State of the City 2026 Speech Transcript
Hon. Sharon F. Owens | Mayor, City of Syracuse
Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026 | 6:00 p.m.
Nottingham Highschool, East Side
Thank you Kiely for that warm welcome and Kevin for those kind words.
Thank you all for coming out this evening and for your support. I would like to take a moment to recognize our elected officials Congressman Mannion, State Senators May, and Ryan, State Assembly members Magnarelli and Hunter, County Executive McMahon, School Board President Barnett and Commissioners of Education, Superintendent Odom, Chairperson Watts, members of the County Legislature, City Auditor Marion, and City Clerk McBride.
I would also like to recognize and thank my amazing transition team who have volunteered their time, energy, and expertise toward supporting the transition. Would members of my transition team: Chairs, Committee Chairs and all who assisted and participated in discussions and meetings please stand and be recognized
I would also like to recognize my senior leadership team, Deputy Mayor and Chief of Staff Corey Dunham, Chief Development Officer Eric Ennis; Chief Strategy Officer Stephanie Pasquale; Chief Operations Officer Kevin Henry, Chief Financial Officer Michael Cannizzaro, and Corporation Counsel Sue Katzoff, those who lead our various city departments and our dedicated city employees. This team keeps me grounded and is instrumental in carrying out the initiatives you will hear about this evening. Please stand and be recognized.
Finally, and most importantly, I would like to thank my family – my husband Shaun…who for 35 years has supported me wherever my career has taken us. And my children Simone and Isaac. Thank you for sharing your mom your entire lives. Today I present to the council, but I dedicate my first state of the city address to the memory of my mother, Pastor Ester L Daniels. You are why I am standing here today. I love you mom.
It is a great honor that my first state of the city address takes place in one of our tremendous high schools. Thank you to Superintendent Pamela Odom and your staff for working with my team to ensure today was possible.
Thank you to Principal Hogle and your staff and students for your gracious hospitality.
In the tradition of SCSD current and alumni students….. ROLL CALL.
When you see your high school displayed let’s hear you:
Corcoran Cougars
Fowler Falcons
Henninger Black Knights
Institute of Technology at Syracuse Central (ITC) Eagles
Regional STEAM High School
and if you graduated from historical original Central Tech High school. Last but certainly not least, our host school, Nottingham. Let me hear you Bulldogs!
Now, without further ado, Madam President Paniagua, members of the Common Council: Caldwell, Ehrenreich, Majok, Monto, Moore, Nave, Jones-Rowser, and Williams– thank you. I look forward to collaborating with you to move our City forward.
In accordance with the Charter of the City of Syracuse, I’m honored to stand before you tonight as Mayor of the great City of Syracuse to report and deliver the State of the City address.
I’m proud to report that the State of our City is… growing, diverse, and ripe with opportunities for all. I’m grateful for the work of our City employees and partners in the Federal, State, County and across this community who helped bring us to this moment. Together, we are transforming Syracuse and building a foundation upon which we can grow.
I want to begin by grounding us in place. We are gathered on land that has long been stewarded by Indigenous peoples – the Onondaga Nation, firekeepers of the Haudenosaunee. We acknowledge with respect the ancestral lands Syracuse is on and commit ourselves to the responsibility of caring for this place together.
Tonight, we gather here at Nottingham High School – a place of learning, growth, and possibility, whose mission is to “create college and career ready students who will become productive members of society”.
Education is power. It’s how opportunity begins, how doors open, how futures are shaped.
Like so many families in this city, my family believes in the power of education – and in the promise of what Syracuse can offer the next generation.
Despite the diagnosis and prognosis for my son Isaac, it was the district that nurtured him through elementary and middle school and it was Nottingham that guided him to graduation. Every teacher, administrator, support staff, bus driver. Thank you.
Last week, I had the honor of meeting with a group of Nottingham students, accompanied by Bulldog alumni who are now city employees – we talked about how housing must be affordable and safe, and how the path to building generational wealth starts with owning a home. We talked about some of our challenges – homelessness, poverty, crime, lead, and food insecurity. We shared our thoughts on public service and the importance of voting and civic engagement.
