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Make Water Affordable and Accountable | Buffalo in Transition
Anna Blatto — Jun 6, 2025
Buffalo sits on one of the world’s largest freshwater sources, but many residents still struggle to afford water. Rates have increased five times since 2006, and in a single year, over 2,500 occupied homes were shut off, many for owing less than $1,000. The system lacks transparency and is managed by a private company under a quietly renewed $7.8 million annual contract. This brief outlines how Buffalo can restore public control, prevent shutoffs, create income-based rates, and …
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Raising the Minimum Wage: The Impact on Women, People of Color, and Immigrants in Western New York
Sam Magavern, Russell Weaver, Haley Smith — Jan 26, 2023
The New York State Legislature is weighing legislation to raise the minimum wage and index it to inflation and worker productivity. In this brief, we examine the impact of such legislation in terms of bringing workers in Western New York closer to a living wage, which is the hourly wage sufficient to meet basic needs such as housing, food, childcare, transportation, and medical expenses.
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The Eastside-Airport Metro Rail Extension
Citizens for Regional Transit — Aug 23, 2019
This policy brief provides information regarding the expansion of NFTA metro-rail services in east-side Buffalo to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.
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Advancing Racial Equity and Public Health: Smarter Marijuana Laws in Western New York
Andrea Ó Súilleabháin — Nov 14, 2017
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Town IDAs in Erie County: 2011-2013
Sam Magavern — Nov 14, 2014
In addition to the Erie County Industrial Development Agency (IDA), Erie County has five town IDAs: Amherst, Clarence, Concord, Hamburg, and Lancaster. In this policy brief, we review the performance of the five town IDAs from 2011 to 2013 and find that most of the projects that they have approved have involved restaurants, retail businesses, hotels, speculative office parks, or other projects that are highly unlikely to grow the region’s economy and create a net gain of jobs.
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Canal Side: How Will the Community Benefit?
Owen Field Apr 1, 2010
For the last two years, PPG partners have voted to make a community benefit agreement (CBA) for the $300 million Canal Side development a plank in the PPG Community Agenda. A CBA would include binding guarantees about quality jobs, green design, local businesses, local and minority hiring, and mixed income housing. Each year, PPG leads its partners and other citizens in crafting a Community Agenda: ten policy actions that government can take in the course of the year to revitalize …