The Town of Tonawanda supervisor has proposed a 3.9% tax levy increase in the town’s 2027 budget, saying the change is needed to keep pace with inflation, higher labor costs and public safety spending.
Supervisor John Flynn presented the plan during Monday’s town board meeting. It is his first budget since being appointed supervisor in May 2026.
Flynn said he was reluctant to go above the tax cap, but argued that the town needs to base its spending plans on current inflation rather than hold the line at 2% each year.
“As a homeowner myself, I’m not thrilled by exceeding the tax cap at 2%, but like I said during my presentation, I think that the tax cap should be the rate of inflation, or 2%, whatever is higher,” Flynn said. “We’re living in times right now where the inflation rate is like 5% here in our area, and when you have 5% inflation, it is impossible to have a 2% tax levy increase. We only got a 3.9%, that to me is lower than the current almost 5% inflation rate right now so as long as I’m at the inflation rate or under the inflation rate, which we are this year at 3.9%, I’m satisfied.”
He also said a slightly higher increase now could help the town avoid much larger tax jumps later.
“We’ve seen that in other municipalities here in Western New York where they have kept the tax increase minimal every year for years and years, and then the next thing you know, you’ve got to have a 20%, 50% tax rate … I’m not going to do that,” Flynn said. “I’m going to be responsible, and I’m going to try to keep it as low as I can, but I’m going to do what I’ve got to do to provide the services and to make it responsible so that I’m not burdening future residents of the town of Tonawanda.”
The proposed budget is posted on the town’s website and will be reviewed during town board workshops in October.
Source: WIVB News 4.