One question that came up repeatedly was about immigration.
I’d like to take a moment to address the impact of practices imposed by the federal government. We are a nation of immigrants, a welcoming community that supports our immigrant neighbors, our family.
Let me reiterate tonight that the men and women of the Syracuse Police Department, sworn to protect and serve the people of Syracuse, will not take on the role of immigration enforcement.
We have seen neighbors wrongfully detained, families torn apart, and fear spread through communities – most recently with the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. It is cruel and unacceptable. And that’s why I will continue to show up at rallies, to raise my voice, and to stand with those who are targeted. When our neighbors are treated unjustly, silence is not an option.
It’s also why I strongly support the New York for All Act. This legislation, if passed, would prohibit local law enforcement across the State from enforcing federal immigration law. It would also limit federal agents from entering property without a signed judicial warrant. These protections matter because they uphold trust, safety, and dignity for everyone who calls New York and Syracuse home.
Syracuse is a city shaped by our past – but not defined by it. A city ready for our future. A city whose people inspire me every day with their resilience, creativity, and determination.
Syracuse is taking on new meaning – not just at the center of New York State, but central to the future of New York State.
Over the course of my time as Deputy Mayor, I worked with all of the City’s partners to achieve great things. Our work over the last eight years brought us to this historic moment in time. Together, we have laid a foundation on which we can grow - and I am here tonight to tell you, I am not done!
Tonight, I am here to talk about “WHAT’S NEXT!” Our past is our foundation, our vision will be our legacy. And that vision is clear: a fiscally stable City, a Syracuse that leads, a Syracuse where every person has a place to live, work and play. Where people are safe, housed and prosperous in every neighborhood. My vision is for a Syracuse that is the best place to raise a family, build a life, and grow a business - and together we can make it happen.
Tonight, you will hear more about my vision for achieving these next steps through initiatives focused on Thriving Neighborhoods, Public Safety, Generation Next and an Inclusive and Growing Economy with Financial Stability.
Housing: Meeting the Needs of Our Community
As discussed with the students here at Nottingham, and as I heard throughout my campaign, Syracuse needs more housing. It is a fundamental necessity that provides stability, safety, and creates generational wealth.
As the City faces unprecedented growth, we need to ensure we have sufficient housing stock to meet both our current needs as well as the demands our growing City. We need to ensure our existing rental stock is safe and remains affordable for our residents. It is for that reason I encourage the council to engage in conversation around Good Cause Eviction.
Creating more affordable housing options is a primary focus of my administration. I am pleased to say we are underway in our efforts.
We currently have over 1,000 housing units under construction that will offer a mix of market rate and affordable rental and homeownership opportunities.
These include 256 units being constructed as part of the first two phases of the East Adams Neighborhood Transformation and 152 units as part of the renovation of the Chimes Building. I would like to thank our partners Syracuse Housing Authority and the Allyn Foundation for making investments in Syracuse.
In the coming months, we will be breaking ground on the Syracuse Developmental Center site on the City’s westside.
The SDC will bring more than 261 housing units as part of the first phase of its redevelopment. The site will include the development of new roads: Jensen Avenue, in honor of fallen officer Michael E. Jensen, and Helen D Hudson Blvd. in honor of our former Council President.
The City is working with our partner Home Headquarters to build 27 townhomes on the SDC site that will be sold to first-time homebuyers. The newly created neighborhood will serve as a catalyst for investment in the Near Westside and Tipperary Hill.
While these projects add to our housing stock – they are not enough.
Innovation is in Syracuse’s DNA – our Determined Neighborhood Action– and innovation is critical to bringing high quality affordable housing to our City. Syracuse was one of the first in NYS designated as a Pro-Housing Community.
We have a partner in Governor Hochul and her team. They have been and continue to be essential partners in advancing this important work. Programs like AHOP (Affordable Homeownership Opportunity Program) and MOVE-IN NY support the creation of brand-new, healthy, and energy efficient homes for first-time homebuyers. The Governor knows what we know: homeownership serves to stabilize children and families, it creates generational wealth, and it forges thriving neighborhoods. There are more than 50 AHOP projects underway right now that encompass a variety of options – including one and two family and condominiums.
