Mayor Walsh Delivers Targeted Vetoes to City Budget Cuts

Published on May 19, 2025

Mayor Walsh Delivers Targeted Vetoes to Prevent Most Harmful City Budget Cuts, Reduce City Spending, and Eliminate Need for Tax Increase

In response to the Syracuse Common Council’s deep, across-the-board budget cuts, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh submitted vetoes Monday to prevent reductions that would be most harmful to constituent services, quality of life, public safety and city employees. Mayor Walsh said his targeted approach eliminates the need for a property tax increase and reduces city spending.

Mayor Walsh delivered his vetoes, formally referred to as objections, in a letter to the City Clerk and Common Council, in accordance with the City Charter. In a special meeting on May 8, the Council authorized $16 million in spending reductions, impacting virtually every category of city services. Walsh and city department heads have said the Council acted without consultation with city department heads and that the cuts are too steep.

“Respectfully, I do not support the Council’s amendments and significant reductions to the proposed budget,” Walsh said in his letter to the Council.  “In the interest of compromise, however, I am only objecting 45 amendments which I believe to be most harmful to our constituents and employees. I urge the Council to reconsider and not make those reductions.”

Mayor Walsh’s objections included all of the Council’s reductions to Police and Fire Department budgets. He also vetoed the Council’s cuts to Code Enforcement and Permit Review, as well as the 50% cut in Law Department funding for outside legal counsel which plays a key role in housing and neighborhood safety.  Walsh objected to most of the amendments that reduced spending in the Department of Public Works and the Parks Department.  He rejected the Council’s elimination of a small increase in water rates.

Walsh’s objections let stand 37 Council amendments that reduce spending. His letter continued, “Through these reductions the need for an increase in the tax rate is eliminated. This measured approach results in a budget that achieves the Council’s goals of maintaining the tax rate and lowering spending. It also ensures that no employee loses their job, invaluable city services are maintained at their current levels, and we protect the quality of life for our constituents."

The City Charter does not allow the Mayor to revise the proposed draw on the fund balance amended by the Council. As a result, Mayor Walsh objected to Council amendment No. 79 regarding the fund balance to restore the $27 million draw included in his original budget.  Depending on the Council’s response to the Mayor’s noted objections, this draw would create surplus revenue that would result in a reduction in the property tax rate. 

Prior to submitting the veto message, the Walsh administration also presented Councilors with a memorandum delineating the potential impact of all 82 of the Council’s amendments.

According to the City Charter, the Council can address the Mayor’s objections at its next regularly scheduled meeting on May 27 or conduct a special meeting after that date but before a June 2 deadline for adopting a final budget.

Mayor Walsh’s full veto message and the Administration memo on the impact of Council amendments can be read below.