A potential republican candidate for Syracuse mayor didn’t mince words in the response to Mayor Walsh’s state of the city address.
"The state of the city is precarious. Syracuse is not rising. Syracuse is sinking. Sinking into a pit of garbage, potholes, and lawlessness."
The less-than-rosy outlook came from economist Janet Burman, who says safe, affordable housing is key to addressing the decades-long exodus of the middle class from the city.
"Increasingly what remains are those who can afford to insulate themselves against the city's problems and those who cannot afford to leave. We must act briskly to reverse this trend."
She says the mayor’s larger plan for mixed-income housing is a start. In the short-term, she says the city needs to create temporary, clean, and safe housing for those living in substandard conditions with lead paint, inadequate heat, and bad plumbing.
On police reform, Burman essentially scolded Walsh for not expressing enough confidence in his officers.
"Police morale is low. Mayor Walsh, show your support for our police. At the earliest opportunity for safe gathering, address each watch, and demonstrate your appreciation and respect by personally thanking each member of the force. Advocate on their behalf by restoring some of the funding that the council cut."
Burman made no mention of last year’s protests or the treatment of people of color by police.
The two democratic candidates for mayor also weighed in on the mayor’s address. Councilor Khalid Bey says the Walsh administration has been slow to implement the Right to Know legislation. And, both he and Councilor Michael Greene expressed disbelief that the mayor continued to argue in favor of an expensive and legally questionable contract with the police union given the financial state of the city.
