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No salary cuts for Niagara Falls mayor, council

The Niagara Falls City Council opted not to cut their own salaries — or the mayor's.

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — Council members in Niagara Falls won't be cutting their own salaries.

And they won't be cutting the mayor's salary, either.

That's because the council on Wednesday voted down all measures requesting 10 percent pay cuts for elected officials starting in 2020, a proposal brought forth by newly-elected Republican Chris Voccio.

Voccio, who campaigned on the promise of small government, failed to convince his colleagues that the mayor's $77,000 annual salary and council members' $12,000 salaries should be reduced. It would have represented only modest savings in the grand scheme of a more than $90 million operating budget in Niagara Falls.

Voccio argued that the move was a sign of leadership — "there's something to be said about self-sacrifice," he said — but Council Chairperson Andrew Touma (D) said it was just a political stunt that wouldn't have created any real savings.

"We don't want to compromise the positions with a cut," Touma said. "when we have to factor in the job that we do, and factor in future council members and mayors down the road."

Mayor Paul Dyster declined comment after the meeting.

Although Voccio's proposal to cut salaries ultimately failed, the council did approve a separate cost-cutting measure intended to improve the budget situation. The council passed a resolution asking the administration to reduce overall expenses by five percent as a way to shore up finances heading into the 2019 budget process.

Millions of dollars remain in limbo due to the ongoing dispute over casino revenue involving the state and the Seneca Nation.

Voccio had wanted elected officials to cut salaries as a way to show solidarity with other city departments, but he had also pushed for the overall five percent reduction in expenses.

Voccio wants all city departments to take a hard look at their spending and see if any service reductions could result in savings.

"The most important thing we can do is engage city employees, let them know the true nature of the financial situation," Voccio said. "If we do, I really think the city employees are going to help us out with this. I absolutely do."

Touma said raising revenues will probably be necessary down the road, but he also called on union heads, departments and the mayor to find cuts. He also called on the city to develop budget scenarios in preparation for any outcome in the casino revenue dispute.

Mayor Dyster said at Wednesday's meeting that the arbitration process between the state and the Seneca Nation is "actively" moving forward.

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