We know that incentivizing and incorporating modular and manufactured home construction will reduce overall production costs, reduce the need for public funds AND dramatically reduce the time it takes to construct a new home.
My administration will work with our development partners to explore how to leverage and scale these initiatives to increase production of affordable housing to accommodate all size families, including 3- and 4-bedroom units.
This past summer, the Governor's MOVE-IN NY “Cross Mod” program was piloted here in the City by the Syracuse Land Bank and was featured in an article by the New York Times as one of the state’s first Cross Mod projects.
As a result of the success of this project, New York State has pledged 52 more of these homes for Syracuse.
We will continue to partner with the Land Bank and our development partners to bring these and other initiatives to each discussion as a tool to return more vacant properties into productive use. To date, the Land Bank’s efforts have resulted in an increase of $2.6 million in local property taxes annually. I thank Executive Director Katelyn Wright and the Land Bank Board for their hard work as well as the Common Council for ensuring these tax delinquent properties continue to move into the hands of those who can return them to productive use.
To ensure we are ready to meet the needs of new commercial development, including housing, we will request funding in the upcoming 2027 budget to expand our capacity for third party review services, thereby expediting the timeline for applicants to complete our permitting and plan review process. Think of this as an ‘HOV lane’ (High Occupancy Vehicles) for development.
Participating large scale residential and commercial projects will have the ability to receive comments and responses back on an expedited basis. To further improve efficiencies, we are rolling out our new online application process for submission of ALL permit and license types. The new application is now available on the City’s website.
In addition to new housing stock, we are also focusing on our properties and neighborhoods.
The newly created Syracuse Housing Strategies Corporation is leveraging funds dollar for dollar to create opportunities for property owners completing curb appeal improvements.
In 2026 the Housing Strategies Corporation will build on this successful initiative by introducing expanded home improvements in these communities to preserve and increase housing value. With investment and support from the Council, our plan is to expand into new neighborhoods each year. We must demonstrate to other investors our own financial commitment.
It's not enough to have housing; we must also ensure our housing stock is safe for our families – free from lead, unsafe conditions and code violations.
My administration will continue to aggressively target all sources of funding to combat all types of lead hazards in our housing stock. This includes a grant of up to $4.1 million from HUD, which is in the final stages of review, to remediate lead paint hazards in at least 100 housing units in the City.
Our Lead Hazard Control Office continues to partner with Onondaga County’s Lead Poisoning Prevention Program to share information, resources, and to address as many Syracuse properties as possible.
I encourage contractors willing to assist in this valuable work to contact Onondaga County’s Lead Contractor and Recruitment Initiative.
I would like to thank our partners in Onondaga County, including County Executive McMahon and the entire Legislature for their ongoing partnership to address lead safety for our families.
In addition to lead paint, my administration will continue to replace water lines throughout our city. We are poised to complete 1,700 lead water service lines in 2026. To meet this goal, we have tripled the number of crews undertaking this work. I want to thank the teams at NBD, Codes, and Water for their relentless commitment to this work.
My team will hold property owners accountable for code compliance, ensuring landlords comply with rental registry requirements and properties are maintained. When necessary, we will continue to utilize our Courts to help the City achieve enforcement when faced with defiant property owners who fail to maintain properties that are safe for tenants.
Like every city, Syracuse is also faced with caring for our homeless and housing vulnerable populations. Despite the great work of our shelter providers and street outreach teams, there is a lack of sufficient housing for these individuals and families. My team will continue to support and incentivize the inclusion of deeply affordable, supportive housing throughout Syracuse and emphasize the need in the greater CNY region to address this crisis.
Quality of Life for Residents
Our City must be healthy, livable, and prepared for the future. This year, we will continue the important work of the Sustainable Syracuse Initiative.
This initiative is about responding to the growing threat of climate change – and about building smarter, more resilient systems that protect our neighborhoods, our infrastructure, and our families for generations to come.
We will be releasing the City’s first comprehensive Climate Action Plan. The plan will analyze the risks and opportunities associated with climate change and create a strategic list of actions and policies to make meaningful reductions in our carbon footprint citywide. We are preparing a final draft now and will be looking for public input this spring before the plan’s adoption later this year.
