The City of Buffalo ended April 2025 with an ending cash balance the deputy comptroller described as “a negative $3,900,000,” the finance committee heard at its June session.

The report, presented by Delano Dowd, deputy comptroller, and described as a cash-only (not budget) statement, said the city began April with about $16.7 million, received nearly $30 million in cash receipts, and spent roughly $50.3 million during the month. Dowd told the committee April 2025’s ending cash balance was about $19.7 million higher than April 2024, largely because April 2024 included three payroll periods while April 2025 included two.

Why it matters: The cash report highlights short-term timing pressures on the city’s cash accounts even as some revenue lines track at or above budget. Dowd said year-to-date sales-tax receipts equaled 99% of the budgeted $169.2 million and April sales-tax receipts were $10.2 million, about $2.8 million higher than April 2024.

On the revenue side, the deputy comptroller reported April property-tax receipts of $1.1 million (about $904,000 below April 2024) and year-to-date property-tax collections close to budget. He also said interest receipts totaled $1.3 million in April and year-to-date interest receipts were $12.5 million, exceeding budgeted projections by roughly $2.3 million.

Dowd highlighted other receipts: prescription-rebate receipts were $6.4 million in April and year-to-date rebates were $23.7 million, which he described as “positive” relative to expectations. He confirmed the city expects one remaining state-aid payment for fiscal year 2025—about $98.4 million—scheduled in June 2025 and described the three state-aid installments as roughly $19 million in December, $43 million in March and $98 million in June.

On expenditures, the deputy comptroller said personnel and FICA costs were approximately $22.4 million in April 2025, about $13.2 million lower than April 2024 because of the different number of payrolls. He noted payments to the Board of Education in April were about $5.8 million (the board’s 1/12 share of property-tax receipts).

Committee members asked how negative monthly cash balances are managed. Dowd replied the city sometimes advances funds to the school board and that the structure of monthly property-tax distributions can create intra-year cash timing where the general fund manages shortfalls until year-end. He also said the city’s June state-aid receipt and other inflows typically resolve these temporary shortfalls.

Ending note: Committee members tabled further action on the cash-and-flow report pending additional review and questions.