Some cities in California are opting for bankruptcy protections, and places like Scranton, Pa. are also having difficult financial times, much like Buffalo's situation a few years ago, but to this point, no out of town officials have called for advice.
"We have not heard from any of these other cities," says Brown, noting Buffalo is working to have others around the country view it as a model for financial recovery.
Brown says the city has been successful at delivering services more efficiently with the taxpayer in mind -- and isn't afraid to look at ways other cities are handling their delivery services.
"Just recently the Control Board voted to go into the advisory mode that the legislation calls for. We've been able to cut the tax rate residentially by 15 percent, commercially by 25 percent," he says.
He says the Control Board voted to go into the advisory mode that the legislation had called for -- and the city is using a performance-based budgeting system, funding the items that are requested by the citizens, the most urgent service priorities, as well as those things that are revenue-producing in nature.


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