We are also tackling the challenges of aging infrastructure. Here’s one example - later this year, the City’s Water Department will replace a 24-inch transmission line on Hiawatha Boulevard that has been shut off for more than 20 years. Once complete, this replaced water line will provide improved water pressure and increased volume to residents throughout Syracuse’s Northside.
Providing superior constituent services is essential to me. I am excited to announce we will be creating a new team to assist residents with human service needs through the creation of the C.A.R.E. team - Constituent Assistance Resource Employees. The CARE team will include key staff members who will work alongside our dedicated CityLine staff to provide comprehensive responses to these issues. This human-centered approach will provide a single point of contact for residents to obtain guidance on available city services or other government and/or community resources. I have entrusted my Chief Strategy Officer, Stephanie Pasquale to lead this charge.
Job Creation & Workforce Development
Fiscal sustainability is not just a goal for the City, but for our residents as well. The reality is – in Syracuse, unemployment rates for people of color are three times higher than the City’s overall unemployment rate. A significant portion of city households are cost-burdened, with many families struggling to manage the costs of basic necessities including housing, utilities, and groceries.
Given our poverty rates, this should be no surprise. But let me be clear, it’s not acceptable; nor is it inevitable.
Poverty is a financial condition tied to opportunity - it’s not one’s destiny. Childhood poverty in particular is critical to address. My administration will address this challenge with a clear focus; making sure everyone has access to opportunities through workforce development, affordable housing and safe/reliable transportation.
Creating new jobs and ensuring these jobs are available to City residents helps achieve stability, security and generational wealth to provide real and durable pathways out of poverty. These efforts are critically important to change that financial condition, and get Syracuse off those (darn) lists.
Less than two weeks ago, our community formally celebrated the ground-breaking of Micron, the leading manufacturer of memory chips in the United States. I had the privilege of being part of this historic event, joined by representatives from throughout the Central New York Community and beyond. I want to recognize and thank my partner in County Government, County Executive Ryan McMahon for the leadership he has shown in order to secure the investment and commitment from Micron.
The investment presented by Micron does not end with this one company, but creates economic opportunity in Syracuse. Many attendees were leaders of suppliers in the semiconductor industry who rely on their relationship with Micron, and who are now considering where to invest and build to support the fabs now under construction.
Complementing the region’s science and technology parks, my administration will work with property owners to activate existing commercial spaces to house new businesses that support the semiconductor ecosystem.
Let me be clear. Syracuse is that place and I am thrilled to extend a warm welcome to each and every supplier and company who is looking at Onondaga County and the City of Syracuse as a place where they can invest and create meaningful employment opportunities.
My administration is committed to ensuring opportunities for all – from planning to permitting, we will facilitate new growth.
Syracuse is open for business and welcomes you to our city!
Throughout the City we are witnessing cranes in the air as projects break ground. From new housing construction, to the recent completion of the INSPYRE innovation hub, new investments are being made throughout our City and our construction activity is rising to levels that have not been seen in decades.
New York State’s $450 Million dollar investment to support the expansion of SUNY Upstate’s Emergency Room and Burn Unit, currently in the design phase, will result in a state-of-the-art facility four times its current size. This investment will significantly increase our medical infrastructure for the benefit of our residents and this region.
As we look toward the future, I see an Inner Harbor and Lakefront area that is brimming with potential for a dense, urban, walkable neighborhood. My administration is investing in improvements to Progress Park to include recreational opportunities, pedestrian and bicycle connections and visitor amenities. These improvements will enhance and leverage the expansion of the Creekwalk and increased residential growth.
To fully leverage these investments, we must prepare our residents to access the jobs being created so they have meaningful career opportunities.
That’s why Syracuse is partnering to create a center of excellence for emerging technology at the former Sears building at 1300 South Salina Street to house New York State’s flagship site for ONRAMP – the “One Network for Regional Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships”. This innovative development was made possible by a critical investment from Governor Hochul and her team at Empire State Development. Now, in partnership with CenterState CEO, the process to identify a master developer for the site is underway, so development can break ground later this year.
