Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh will discuss city achievements and outline his administration’s priorities for 2020 in his third State of the City address Thursday.

Walsh’s previous speeches have focused on economic growth, responsible land use, constituent engagement and accessibility of city services. The mayor will review the city’s progress in these areas during his address.

Members of Syracuse’s Common Council are looking forward to hearing Walsh’s speech and learning what to expect from the administration in the year to come, said Councilor Joe Driscoll, of the 5th District. The State of the City address serves as a guideline for the Council to consider what issues to spend money on, he said.

Walsh’s previous speeches have proposed ambitious, actionable ideas, Driscoll said.

The mayor will discuss initiatives regarding quality of life in Syracuse neighborhoods, preparations for the 2020 U.S. Census count this spring and plans for diversity and inclusion in municipal government, according to a press release.

Councilor at-large Rita Paniagua, who will introduce Walsh at the address, said the mayor has a strong relationship with the community.

“He engages with the services to provide wellness into the community, to understand them better,” she said. “So when the decision-making comes to the table, he is well aware of the challenges of the environment.”

Walsh will also highlight Syracuse’s improved fiscal sustainability and construction progress on city school facilities in 2019, according to the release. The mayor will also describe “significant steps forward on the Syracuse Surge,” a recently-implemented plan for economic growth.

Councilor Joe Carni, of the 1st District, said the Surge initiative helped create new jobs in his district and keep young, local talent in the Syracuse area.

“From what I can see, I’ve heard from folks in my area that have already started applying for those jobs, and it’s encouraging and nice to see growth like that,” Carni said.

Carni said he hopes to hear Walsh address basic infrastructure needs in the city, such as department vehicles and road repair. He is also interested in the city’s budget, he said.

Differences in priorities between Walsh and the council, including a proposed salary increase for the councilors, the city auditor and the mayor, have led some councilors to begin drafting their own legislative agenda, Driscoll said.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to articulate some of those (priorities) and increase communication between the Council and the administration to get better collaboration and a better sense of what everyone’s priorities are moving forward,” he said.

Paniagua said she’s remained confident in her and the council’s ability to adjust to challenges regarding constituent needs in 2020.

“I’m willing to give everything a chance and, to the best of my ability, try to be part of the solution,” she said.

Published on January 15, 2020 at 9:40 pm

Contact Marnie: ammunozc@syr.edu