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Tonawanda council adopts 2026 budget with 4.5% tax levy after line-item cuts
Summary
After hours of debate and targeted line-item reductions, the Tonawanda Common Council adopted a revised 2026 operating budget that raises the property tax levy to $16,252,698 (a 4.5% increase) to reduce reliance on reserves and preserve the city's fund balance.
The Tonawanda Common Council on Nov. 18 adopted a revised 2026 operating budget that raises the city's property tax levy to $16,252,698, a 4.5% increase from the current levy, after approving a package of amendments intended to restore $598,736.30 to the city's reserve fund.
Council members said the changes balance two competing priorities: avoid depleting the unassigned fund balance while limiting the immediate tax burden on residents. The council's amendment package reduced or reallocated multiple lines, including a $300,000 reduction to retirement costs, $100,000 from hospital insurance, $50,000 from community parks cameras, $50,000 from professional services, and other smaller adjustments, and created or adjusted several targeted lines (for example, a $2,000 increase for the city cemetery capital project).
"Increasing the tax rate is a necessary and responsible corrective measure to reduce the…
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