ONRAMP will serve as one of our community’s leading workforce innovation hubs dedicated to closing skill gaps in advanced manufacturing and construction across Central New York.
Commitments from our higher education partners are focused on training and preparing our workforce for emerging industries. Programs like Erie21 at LeMoyne College, and semiconductor clean rooms at Onondaga Community College and Syracuse University will prepare students to join employers in our community - while offering opportunities to remain in Syracuse. Other partners including SUNY EOC, OCM Boces, and Jubilee Homes are preparing City residents with the fundamental skills needed to establish lasting careers that pay a living wage.
In addition, my administration is partnering with MACNY to participate in their apprenticeship programs. These provide valuable skills training needed to prepare the workforce of tomorrow. We would like to expand our existing programs with local unions, and I urge the Council to support this valuable training initiative.
Transportation
Transportation connects people to opportunity, jobs, schools, healthcare, and each other. In understanding the value and importance of transportation for all, we must also understand that transportation must be safe for our residents. Safety is our highest priority, and I would like to thank the tireless efforts of our DPW team, headed by Commissioner Jeremy Robinson. During what was described as the single worst series of storm systems in recent memory, their efforts keep us all safe and our streets clear.
We interrupt this program to make a public service announcement: WE NEED CDL DRIVERS! IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING OUR TEAM, CALL HUMAN RESOURCES AT 315-448-8780.
Ensuring residents across our city have access to safe, reliable and affordable transportation that gets them where they need to go, while at the same time ensuring pedestrian safety, is critical for a thriving City.
That is why my administration is continuing our commitment to Vision Zero, our comprehensive roadmap to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries on our streets by 2055.
To make this happen, we have hired a Vision Zero Coordinator, housed within the Department of Public Works, and we are moving from planning to implementation.
To keep our students safe, we will continue the rollout of our school zone traffic enforcement to protect our students as they go to and from school.
This year we are advancing several major federally funded transportation improvement projects. Construction will include pedestrian safety upgrades at 42 intersections and traffic signal improvements along James Street and South Salina Street.
We are also focused on removing hurdles from everyday movement, whether you are driving, taking transit or walking, because a great city is one that is connected, North to South and East to West.
To lead this work, I am proud to announce this evening the creation of a Deputy Commissioner of Transportation and Mobility position. This position will coordinate these efforts internally and externally to ensure that projects keep moving forward as a top priority of my administration.
As we consider transportation within the City, I would be remiss if I did not thank our partners at New York State DOT for their collaboration during the transformational I-81 project. In 2026 the project will reach major milestones – as NYSDOT moves closer to implementing the Community Grid.
The future of the land under the existing viaduct is a critical puzzle piece to the revitalization of our community. I look forward to working with NYSDOT to create a pathway for City ownership. Our ownership is critical to ensure public engagement in the determination of land use and zoning.
We will continue working to build neighborhoods that are vibrant, welcoming, and full of opportunity. As part of the East Adams Neighborhood Transformation project, my administration will work to reinvigorate the development of the Children Rising Center. My staff will work tirelessly to identify development and investment partners to make this dream a reality.
As we reimagine the East Adams Neighborhood, we are extending momentum into neighborhood commercial corridors, supporting places where small businesses, culture, and community life come together. These areas are the ideal place for entrepreneurs and small businesses to grow and scale, activating storefronts, attracting visitors, and growing our City’s economy.
My administration will continue breaking down barriers to opening a business – especially for young entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs of color, who historically have not had equal access to opportunity.
To achieve this level of vibrancy, I’m proud to announce the creation of a District and Nightlife Coordinator. This role, located in the Department of Neighborhood & Business Development, will support efforts that intersect between entrepreneurism, nightlife, public safety, and public arts – helping make Syracuse a place where residents, including our young adults, want to stay and visitors want to experience.
As part of this initiative, we will focus on GenerationNext, or as I like to call it: “GenNext” – an initiative to provide our youth a place in our community. GenNext is my administration's commitment to ensuring that young people see a future for themselves in Syracuse GenNext is about creating safe places where young people want to spend time, create community, innovate ideas, build relationships, and feel connected.
