The Daily Orange is a nonprofit newsroom that receives no funding from Syracuse University. Consider donating today to support our mission.

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh outlined initiatives related to the coronavirus pandemic, police reform and technology opportunities during his annual State of the City Address on Thursday. 

Walsh live-streamed the message at the Salt City Market in downtown Syracuse. He focused on how the city has been recovering from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and provided updates to several long-term city projects.

“(Syracuse) is showing fortitude in the face of challenges that might previously have seemed insurmountable,” Walsh said. “At the core of this success is cooperation. I can not imagine that a community fighting among itself could effectively respond to the challenges of the past year.”

Although the city budget had a projected surplus of $1.5 million last year, the government had to make “deep cuts” to various programs and departments within the city, Walsh said.

Due to low revenue from taxes and state aid, the city’s financial situation for the next year is impossible to predict, he said. But Walsh said he is optimistic that New York will receive more state aid under President Joe Biden’s administration.

“The financial risk from COVID-19 to our city is still grave,” the mayor said.

Since the pandemic began, the city government has provided about $1.3 million in COVID-19 relief funding to local businesses, Walsh said. It also directed a quarter of a million dollars in block grant funding to increase outreach for residents experiencing mental health crises, as well as $3.4 million in CARES Act funds to increase housing stability during the pandemic.

“As we fought the pandemic over the past year, in partnership with the state and county, I am proud to report that your city government kept pushing forward for our economy and our neighborhoods,” Walsh said.

Walsh thanked County Executive Ryan McMahon, county health experts, frontline workers and other city employees for their perseverance during the pandemic.

The mayor also addressed protests and police reform measures in the city. Syracuse residents protested for 40 straight days last summer after Minneapolis police officers killed George Floyd, and they held several other demonstrations later in the year to pressure the city into enacting police reform. 

In October, the Syracuse Common Council passed the Right to Know Act, which requires officers to provide their name and rank to members of the public they approach and offer their business card at the end of interactions. The legislation is one of nine demands of the People’s Agenda for Policing, a set of police reform demands 15 local activist groups issued to the city in June.

“It is only through listening that we can truly understand and through seeing and feeling that we strengthen the motivation and urgency to act,” Walsh said. “I pledge to do everything in my authority to keep positive change happening.”

Walsh also provided updates to Syracuse Surge, an initiative that aims to improve the city’s economy through technological advancements.

The city has started construction on a new JMA Wireless tech manufacturing facility in the city and launched a hiring program for local residents. It will also begin work this year on a regional science, technology, engineering arts and math school in downtown Syracuse.

Walsh also announced that Syracuse will begin pilot tests on its new “smart city” equipment, which includes free internet access near community centers, LED lights in street lamps and cell phone towers throughout the city.

“By working together and focusing on opportunity for all, the Syracuse Surge is delivering on our objective to increase economic investment from the private and the public sector,” Walsh said.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently announced plans to break ground for the Interstate 81 viaduct project in 2022. The project will replace the viaduct with a community grid, redirecting traffic into city streets.

The city received a grant from the New York attorney general’s office and Enterprise Community Partners, an organization that helps increase affordable housing across the country, to prevent neighborhood displacement when the viaduct is removed, Walsh said. He also promised to ensure that the project increases jobs for city residents.

“I am passionate about the transformational potential of the community grid,” Walsh said. “I am equally determined to be sure that those that live within the shadow of the viaduct will benefit from any future investments.”

The mayor also announced the creation of Syracuse Serves, a support program for veterans and their families. The city partnered with Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families to launch the program, which will help local veterans navigate social support and vocational programs in the area.

“It’s an important job, but with the experience and expertise of SU and the IVMF, we can make things better for our community’s veterans,” Walsh said.

Despite the tumultuous year, Walsh expressed optimism for the future and thanked the community for working together to support one another.

“Make no mistake — there are still too many in our community that are struggling, and there are many still ahead of us,” Walsh said. “Yet, as we have seen so clearly tonight, we are on the right track.”

Published on January 21, 2021 at 11:52 pm

Contact Maggie: mehicks@syr.edu | @maggie_hickss