By MATT CHANDLER
mchandler@bizjournals.com | 716-541-1654

If the latest bankruptcy numbers are any indication, things may be looking up for Western New York.

According to the American Bankruptcy Institute, there was an 8 percent decrease in bankruptcy filings over the first two quarters of 2011, compared to the same period in 2010. In New York state, that number is more than double, dropping 18.6 percent since the first of the year.

The closer it gets to home, the better the numbers look. Last month, Greater Buffalo area saw filings drop 21.9 percent compared to June 2010.

Bankruptcy attorney Jeffrey Freedman says the numbers come as a bit of a mixed bag.

"Consumer confidence is down so people aren't spending. It's a double-edged sword," Freedman says.

"(It's) positive because people are getting their finances under control (but) negative because consumer spending drives our economy. And the result of slow spending is a slow recovery," he says.

Given the region's history, it isn't a surprise to see the stronger numbers, according to Freedman.

"Western New York has always tended to be a more fiscally conservative area than other areas of the country," he says, adding, "Even though this area was not as hard-hit as other areas by the recession, there has been a pull-back, particularly on large purchases."