I have tasked my Chief Development Officer, Eric Ennis, with this important work to revitalize and connect our neighborhoods.
Our Parks Department, under the leadership of Commissioner Syeisha Byrd, works to engage our youth through various programming and has created two e-gaming and podcast studios at the Southwest Community Center and Wilson Park. Tonight, I am announcing that the City will open two more sites in 2026.
Additionally, Commissioner Byrd will take on a nostalgic wish of mine and identify options that will covert Clinton Square ice rink into a summer roller rink. Our Commissioner is fully up to the task!
Thriving neighborhoods rely on good stewards of our buildings. My administration will work hard to bring new development and revitalization to vacant properties. As part of those revitalization efforts, we will not allow nuisance properties that are unsafe, unsanitary and unneighborly to persist.
We will continue using every tool in our toolbox to hold absentee landlords and illegally operated businesses accountable – especially where illegal cannabis and other drugs are sold.
We will enforce the law firmly – but fairly – holding bad actors accountable for the benefit of all our neighborhoods.
Thank you to my Corporation Counsel, Sue Katzoff, (the enforcer), for your work to enforce the law for the benefit of our City and our neighbors.
Safety, Trust and Stability
The single largest obligation of any administration is the safety of its residents. It is core to the success of our people and our City.
Public safety starts with leadership.
Earlier this month, we had the opportunity to thank Chief Joseph Cecile, who retired after more than forty years of service with the Syracuse Police Department.
Under his leadership, crime has declined across the board – with homicides at their lowest rate in a decade. This is an achievement not only for the SPD, but for our community as a whole. Crime has been reduced through targeted strategies and smarter deployment of officers, but perhaps most importantly, it is the result of stronger partnerships throughout the community.
Fostering those relationships requires strong leadership and I could not be more proud than to be carrying our efforts forward with my newly appointed Chief of Police, Mark Rusin, First Deputy Chief Richard Trudell, Deputy Chief Jason Tom, Deputy Chief James Milana, and Deputy Chief David Metz and the continuing work of Chief Accountability Officer Jawwaad Rashead and the rest of the command staff. Would you all stand tonight and be recognized. I want to thank each of you for your service and your commitment to our communities.
Chief Rusin understands that trust needs to be earned by listening to the community we serve, increasing transparency of our operations, and continuing to build strong relationships with residents, neighborhood leaders, and community-based organizations. He understands this is not a task to be completed but an ongoing responsibility of his leadership.
In an effort to achieve appropriate staffing levels, with the help of Chief Rusin, we reached a tentative agreement with the Syracuse Police Benevolent Association to implement a pilot program that pauses the residency requirement for new recruits. I continue to fundamentally believe residency is in the best interest of our newest officers. That said, I must face the realities of a police force facing - fewer applicants and an increasing number of retirements.
We will assess results as we enter into contract negotiations next year.
The Syracuse Police Department will develop and implement a dedicated command school for Lieutenants and Captains focused on strengthening community partnerships, enhancing problem-solving skills, and promoting procedurally sound policing practices. This program will be among the few command schools offered in New York State.
In addition, in 2026, the Department will introduce a series of panel discussions featuring local community leaders, clergy, and community activists. These panels will provide officers with valuable insight into how the historical context of policing in Syracuse has influenced current policies and procedures and will mark the first time these community voices have directly instructed academy recruits. The goal of this initiative is to deepen officers’ understanding of the relationship between law enforcement practices and their broader social impact.
I am also committed to identifying a more efficient use of our Community Service Officers.
We will innovate, adapt, and remain laser-focused on the needs of the people we serve. Syracuse deserves nothing less.
Over the past eight years, I have worked closely with Fire Chief Mike Monds and his dedicated command staff to reimagine what our Fire Department must be in order to meet the demands of today — and the realities of tomorrow.
