BUFFALO, NY - After catching wind of a significant jump in garbage user fees for City of Buffalo residents, 2 On Your Side sought answers from Mayor Brown Monday.
Some residents told us they were surprised to see the increases on their City bill for use of the totes.
So we asked Mayor Brown about the increase, and he pointed out this is the first increase in a dozen years and was brought up in the proposed budget approved by City Council back in May.
There were projected increases of anywhere from $17 to $70, depending on the size of the tote.
"For the last several years the City, from the general budget, has been subsidizing the garbage user fee by about $3 million every year. Now with these increases, after 12 years of the garbage user fee not going up, the fee will be self sustaining and actually pay for itself," Mayor Brown told 2 On Your Side.
He says he does not expect any increase next year, but the prospect for future years depends on the city's financial situation.