MEDIA ADVISORY

May 8, 2023

Contact: Dejia James, 716-507-7295, dejia@ppgbuffalo.org 

Community Groups to Call for Three Priorities in the City of Buffalo Budget

WHAT: Partnership for the Public Good and its partner organizations are calling for three priorities to be included in the City of Buffalo 2023-2024 budget currently being negotiated. These community-based organizations will call on Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and the Buffalo Common Council to:  

1. fund a sidewalk and bus stop snow removal pilot program, 
2. re-establish arts and cultural funding for small and mid-sized arts organizations, and 
3. fund additional staff for the Office of New Americans and more language access across City departments.

WHO:

Simon Husted, Member, Buffalo Transit Riders United
Richie Wills, Teaching Artist, Just Buffalo Literary Center
Dao Kamara, Community Engagement Coordinator, Providence Farm Collective  
Dejia James, Policy Advancement and Media Manager, PPG
Andrea O Suilleabhain, Executive Director, PPG

Additional participants include community advocates and elected officials who will add their support to these priorities. 

WHEN: Thursday, May 11th, 2023 at 9:00 am

WHERE: Buffalo City Hall, Niagara Square Entrance

WHY: Each year, PPG’s 365 partner organizations are engaged in a democratic process to select their shared top ten priorities for policy change in Buffalo Niagara. These three issues were voted onto PPG’s 2023 Community Agenda and require funding in the City budget to be achieved. At this press conference, leading community advocates on each issue – sidewalk and bus stop snow removal, arts and cultural funding, and New American inclusion and services –  will share why these items should be included in the City budget and how these changes would benefit residents across Buffalo.