Chief Monds now enters his ninth year as Fire Chief. In the Department’s 149-year history, only four other chiefs have served this long. That continuity matters. Leadership matters. But results matter most of all. Helping to maintain that continuity and those results, I am pleased to recognize new SFD leadership First Deputy Chief Elton Davis and Executive Deputy Chief Lucas Tortarella. Would all of the Fire Chiefs and personnel please stand and be recognized
Today, the Syracuse Fire Department operates from a position of strength — strength grounded in right-sized staffing, modern communications, improved fire stations and training facilities, a stable EMS partnership, and a deployment model built for the Syracuse we are becoming — not the Syracuse of decades past.
Growth in our city brings opportunity — but it also brings the heightened responsibility for our Fire Department to protect our neighborhoods. This past year SFD answered nearly 26,000 emergency calls.
Through disciplined planning and targeted investment, we made a deliberate decision to prepare the Fire Department not just for today — but for the future.
As a result, SFD deploys from strategically positioned firehouses so that every address in Syracuse is now within two miles of a fire station and has an average citywide response time of 2 minutes and 42 seconds — the best in the Central New York region.
That did not happen by chance. It happened because we rebuilt staffing levels to meet demand. It happened because we implemented a data-driven deployment model. It happened because we stabilized an apparatus replacement program that delivers reliable equipment. And it happened because we reinvested in fire stations and a first-class training facility — where firefighters train, every day.
I am thrilled that this spring, our police and fire departments will move from an aging, outdated building into a purpose-built facility at 1153 West Fayette Street in the heart of the west side and next to PSLA Fowler home of the fire cadet program. This state-of-the-art facility will enhance efficiency, collaboration, and service delivery. This opportunity represents a once-in-a-generation investment in how we support our public safety personnel and the community they serve.
As our teams prepare to move to their new home, I want to thank the Common Council for their steadfast support of our police and fire departments, and this bold and complex undertaking, one that will redefine public safety in the City of Syracuse for generations to come.
Fiscal Health and Stewardship
The initiatives and goals I have set forth tonight will not be possible without addressing the fiscal challenges faced by our City. They are real. But they can be addressed. Our future must be built with intention through responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.
Fiscal sustainability is about doing better with the resources we have— while identifying opportunities to increase resources - and most importantly doing it together. My administration is committed to prioritizing and modernizing how City government works so every dollar delivers real value to our residents.
As part of my strategy, we will continue to implement infrastructure to allow us to better track costs - like overtime and health care. We will undertake a review of all City fees across departments to ensure we are properly being compensated for the services and the work we provide while still maintaining affordability for our residents. We will identify technology to improve and streamline our systems and processes.
This is the behind-the-scenes work most people never see – but it is the work that makes everything else possible.
We will strengthen partnerships with non-profits, the County, and the State, so that we are not alone carrying challenges that are shared by many.
I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge and thank Syracuse University and Chancellor Kent Syverud for recognizing their impact on City resources - and its ongoing commitment, through its shared services agreement, to partner with us to build a better tomorrow through fiscal stability. I would also like to wish the Chancellor luck in his new position.
I will work to grow our tax base by investing in housing, jobs, and neighborhoods - because growth, not austerity is the path to stability.
As I promised in the campaign, we will explore new revenue sources and plan to complete a city-wide property revaluation to better capture property values and taxes. I look forward to working with Council President Paniagua and the rest of the Council to get that effort underway in the coming months. We will also explore new opportunities such as a Land Value Tax to incentivize the highest and best use of property for economic growth.
And finally, to ensure a more transparent budgeting process, under the leadership of Budget Director Evan Loving, and in collaboration with the Common Council, my administration will meet with members of the Council in February and March to discuss the budget, weeks before the budget is due to the Council. We believe that better collaboration will result in better outcomes for taxpayers.
This is a moment to build a stronger, fairer, more resilient city. We have already completed the foundation – so the only place left to go is up!
As mayor of Syracuse, I promise to serve this great city by governing with compassion, honesty, and accountability.
This is about more than policy; it’s about people. It is about ensuring children have access to quality education, parents can attain meaningful employment, and families have a home that is safe.
This moment is an inflection point in our city’s history, molded by our past – but not defined by it. This is not about what we have done – this is about WHAT'S NEXT!
The moment is here. The opportunity awaits. Please join me in seizing it and making Syracuse the very best it can be.
Thank you and God bless and good night.