Government and Politics of Buffalo

The Democratic Party has dominated Buffalo politics for the last half-century. As private sector employment has diminished in the city, the interests of government employees in job security and material benefits have led to higher levels of public spending and taxation on a shrinking population and business community.

This higher taxation has in return driven more employers out of the region resulting in a downward spiral of economic development and population loss. Civil servant union interests in preventing governmental reforms or consolidation that might threaten remaining municipal jobs has driven large voter turnouts and financial support for Democratic candidates that have consistently preserved the large City of Buffalo government.

In 2005, Buffalo voters faced a historic decision. Kevin Helfer, the city’s first major GOP candidate in over 40 years, defeated Byron Brown by a 2-1 margin in the Conservative Primary to win the first ever write-in campaign. Ultimately, voters rejected Helfer’s reform agenda and chose Byron Brown as the city’s first African-American mayor.

Union support bolstered Brown’s campaign, ultimately providing a substantial fundraising and volunteer effort. In exchange, Brown has backed a police job action and advocated eliminating the wage freeze imposed by the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority.