed briefly as a follow-up to a prior committee request and was placed on the record; the committee then moved to table further public discussion of the item.

Authorities referenced in the discussion included the city charter sections cited by the committee (sections 7.4 and 20‑21) and the mayoral/controller provisions relevant to the requested opinion. No substantive change in policy or jurisdictional assignment was adopted during the committee session; the issue will proceed through the city’s legal process as noted by committee members.

Procedural actions recorded included a motion to open a very brief discussion on Item 3, a second by Council member Bowman, and later a motion to table the item (seconded by Council member Everhart). The committee adjourned after tabling further discussion.