Reallocate Western New York Tax Dollars to Schools and Infrastructure—Not Billion-Dollar S
Reallocate Western New York Tax Dollars to Schools and Infrastructure—Not Billion-Dollar S
The Issue
To Governor Kathy Hochul, the Erie County Legislature, and the Buffalo Common Council,
We, the residents and taxpayers of Western New York, are writing to express our outrage over the blatant misalignment of public funding priorities across our region.
Buffalo Public Schools is currently proposing the closure or restructuring of eight neighborhood schools to address a severe budget deficit. This decision will directly impact over 2,300 students, displace dozens of dedicated educators and staff, and strip essential resources from neighborhoods that rely on these schools as vital community hubs. At the same time, our city's basic infrastructure—from our crumbling roads to aging housing stock—is severely underfunded and neglected.
Yet, state and local leadership managed to commit $850 million in public taxpayer money ($600 million from New York State and $250 million from Erie County) to subsidize a brand-new stadium for a privately owned NFL franchise in Orchard Park.
It is unacceptable that taxpayers are forced to absorb nearly a billion dollars for a sports stadium while our local children are forced out of their neighborhood schools due to a lack of funding. Public resources must serve the immediate, fundamental needs of the community first.
WE DEMAND THAT OUR ELECTED LEADERSHIP:
1. Freeze Further Public Subsidies: Halt any additional state or county infrastructure spending, public subsidies, or cost-overrun coverage for the Orchard Park stadium project.
2. Prioritize Public Education Funding: Mandate that state and local revenue streams immediately prioritize emergency funding for Buffalo Public Schools to stop the proposed closure of neighborhood schools.
3. Invest in Core Infrastructure: Direct public funds toward repairing Buffalo’s failing roads, neighborhood infrastructure, and public services rather than expanding subsidies for private corporate venues.
Our children’s education and our community’s infrastructure must take precedence over multi-million-dollar sports developments. We urge you to reallocate public resources to support the people of Western New York.
Sincerely,
58
The Issue
To Governor Kathy Hochul, the Erie County Legislature, and the Buffalo Common Council,
We, the residents and taxpayers of Western New York, are writing to express our outrage over the blatant misalignment of public funding priorities across our region.
Buffalo Public Schools is currently proposing the closure or restructuring of eight neighborhood schools to address a severe budget deficit. This decision will directly impact over 2,300 students, displace dozens of dedicated educators and staff, and strip essential resources from neighborhoods that rely on these schools as vital community hubs. At the same time, our city's basic infrastructure—from our crumbling roads to aging housing stock—is severely underfunded and neglected.
Yet, state and local leadership managed to commit $850 million in public taxpayer money ($600 million from New York State and $250 million from Erie County) to subsidize a brand-new stadium for a privately owned NFL franchise in Orchard Park.
It is unacceptable that taxpayers are forced to absorb nearly a billion dollars for a sports stadium while our local children are forced out of their neighborhood schools due to a lack of funding. Public resources must serve the immediate, fundamental needs of the community first.
WE DEMAND THAT OUR ELECTED LEADERSHIP:
1. Freeze Further Public Subsidies: Halt any additional state or county infrastructure spending, public subsidies, or cost-overrun coverage for the Orchard Park stadium project.
2. Prioritize Public Education Funding: Mandate that state and local revenue streams immediately prioritize emergency funding for Buffalo Public Schools to stop the proposed closure of neighborhood schools.
3. Invest in Core Infrastructure: Direct public funds toward repairing Buffalo’s failing roads, neighborhood infrastructure, and public services rather than expanding subsidies for private corporate venues.
Our children’s education and our community’s infrastructure must take precedence over multi-million-dollar sports developments. We urge you to reallocate public resources to support the people of Western New York.
Sincerely,
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Petition created on October 3, 2026