Onondaga County Legislators have given their final approval to the $1.6 billion budget that will guide county government spending next year. Lawmakers made few changes to the county executive’s proposed spending plan, which includes an 11 percent decrease in property taxes. Legislature chair Tim Burtis, a Republican, said the budget adds money to public safety and social services.
“This budget includes $3.3 million in local dollars for daycare, $1.2 million in additional flexible lead funding, and more," he said. "Even with all of this, we have proposed a balanced budget using no reserves and a tax rate of $2.93, the lowest in 50 years.”
But Democratic legislator Maurice Brown told his colleagues those increases plan still don't go far enough.
“That historic tax rate comes on the backs of black and brown children within the city of Syracuse. We're saving money by not helping them,” he said. “This might look fiscally responsible today, but it's morally irresponsible today and going forward. It would be one thing if we didn't have the money, but we do. We're choosing to not use it to meet the moment, and I think that's wrong.”
Brown says the county’s Republican leaders are clinging to the status quo rather than taking bold action and spending some of its $100 million reserves to better address homelessness, the lead paint crisis, and other challenges. The final vote was 12 to 4 along party lines.
