Mayor Brown points to accomplishments

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown says the city has become safer and stronger since he took office.

The theme Mayor Brown hit home on Thursday was that his administration's zero tolerance anti-crime effort has reduced crime by 12 percent and cut the homicide rate by 50 percent since he took office in 2006.

The mayor told a crowd gathered at the Buffalo Convention Center his administration has made good on strengthing the local economy and the city's fiscal health by implementing greater efficiency and accountability in delivering city services.

Mayor Brown reports double-digit surplusses each year of his term resulting in a record breaking fund balance of 133 million dollars including a 30 million dollar rainy day fund.
The mayor says it puts Buffalo in a good position to weather the economic storm.

Brown said, We presented to President Obama's administration a comprehensive list of ready to go infrastructure projects for Buffalo and Erie County to be funded through the Federal Stimulus Package. The 1.9 Billion Dollars worth of projects includes 22 milion dollars in the City of Buffalo that could produce over 14,000 jobs."

Mayor Brown also pointed to other accomplishments such as successfully negotiating union contracts, increasing the living wage and resolving the long standing Hickory Woods conflict.