(WNY News Now) – Lockport’s 2025 proposed budget is under scrutiny, with key findings highlighting fiscal responsibility and areas for adjustment.
Lockport, NY – The City of Lockport’s proposed 2025 budget has been reviewed for accuracy and feasibility. The independent evaluation, conducted by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, found that significant revenue and expenditure projections appear reasonable, suggesting the city is on a steady financial course moving into the next fiscal year.
According to the review, the city’s fire department is expected to stay within its 2024 overtime budget, and proposed overtime appropriations for 2025 are considered reasonable. A notable update occurred in October 2024 when the Common Council amended the 2024 budget to allocate $156,073 in unanticipated state aid for the purchase of a new ambulance for the fire department. This purchase led to the Director of Finance’s decision to reduce the fire department’s 2025 budget by $165,000, reallocating these funds to other unspecified areas.
A key adjustment was made to the city’s ambulance revenue estimates. Initially set at $1,025,786, the estimates were revised to $991,420 to reflect more accurate revenue collection trends. By September 30, 2024, actual collections had reached approximately $941,000.
The proposed budget also includes a tax levy of $13,853,089. While this figure is within acceptable projections, the review emphasized the need for careful attention to the legal requirement for maintaining the tax levy increase at or below the limit set by law. Any excess increase would require a formal override before the budget can be finalized.
Key Recommendation: The city must ensure that the tax levy increase does not exceed the legal limit unless an appropriate override is adopted prior to the budget’s final approval.
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