In recent months, the city of Dunkirk has put its best face on its recent money troubles. During Financial Committee meetings, elected officials are being told that there is a regular balance between revenues and expenses.

That is the good news.

On Tuesday, however, we will find out if there is any additional harm for city property owners when Mayor Kate Wdowiasz makes her 2026 budget proposal. We are fairly certain it will not be as frightening as the 108% tax hike she included last year that was whittled down to 84% by the council, but we also do not believe that property owners will be paying less.

How could they?

Since the fiscal debacle that left the city in the red some $14 million from 2020 to 2024, the city’s spending still has not slowed down. If not for the $13.7 million loan from Gov. Kathy Hochul over the summer to pay for last year’s loan, Dunkirk would be just as solvent as the notorious Enron, which went bankrupt due to poor accounting practices in the early 2000s.

Last year’s budget totaled more than $28 million. From what we see on the outside, there has been no major reductions in government. In fact, the city is still running its expense engine at full throttle as though nothing has gone wrong.

A state Control Board could have solved the problem that have council and city leaders powerless. Iron-clad contracts cannot be fixed by the soft elected officials who are voted into office. But they can be mightily restructured through the heavy hand that includes outside oversight by that control board.

That was a missed opportunity. How painful will next year be?

Residents will get a better indication early next week.