Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh announced spending reductions and program modifications Wednesday in response to the Common Council's cuts to the city budget over his objections, which will mainly affect public safety operations.
Walsh said department leaders conducted reviews of their programs and the adjustments aim to reduce spending while maintaining essential city services.
"We are committed to implementing these changes in a way that minimizes impact on the services Syracuse residents depend on," Walsh said in a statement. "In many cases, this has meant adjusting service delivery methods and scaling back programs we have fought for seven years to implement while maintaining our commitment to public safety and essential services. We remain committed to maintaining transparent communication with residents and welcome the opportunity to work with the Common Council to further mitigate the impacts of the cuts."
Leading the public safety cuts are $809,365 in miscellaneous cuts to Syracuse Police Department's operational costs; $490,000 in eliminating the department's cadet program; $425,000 in overtime reduction; $500,000 in reducing a partnership with Liberty Resources, a core component of the national "Re-imagining Police" campaign; and $450,000 in eliminating Shotspotter, the program intended to detect gunfire.
Regarding the Syracuse Fire Department, cuts include $1 million to reduce overtime for sworn officers; $300,000 to delay maintenance and replacement of technical devices; $225,000 to postpone or limit maintenance on fire stations; and over $635,000 in miscellaneous operational costs throughout the department.
Regarding the Department of Public Works, cuts include $1.1 million in reduction of professional services related to transportation planning; $600,874 in reduction in funding for trash and debris disposal; $324,092 in reduced funding for salt for snow and ice removal; half a million dollars in reduced funding for automative repairs; and $305,022 to eliminate the positions of plumbers, electricians, carpenters and other related fields for summer festivals and events.
The cuts are the result of a weeks-long budget battle last month between Walsh in his final months as mayor and the Common Council. The council rejected Walsh's budget proposal and crafted its own that came with $16 million in spending cuts, half of its amendments vetoed by Walsh. The council then overrode all of Walsh's vetoes a week later.
The council, led by Council President Pat Hogan, who is running in the Democratic primary for mayor next week, has noted that the city's budget has grown by $100 million since Walsh first took office eight years ago and the elimination of federal COVID-19 pandemic relief funds means more fiscal responsibility is now needed.
Walsh is term-limited and not running for reelection, but his deputy mayor, Sharon Owens, faces Hogan in this month’s primary.
Luke Parsnow - New York State Politics Digital Content Producer
Luke Parsnow is the New York state politics digital content writer and producer at Spectrum News 1. He is an award-winning writer and political columnist and previously worked for CNYCentral in Syracuse and The Post-Star in Glens Falls, New York.