New York Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli released fiscal stress scores for Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse and 12 other New York cities and villages May 2.
DiNapoli's office found fiscal stress scores for Buffalo of 16%, Rochester of 20%, and Syracuse of 34%.
In this fiscal stress system the higher the percent score the more fiscal stress the government is said to have. Governments with scores of 45% or more are said to be susceptible to fiscal stress.
None of the other 12 cities and towns whose scores were announced had scores at 45% or higher.
"Since implementing the system last year, we have evaluated the fiscal condition of nearly 2,300 municipalities and school districts across the state," said DiNapoli. "This information has been well-received by local officials and taxpayers and it's clear that we have created a tool that has helped them better understand their community's true financial picture. But our work is not done. The value in our system will be borne out over time as it helps guide local budgeting decisions and the development of long-term financial plans."
The system attempts to score all of the state's governments and school districts except for New York City.
A few governments have yet to provide adequate information to the comptroller's office to get a score.
The state's fourth largest city, Yonkers, has a fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2013 but has not yet submitted complete financial information to the comptroller, according to a spokesman for the comptroller.
Moody's Investors Service rates Yonkers Baa1 and has the rating under review with direction uncertain.
