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Dunkirk Mayor Kate Wdowiasz calls for an 11.27% property tax increase in her 2027 city budget proposal.
Councilwoman Natalie Luczkowiak forwarded the proposal, along with the mayor's statement on it, to the OBSERVER late Friday morning.
Wdowiasz proposes a tax levy of $11,095,609 for 2027. The final tax levy for 2026 was $9,969,326, according to her proposal.
The Common Council will now make amendments to the budget however it sees fit, ahead of a Dec. 15 deadline for it to pass next year's spending plan.
The budget came in past the city charter's deadline for a budget proposal, Councilman-at-large Nick Weiser said. Council members will start looking over the budget this weekend, ahead of a Tuesday budget workshop covering the Department of Public Works.
City mayors have traditionally proposed budgets to the Common Council in mid-September. Wdowiasz has previously blamed this year's delay on the council, claiming it was dragging its feet on water rate changes.
"I send this budget with a fair amount of trepidation. I do not expect you to 'like' or 'cheer' for this budget," Wdowiasz began her rather lengthy statement. "However, I would ask you to approach it with a mind of understanding what the realities are in this state and the country in which we live. Whilst state mandates and costs continue to go up, an ever-shrinking tax base is asked to absorb more for the basic services for which our community relies on and needs."
She stated that city government "is not immune to the economic pressures affecting our residents. The cost of maintaining streets, operating public safety, vehicles, purchasing equipment, paying utility bills, providing employee benefits, and delivering the essential services residents depend upon continues to rise at a pace that exceeds revenue growth. Inflation has increased the cost of nearly every aspect of municipal operations, making it more difficult each year to provide the same level of services with limited resources."
Wdowiasz went on to write that "Preparing this budget required difficult decisions. Throughout the process, this Administration carefully examined departmental spending, identified opportunities for efficiencies, and sought to control costs wherever possible. Every dollar included in this budget was scrutinized with the understanding that it comes from hardworking taxpayers who are facing many of the same financial challenges in their own homes.
"This proposed budget continues to support the core services that protect our quality of life and keep our city functioning every day. It maintains funding for police and fire protection, public works operations, water and wastewater services, code enforcement, parks and recreation, and the administrative functions necessary to serve our residents."
The mayor also noted the city's "longstanding financial challenges that have accumulated over decades, including debt obligations, aging infrastructure, legacy costs, and deferred financial decisions from prior administrations. These obligations consume a significant portion of available resources and limit the city's ability to expand programs or make new investments without careful planning."
Wdowiasz said her 2027 proposal "is a budget of responsibility (that) reflects the realities of today’s economy while prioritizing the services residents depend on the most. It is designed to maintain stability, honor our commitments, and position the City to navigate continued financial uncertainty."
She declared that "financial stability is not achieved in a single budget cycle. It requires discipline, long-term planning, and a willingness to make responsible decisions year after year. Meeting the challenges ahead will require continued collaboration among the Administration, the Common Council, City employees, labor organizations, businesses, and residents."
Wdowiasz mined that same vein of community collaboration for several paragraphs, with statements such as this: "Time and again, our residents, businesses, neighborhoods, and local institutions have demonstrated the ability to come together, overcome adversity and move forward with a determination. This budget reflects that spirit."
Wdowiasz finally concluded: "The future of Dunkirk will not be defined by the challenges before us, but by how we respond to them. I remain optimistic that through cooperation, accountability, innovation, and prudent stewardship of taxpayer resources, we will continue moving our City forward. Together, we can preserve the services our residents rely upon, strengthen our financial foundation, and create opportunities for future generations.
"I am honored to work alongside our residents, employees, and elected officials as we continue building a stronger future for our community."