HTN: Common Council Approves Capital Spending

The Buffalo Common Council has narrowly approved the city's 2009 capital budget. The 20-million-dollar spending plan was approved by a five-four margin. As part of the plan, six-and-a-half million dollars for road repairs will be divided into nine accounts, one for each Council district. Council members say that will ensure that each area of the City gets a fair share of road improvements. More than 300-thousand dollars has been cut, which would have been earmarked for repairs at City Hall and another 365-thousand eliminated that was going to a new police and fire communications system. Mayor Byron Brown and the city control board will have to sign off on the spending.